Years ago, bagels were thinner and crustier, with a stronger flavor.
Bagels baked in Montreal are still the old-fashioned kind, and a new shop in Center City has revived the tradition here.
Larry Rosenblum likes Montreal-style bagels so much he opened a shop off Rittenhouse Square.
His look and taste like the bagels that disappeared here decades ago.
They're Montreal-style, but baked larger, for American tastes. He offers a short list of traditional flavors - plain, sesame, cinnamon raisin, and "everything".
He uses a different dough that's a little sweeter than average. His bagels are bathed in boiling water, like most, but a shorter "hold" time makes them denser and more flavorful.
The menu is short, and features only what you'd call somewhat traditional flavors...plain, sesame seed, poppy, whole wheat, and "everything".
There are regular sweet specials which might be cinnamon raisin. And they're adding a rye bagel to go with the pastrami they're bringing in from Katz's Deli in New York City.
There are other traditional favorites like smoked fish, and you can order bagel melts and breakfast sandwiches all day.
Turkey is house-roasted in the same wood-fired oven as the bagels. There's also a selection of spreads. Everything's available to dine in or take out.
Spread Bagelry is located at 262 S. 20th street in Center City, just off Rittenhouse Square.
They're open seven days a week from 7:00am to 7:00pm. Weekends, you're welcome to bring your own vodka to make Bloody Mary's.
For information, phone 215-545-0626, or go to their website, Spread Bagelry.