Panera vs. Einstein Bros: Which Has the Better Bagels?

Panera Bread and Einstein Bros. are two of the most popular bagel spots in the country and go-to destinations for many people during the morning commute or coffee run. Fans of both chains have their favorites, whether a classic bagel with a schmear or one of their signature bagels with butter or, even better, served as a breakfast sandwich.

While both Panera and Einstein Bros. have much to offer, I wanted to see which chain truly slings the best bagels in the land. Growing up in a Jewish family on New York's Long Island, I consider myself something of a bagel connoisseur—check out my prior review of store-bought bagels—but claim no particular brand loyalty when it comes to either chain's bagels, making me a fairly impartial judge.

For this taste test, I pitted six of the chains' most popular bagels against each other in a head-to-head contest that was both tasty and carb-o-licious.

Each bagel was judged on looks and taste, and I tried all of them with butter. Surprisingly, it was a bit of a bagel beatdown, with one of the two chains winning in almost all the categories. So, who really makes the best bagels? Read on to see the final verdict.

Cinnamon Crunch Bagel

Panera: The Cinnamon Crunch bagel is made with cinnamon and vanilla flavored chips and topped with sweet cinnamon crunch topping. At first glance, it definitely looks like more like a doughnut with a crumbly, sugary-looking topping than a bagel, and its shape is that of a roll. Biting in, this bagel was very sugary but unfortunately very dry tasting. I wished it were moist and fluffy, but instead it was almost like a doughnut, not a bagel. Yet, it the same time, it was not the kind of sweet treat that would be worth all the calories.

Einstein: This bagel is topped with apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cinnamon crunch streusel. With its streusel topping, it was a bit more visually appealing than Panera's version. I immediately thought this doughnut-esque bagel looked like it would be a sugar rush to bite into, and I wasn't wrong. While I would never normally order this type of bagel, Einstein's rendition was moist and chewy. It was still too sweet for my taste though.

The verdict: If you're into the idea of a bagel-doughnut, go with Einstein Bros., which offers a more thoughtfully crafted, moister, and tastier bagel all around.

 I Tried Every Bagel at Panera & the Best Was a Shocker

Cheese Bagel

Panera: This bagel is made with chunks of asiago cheese baked inside and it's topped with even more asiago. As a New York Jew, I can't say a cheese bagel is one of the classics I'd ever go for, and Panera's asiago bagel looks like a big, cheesy roll, with a golden, crusty top. While it tasted a lot like a bun, this bagel has a nice cheesiness to it mild yet salty. The dough was light and fluffy, and surprisingly, I found myself going back for a second bite.

Einstein: This bagel is topped with asiago, parmesan, and romano cheeses. Compared to Panera's bun-like round, Einstein's was shaped more like a real bagel but the cheese on top looked very brown and was less appealing. Biting in, I could hardly taste any cheese in this bagel. Instead, it seemed a little bland and stale with no discernible flavor at all. It wasn't a regular bagel and it wasn't a really cheesy bagel, either. It was just meh.

The verdict: Panera won this bagel round, hands down. Its asiago not only looked better, but it also had a great cheesiness that could potentially make me a convert.

 The 5 Healthiest Store-Bought Bagels—and 5 To Avoid

Everything Bagel

Panera: The everything bagel is arguably the best iteration of a bagel there is, and Panera's is topped with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, toasted onion, and kosher salt. Disappointingly, this everything bagel looked more like a grocery-store variety than because it was a perfect circle. It didn't look fluffy or chewy, and I knew it would need a lot of butter or cream cheese to be passable. Upon first tasting it, I realized the seasoning was too sparse and the bagel was pretty bland as result.

Einstein: This bagel is topped with the company's signature Everything Bagel Seasoning which includes sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, garlic and salt. Einstein's everything bagel had a doughy appearance and looked homemade compared to Panera's. The seasoning was plentiful and I was excited to bite in. While the bagel itself was nice and chewy, the onion seasoning overwhelmed all the other spices.

The verdict: Einstein Bros. won this round handily. Its bagel was fluffy and chewy and had the right amount of seasoning (though it could scale back on the onion).

 8 Best Bagels In NYC, According to Chefs

Plain Bagel

Panera: A plain bagel is the most classic variety and should be a perfect blank slate for any toppings. Panera's is lightly sweetened with brown sugar. This bagel had such a golden hue to it that it almost looked like an egg bagel. It was bigger on one side which gave it a handmade appearance. Biting in, I was disappointed in how tough and bland this bagel tasted. Not even a pound of butter or cream cheese could make this edible.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Einstein: The good old plain bagel is one of the basics at Einstein Bros. and a go-to when you just don't know what to get for breakfast or lunch. This bagel looked surprisingly small and less plump than the chain's other bagels, but I was game to try it. Taking a chomp, I noticed that the plain bagel is chewy with a neutral flavor that would lend itself well to most any bagel topping. It was not overwhelmingly doughy, which I liked.

The verdict: The Einstein Bros. didn't look quite as nice as Panera's but when it comes to bagels, taste is king. If you want a plain bagel, Einstein Bros. is your place.

 I Tried 7 Store-Bought Bagels & There's Only One I'd Buy Again

Cinnamon Raisin Bagel

Panera: As a bagel purist, I consider the cinnamon raisin variety a crime against good taste, but for the purpose of this taste test, I was willing to try and be impartial. Panera's version is made with sourdough, which sounded strange. The bagel is swirled with cinnamon and cinnamon-flavored chips, brown sugar, and raisins. This bagel was darker in color and speckled with dark dots that I assumed to be raisins—though I could not see any full raisins on the outside). Biting in, I could not taste or see any real raisins. Perhaps it was just raisin-flavored, but either way, it's a flop.

Einstein: This bagel had a dark hue with big, visible raisins poking out of it. It had a cinnamon swirl with raisins baked in and just looked like it would be cream cheese's best friend. Slightly sweet but not overly so, Einstein Bros. found the right balance of flavors with this bagel. Though I'm normally not a fan of this bagel varietal, I did enjoy the taste of the full, plump raisins in this one.

The verdict: If you're in the mood for cinnamon raisin, Einstein Bros. is your spot. While its bagel looks skinnier than Panera's, it's much bigger on taste.

 We Tried McDonald's, Dunkin' & Panera's Bagel Sandwiches & the Winner Is So Tasty

Multigrain Bagel

Panera: A multigrain bagel is one of my favorite options when I want a bagel that's a little bit on the healthier side. Panera's multigrain bagel flat features whole wheat, rye, and seeds. It also comes topped with oats. While this "bagel flat" looks a lot more like a roll than a bagel, the inclusion of oats on top makes it appear very hearty and appealing. Biting in, this bagel was grainy and slightly tough, but tasted fine with butter. It would be even better as an egg sandwich or with peanut butter and jelly.

Einstein: This bagel appeared to be coated in every conceivable grain or seed. It almost looked like it was dipped in birdseed, which was not the most appealing look. Made with amaranth, chia seeds, quinoa, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax, this is one bagel that seems to have it all going on. Biting in, this bagel was grainy and malty. There were just too many seeds, though, and I had to scrape some of them off to make it more palatable.

The verdict: This was a close one. I'd be happy with Einstein's ancient grain offering, albeit with fewer seeds, but in the end, Panera edged out the competition with its unconventional bagel flat and those yummy oats on top.

The Final Verdict

While Panera's bagels are often bigger and perhaps more visually appealing, the proof is on the palate. Einstein Bros. lived up to its billing as a true bagel specialist, beating out its popular café chain rival in four of six categories, including two of the most classic iterations: plain and everything.

On that count, Einstein's should be your go-to for your next bagel fix.