I am a self-proclaimed city girl doing a short stint in Jackson Hole after a tenure in NYC. Upon first arrival, I was swept away by the beauty and nature, something Manhattan had stripped away from me. The town, which sits in the shadows and grandeur of the Tetons, is impressive, but I wondered– would there be a diverse culinary scene? The clear-cut answer: yes!
Everyone has his or her morning rituals — the exact same coffee everyday, eggs consistently cooked a certain way and on and on. One of my favorite morning rituals, that I try not to repeat every day, is getting a fresh bagel. Pearl Street Bagels, a popular bagel shop in town, was the first place my taste buds ventured to in Jackson Hole. The line out the door, and its known reputation, reminded me of Murray’s Bagels in NYC. The similarities did not stop there. First, I noticed they carried a large variety of unique bagel options (such as my best friend/nemesis, the bacon cheddar bagel). Second, and the more intriguing of the two, neither Murray’s nor Pearl Street toast their bagels.
Murray’s takes it as a distrust of their establishment to ask for a toasted option. You will sternly be reminded that their bagels are ALWAYS warm, ALWAYS fresh and plenty delicious to eat as is. Even if this were ALWAYS the case, I believe in a person’s right to toast! As for Pearl Street Bagels, they don’t offer the toasted option, either. I couldn’t help but wonder, was it really because the bagels are THAT good, or is it because it would take too long, back up the line even further than usual, and cause them to lose business? The answer is a little of both. “The owner was going on the theory that you should only toast when the bagel is stale,” said Heather Gould, one of the owners of the eatery. She also shares that they never actually changed the space to add the toasted option. She also said that although people often request for their bagel to be toasted, everyone ends up leaving loving the untoasted option.
Whether you are pro-toast or pro-natural, I can say that Pearl Street Bagels delivers a fresh and tasty bagel that 100 percent stacks up to New York City’s famed Murray’s. The veggie cream cheese was full of flavor and melted perfectly onto the surprisingly warm untoasted treat. This locale has become my own personal bagel staple in town, as it provides a cozy atmosphere and excellent coffee to accompany your bagel. If you are looking for a crispier and toasted bagel style, this may not be your place, but I recommend you check it out and see where you fall along the great toast debate!
