Brandon Bagels

I’ve been living in this area for 10 years now. I’ve passed by this place a jillion times. Each time thinking to myself that I have to try their bagels. Today was the first time, and it won’t be my last. Why did I wait so long? This place is awesome! I’d much rather support this family owned bagel shop rather than any of the chain bagel shops I’ve visited recently. Besides that, their bagels are very good. I didn’t feel like the bagel has the outer crispiness of a NY style bagel, but who the heck cares. We’re not in NYC. I like both styles of bagels so it doesn’t phase me one bit. What I do know is that these are «kettled and baked fresh daily from scratch.» That’s what the sign says and I believe them.
I ordered a breakfast sandwich on an Everything Bagel with bacon, egg, and cheese. They even asked me how I wanted it. Do you want the bagel toasted & buttered? Do you want salt & pepper on your egg? Who even asks these questions anymore? I love this place. I was pleasantly surprised by all of this. They also fried up the egg right there in front of me. Yes, made to order and not sitting around waiting for someone to order it. What a wonderful & tasty breakfast!
I also bought a half dozen bagels (3 plain and 3 Everything) and a tub of Olive & Garlic Cream Cheese (thanks to the previous reviewer). OMG, the cream cheese was so yummy! My husband even loved it, and he’s not one who tends to comment much about food (even when asked). He specifically asked me to seal the remaining bagels up in a plastic baggie so that they don’t harden up (like prized possessions). That said a lot to me. Okay, I may be over exaggerating a bit but the point is that we both liked them very much. I’ll definitely go back for more the next time I have an appointment near that area.
I think the only negative is that they don’t really have a dining area. It’s very small. I think maybe a few chairs. The baking area takes up the majority of the space. It’s also in a very old and ugly looking strip mall on State Road 60. Other than that, service is actually pretty efficient and quick. There’s a lot of parking, and they appear to have a steady flow of local clientele. I highly recommend it for bagels. I’ve been to the other bagel shops. IMHO, this is truly the best bagel shop in Brandon. I can’t believe I waited this long to try it.

From New York, living in Sarasota. I’ve had plenty of bagels in New York over the years. Brandon Bagel is just as good if not better than most bagel shops from the Tri-​State area. I’m very critical when it comes to bagels and cream cheese because it is my favorite breakfast food. Brandon Bagel is far the best bagel shop you will find in the Tampa area!
Bagels are light and soft with a perfectly thin crisp to the outside. They are large and have a generous amount of cream cheese. The cream cheese is fresh and boasts with flavor. I have had the Olive Garlic and Jalapeño flavors, both of which are not over powered by the cream cheese itself. You get good bits of olive and jalapeño respectively. It is not a store bought cream cheese, they freshly make their own, and it’s better than any cream cheese I’ve ever had.
I don’t get to come often but it is now a tradition of mine to stop anytime I head out towards Orlando because the bagels are that good.
This is THE place for bagels! You won’t be disappointed!

For tampa area this is a 5. If I was in NJ they would still be a 4. braided bread and other specialty items I have not seen anywhere else in FL. I used to go out at midnight to stand in line sat night for hot bagels; I like a good one and can live withotu any if it has to be mediocre.
The cream cheese is done the same way as in a NY deli/​bagel shop so I buy the veggie cream cheese or some special one when I make a deal to drive 25 miles to get 2 bagels — I do not thinka frozen bagel is a bagel any longer so I have to get them so rarely.
Johanna

All I can say is Best Bagel place in Brandon. The place has been here for years. Bagels are fresh. Sandwiches are good. Cream cheese are really good.

Best bagels I have found in the Tampa area, and the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. I have a fondness for Everything bagels, and this place doesn’t disappoint. The bagels are large, and the everything part of the everything bagel is generously embedded on the top AND bottom of the bagel. Compared to what you get at the local Einstein’s Bagel, this place is a hundred times better. $ 10 (tax included) for a baker’s dozen bagels any day of the week, $ 10.50 if you want your 13 bagels hand sliced perfectly in half. This is opposed to the competition that uses a slicing machine that often slices the bagels 20% on the top 80% on the bottom. Highly recommended.

Fantastic bagels, coffee, iced coffee, tea, juice, turnovers, cookies, muffins, sandwiches, etc. I visit there all the time. Service is always friendly. They work on each order individually. They do get busy in the morning but that’s because it’s so good. Always fresh. Made on location. Yep, fixing to run by for lunch. :)

Best bagels I’ve found in this area of Florida. I grew up here, but my family is still in NY and I love a great bagel. I always grab a dozen, and freeze them when I’m this way.

First off let me start by saying don’t let the little hole in the wall fool you. The plaza is a very old and the Bagel place is outdated, could use some updating in my opinion. However the bagels are pretty good. My favorite item is their cream cheese. They have a variety of cream cheese that are all homemade and taste delicious. I haven’t tried one I didn’t like. The bagels are soft and fresh. Plus the prices are great. If you want fresh bagels and cream cheese for half the price this is your place. The service is great and they try their best to get you in and out as quickly as possible. Try to get there early because by 11:00am most of varieties of bagels are gone. They are always stocked up with cream cheese and bagels but it gets so busy all my favorites seem to sell out quick.

Best Bagels! I love the maple walnut cream cheese it’s amazing! I just hate it when a certain lady skips out of the cream cheese. They usually put a good dollop of cream cheese, however there’s been a couple of times when one lady had scraped off the excess.

I will start this review out by saying I live in fishhawk Ranch. I have a bagel shop close to my house. Brandon bagels by far is a better product with better service. I will drive a little further to eat here. If you like pumpkin spice this is the place for you. This is the best pumpkin spice bagel and cream cheese I have had anywhere in this country. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it’s a hole in the wall. The food is amazing. Can’t wait to go back.

If you live in Brandon you know that it’s a challenge to find a place to eat that is not a chain restaurant, or doesn’t have a drive-​through window. From the exterior you might think this place does back woods human organ removal late night, and the inside isn’t going to blow you away either, but that’s where the negativity ends with this story folks.
Not only are their bagels and other assorted delicacies ridiculously delicious, but every menu item is inexpensive and almost be hooves you to want to purchase more items. Get there early or your favorite bagels will be sold out before the clock strikes noon. Make sure you try the homemade cream cheeses as well, there is quite the assortment. The older couple that owns this place is old-​school, so don’t go in looking to be coddled. Get your food and get out you whiny hipsters, you will not be disappointed.

I lived in Tampa Bay for 11 years and this is the 2^nd best bagel shop from New York bagels!

The bagels were pretty good for Florida standards. The service wasn’t the greatest, otherwise I’d think it was 4 stars. I might try Einstein bagels next time just to compare. The lady was all in an rush and got the order wrong even though it was 10AM and the place was empty.

This place is really good. We had a breakfast bagel ham egg and cheese. All of it was fresh

Not really any seating. No air conditioning inside but the bagels are fresh and kettle-​cooked. Kind of a hole in the wall. I’m sure we would never want to know just how dirty the kitchen is. But the bagel tasted like sweet, sweet love.

Freshest bagels I’ve been able to find in the Tampa area! Just be sure to get there (or call in your order) early or the selection will be very limited.

Always great service and Great bagels… Always fresh and never frozen like the rest of the places in town

Went here because a friend told me they had Taylor ham & great bagels… For everyone writing «I know NY bagels» obviously hasn’t been back to NY/​NJ in a LOONNNG time. These don’t compare, not by size not by taste & barely by texture. I got a seasonal pumpkin bagel which tasted like a plain bagel with a dash of pumpkin pie spice. My husband had a true jersey Classic Taylor ham & cheese on a bagel. The ladies were so over whelmed, confused & made his Taylor ham on a griddle you can buy at walmart. It was undercooked & had 2 pieces on the sandwich. Never been back. Would rather not have any bagels. I gave them 2 stars for effort.

I had high hopes, but the hype fell short. The bagel shop is quite run down and in need for some renovation. I went with an egg and sausage bagel, coffee and the chocolate chip cookies. I would have been just as pleased with a bagel sandwich from McD’s, and the cookies were about as good as the nestle squares in the refrigerated aisle in the grocery store. The coffee was good though so there is one positive.

Not many good Bagel shops in the Tampa Bay area but this place stands out above the rest. Being a New Yorker I know what bagels are supposed to taste like and this place is like trip to the NY area almost.
Great selection of Bagels and cream cheeses. One of best things about this place for me is thankfully I don’t live nearby otherwise I’d be here daily.