What is an ‘LA-style’ bagel, and is Philly ready for them?
“South Philadelphia is a pro-carb zone.”
A new bagel spot is coming to South Philly — a relatively unremarkable occurrence amid Philly’s ever-growing list of bagel shops. But this one says it’s different. And it’s sparked a ferocious debate weeks ahead of opening its doors: to scoop or not to scoop?
Newcomer Slice and Schmear is taking over the former Korshak space at 10th and Morris Streets. “[It will serve] bagels in the morning followed by square pizza the rest of the day,” food reporter Mike Klein writes in his newsletter. “Owner Aakash Patel, who dishes round pies at his Bar 1010 in Northern Liberties, says his bagels will be served as L.A.-style sandwiches: scooped out and open-face.”
*Insert record scratch sound FX here*
Word of the new bagel joint spread fast online, with Philadelphians questioning if bagels serve any purpose if they’re “scooped out” and “open-face.”
A tweet by outgoing Inquirer editor Katie Krzaczek — who lives about 100 feet from the shop — garnered roughly 50,000 views within hours and dozens of hot takes. “South Philadelphia is a pro-carb zone,” one user wrote. “Keep LA out of Philly,” said another.
The news even traveled to Rabbi Mordechai Lightstone, a hyper-online Chabad rabbi and social media director from New York, who — like many other Jewish social media users — joked that the news was another affront to their culture.
The discourse has raised more questions than answers, including — but not limited to — what even is an LA-style bagel? Are there any merits to ordering a bagel scooped, or “open-faced”? Will scooping be the default at Slice and Schmear? If so, what will become of the bagel’s innards? And most importantly: “Who wants this?”
Owner Patel is taking the criticism in stride, acknowledging that the Cali dough might not be for everyone.
“I know scooped bagels aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a great alternative for those looking for a lighter option,” he told The Inquirer. “For me, the ratios are reminiscent of Bagel-Fuls, which I ate growing up.”
Here’s what we do — and don’t — know.
What is an LA-style bagel?
As best as we can tell, LA-style and California-style bagels are almost always open-faced — meaning the sandwiches are served uncovered and exposed — sometimes use sourdough starter, and are characterized as light and fluffy. But this is all open to vibes, as there’s no hard and fast definition. (On Reddit, the mention of LA-style bagels being “lighter and fluffier” sparked a barrage of comments explaining — dubiously — that New York-style bagels are already light and fluffy.)
California appears to be a pro-scoop state. A bagel can be ordered scooped anywhere in the country (including in Philly!) but the order placer should prepare to be hassled — except in California, where scooped orders appear to fly without excessive judgment.
Though there doesn’t seem to be a hard and fast rule, in Patel’s opinion, LA style is comprised of an open-faced sandwich and sometimes, but not always, scooped.
What other bagel styles are there?
So glad you asked. While most of Philly’s bagels are New York or East Coast style, there are a few outliers.
Here’s a quick rundown:
New York bagels have malt and the dough is typically fermented. They’re boiled before baking to give them that signature chew.
Montreal-style bagels omit the salt and are boiled in a mixture of water and honey before baking in a wood-fired oven. The local Spread Bagelry chain classifies itself as Montreal-style.
St. Louis-style bagels are considered nightmare-fueling atrocities by bagel aficionados for being cut into multiple vertical slices. It prompted a lot of memes years back, but fans insist it allows better enjoyment for toppings between the layers, especially while driving.
What qualifies as a scooped bagel?
We realize this might be a tough topic for some locals to grapple with.
A scooped bagel carves out the interior fluff with toppings piled into the hollowed-out cavity. Bon Appetit suggests the practice grew in popularity during the late ‘90s and early aughts when carbs were made out to be a bogeyman.
If this seems like an unfathomable idea for Philly readers, it’s because it’s not exactly a popular practice.
On the East Coast, Northeasterners have historically raised their eyes at the thought of scooping bagels. Late last year, bagel scooping brought on a new wave of outrage thanks to a viral TikTok where an Angeleno bravely ordered a scooped gluten-free bagel in New York; it went about as well as you’d expect.
What happens to all the bagel innards?
That’s to be determined, but Patel says he’s scheming up some options.
“There’s no plans on the innards yet,” he said. “I was thinking bread pudding, but also thinking we won’t have enough innards before they dry out. So time will tell.”
Why would someone order a bagel scooped or open-face?
Besides attempting to save some calories, there’s a case made that scooping a bagel can make more room for fillings. Others say it leaves them less full or sleepy. It’s also how Jennifer Aniston and Bethenny Frankel order their bagels, if that means anything to you.
Regarding the merits of ordering an open-faced sandwich, Patel says it helps avoid the cream cheese squeezing out the opposite end of the bagel upon the first bite.
Will all Slice & Schmear Shop bagels be scooped by default?
No! Following the initial publication of this story, Patel told The Inquirer that everything will be available “unscooped” by default.
On Instagram, the shop featured several photos of several open-faced sandwiches featuring scooped bagels, as well as an overhead photo of wholly intact everything and presumably jalapeño and cheese bagels. Patel said Slice & Schmear will offer rotating open-faced sandwich specials, but that a lot of the ordering power remains in the hands of the customers.
Which leaves us wondering — which brave Philadelphian will try first?