The California-style bagel

San Diego-based Spill the Beans serves delicious, fresh bagels, a broad selection of coffee drinks, and a fun atmosphere. With three locations in Seaport Village, the Gaslamp Quarter, or Mission Valley, Chef Karina Orozco has a few chef recommendations she loves to share with customers.

Before their first opening in 2017, Chef Karina worked tirelessly to create a California-style bagel that stands out from any other bagel shop in San Diego. It’s their softness, size, and slightly sweet flavor that make them unique. For six months, she worked from scratch to create their recipe which still stands the same today. After almost seven years in business, their recipe is still comprised of five simple ingredients: water, yeast, brown sugar, flour and salt.

They boil in water with agave syrup to help caramelize the outside of the bagel and add an additional layer of flavor. Using a different type of flour than most other bagel shops throughout the country, they create bagels both lower in gluten and softer in consistency.

Chef Karina shares some of her personal recommendations. Her go-to is a Lox, Stock and Bagel on a Serrano-Habanero & Jack Cheese Bagel, scooped so everything caves inward! She suggests adding cilantro, lime, and siracha. The result is effectively a sushi bagel! This pairs best with iced tea or lemonade. For something with a more classic breakfast flair, she recommends their Honey Oat Bagel (which was designed to mimic the bread you get at Outback Steakhouse or Cheesecake Factory) double toasted, with regular butter paired with a regular drip coffee. Another favorite of hers is the McLovin on the Everything Bagel, scooped, with arugula, tomato and grilled onions. This, paired with a hot coffee of your choice, is like a bagel version of a breakfast burger.