Calic Bagel
Bagel shop · Westlake ·
Signature garlic-stuffed bagels, LA-style sandwiches, coffee
Signature garlic-stuffed bagels, LA-style sandwiches, coffee
"I don’t know how people can complain about the bagel situation in Los Angeles when we have something as unique — and undeniably delicious — as Calic Bagel in Koreatown. For the original Calic bagel, picture a soft and gently sweet dough packed with mountains of cream cheese loaded with garlic; the garlic is definitely intense and might overwhelm first thing in the morning, but as a garlic enthusiast I appreciated the punchiness. The bagels arrive steaming hot and tearing into them reveals a feathery crumb. For a bagel that feels closer to a baked potato, try the bacon and scallion bagel. The shop also slings versions inspired by pepperoni pizza and elote, as well as bagel sandwiches and standard bagels with schmear. Pair the bagels with a cream-topped banana matcha or a biscoff latte to complete the meal." - Eater Staff
"Weekend crowds head to Calic for its chewy bagels, made with tangzhong, a Japanese baking technique that uses pre-cooked flour in the mix. The shop is best known for its stuffed bagels, including one stuffed with garlic cream cheese and dipped in garlic butter. But while the stuffed bagels may be tempting, don’t neglect the sandwiches. The bacon, egg, and cheese piles on thick-cut smoky bacon, a steamed egg that resembles a stiffer version of the Korean gyeran-jjim, and melty cheese. There are a few seats inside the shop, but plenty of seating in the courtyard right outside." - Mona Holmes
"Verdict: Is a bagel without a hole technically a bagel? Either way, we’re into these fluffy, fresh-baked bread circles. At Calic Bagel in Koreatown, you’ll order everything from an oversized touchscreen like a Target customer in self-checkout. It’s a nice touch that helps speed up the line of people waiting to get one of their stuffed bagels, which have been reviewed on TikTok more times than we care to count. There’s no denying these puff-ball bagels filled with sweet-ish garlic cream cheese and dunked in garlic butter are delicious, but they’re way too rich to finish in one sitting. We much prefer the non-stuffed bagels, which are baked fresh every 30 minutes. They're extremely fluffy on the inside, with a thin, blistered crust that's designed to be ripped apart and dipped in cream cheese. While the dip flavors might seem gimmicky, we love the off-the-wall options like sweet corn and fig pecan. There’s usually tons of street parking right out front, plus they have a huge patio where you can sit in the sun with your bagel." - sylvio martins, brant cox, nicolas zhou, cathy park
"Calling the stuffed puff balls at Koreatown's Calic Bagel "bagels" feels like a stretch, but if you can get past the taxonomy, there's no denying these puffy, yeasty rolls filled with sweet-ish garlic cream cheese and dunked in garlic butter are delicious (albeit very rich). The loose bagels though—baked fresh every 30 minutes—are just as great. They're extremely fluffy on the inside, with a thin, blistered crust. The dip and sandwich options, like maple-cinnamon-walnut cream cheese or the "Ktown Not Philly" sandwich with bulgogi and gochujang aioli, might come across as gimmicky but work shockingly well." - sylvio martins, arden shore, garrett snyder, cathy park
"A recent return visit found the bagel-sandwich game leveled up: the lightly crisp, fluffy bagels remain the star, but the classic bacon, egg, and cheese is now especially impressive. Instead of a fried or scrambled egg, the sandwich uses a steamed egg that is reminiscent of the Korean gyeran-jjim; thick, salty bacon is generously piled on and held together with a melty slice of cheese. Order the sandwich on an everything bagel for the best experience. Gluten-free bagels are available." - Eater Staff
