Every weekend, I think of a city or town I want to visit to see what gem of a food establishment I’m going to discover. Sometimes I’ll visit a place by word of mouth but most of the time it’s simply a visit to explore. Portland, Maine is a great city for such an adventure.

One particular Saturday, I made plans to visit the Portland Farmers Market at Deering Oaks. As I was leaving the market, I was headed to the Portland Co Op. I went a different way which took me to some side roads. At a stop sign I chose to take a right thinking it was the right way later to find out it was the best right turn I’ve taken in a very long time. My eye caught this store front with a sign that read: Union Bagel Co.. I had heard about them and wanted to try them and there they were. I spend a lot of time in New York City and this is exactly the type of bagel place I would expect to see in The Village.

As I went inside, immediately I felt it was a warm inviting place with the smells of toasted bagels and brewed coffee.The customer service was immediate and friendly. Everyone was working non stop and as they were making breakfast bagels and layering cream cheese on the beautiful homemade bagels, they greeted me with a pleasant hello and asked if I had any questions. I was overwhelmed with happiness when I saw they made a tofu spread for their bagels, their warm, toasted bagels made with organic flour. Where have I been ?? I ordered a toasted everything bagel with their tofu spread, spinach and avocado.

While I waited, I asked if I could take some pictures of their bagels. They were just beautiful. Each bagels with their own homemade look sitting on their baskets waiting their turn to be slathered with the many spreads Union Bagels offers. There’s a small counter top out front so I set up my little area ready for a picture of my order next to their napkin dispenser that had their logo ready to go for my shot. My name was called and my breakfast was ready. It smelled incredible. As I unwrapped my toasted gem, the aroma told me I made a great choice. I set my bagel up by their logo and took some quick shots angling it just right to showcase the beautiful spinach and avocado layered within their homemade tofu spread. The spread reminded me a lot of hummus but just different enough to be intriguing. I wanted more of it to bring home. The entire experience lasted about 10 minutes because it was so good that I couldn’t get enough. You can taste the love and dedication in everything they make.

I knew immediately this would become a Saturday tradition along with the farmers market. Finding an incredible bagel that offers plantbased spreads and customer service that’s very friendly was a complete package. These people know what they’re doing and they do it right.

I highly recommend Union Bagel Co.. They’re conveniently located at 147 Cumberland Av., Portland, Maine with an additional store opening soon. You can take bagels with you so you can share this experience. I suggest bringing a friend or four. They’ll love you for it. Nothing is better than turning friends onto good eats.

Visit their website for more information at: http://www.unionbagel.com