Nothing quite starts your day off right, like biting into a fresh bagel, and whether you slather yours with cream cheese or transform it into a breakfast sandwich, the state of Iowa will never leave you hanging when it comes to quality bagel shops. To discover the best bagel shops in Iowa that offer authentic New York-style bagels and other breakfast options, check out this list of Iowa's top 5 bagel shops in 2024.
The Cabin Coffee Company started from humble beginnings and a simple idea of wanting a bagel company closer to the Clear Lake home of business owners Brad and Angie. The two entrepreneurs opened their first store in Clear Lake in 2002, and since then have spread across the Midwest to open multiple franchise locations with the same name. Don’t let the small chain fool you though, nothing has changed in their mentality of family-friendly and welcoming environments from their original bagel shops, including with it the freshest bagels you can find to start your morning.
Open seven days a week in Clive, 5 Borough Bagels is a relatively new spot for New York authentic bagels, and is quickly proving to reign supreme when it comes to Iowa’s bagel scene. Baked fresh every morning, whether you coat your bagel with cream cheese or go for one of the prepared bagel sandwich options offered by 5 Borough Bagels, you’ll see for yourself why you don’t have to leave the Midwest to get a mouth-watering bagel.
Smokey Row Coffee operates four different locations within the state of Iowa, including Des Moines, Oskaloosa, Pella and the original shop in Pleasantville. While all four locations add a little bit of a unique flavor to the Smokey Row Coffee brand, they all deliver on the toasted or prepared bagel you’re looking for. Choose your spread or opt for a tantalizing sandwich option like the chicken Caesar bagel, and whatever you do, know that within your first bite you’ll be asking for more.
With 15 locations in relatively proximity to the western shores of Lake Superior, Big Apple Bagels has a single Iowa store located in Dubuque near the Iowa River. If you ever happen to find yourself in that area, it’s well worth the time to stop into Big Apple Bagels and decide over the many different bagel options on the menu. From breakfast sandwiches that can’t be beat to single bagels in every variety, Big Apple Bagels mission is simple and easily obtained, to provide you with the best bagel options you can find anywhere else in the Midwest.
Van Hemert’s Dutch Oven Bakery is a full-line, made-from-scratch bakery that explores its Dutch heritage while serving up specialty breads, bagels and baked items on a daily basis. The smells alone can guide you to the doors of this Dutch Oven Bakery in Ames, and while the bagels made each morning are always a safe bet for something delicious, don’t forget to try all the homemade goodies offered within your next visit to the iconic Van Hemert’s Dutch Oven Bakery.