Please note: this interview is not a paid promotion. There is no sponsored content on this site, as I firmly believe that this would compromise the integrity and not allow for unbiased opinions.
I had the pleasure of sitting down and speaking with Jeffrey, the owner of Solomon’s Bagels and Donuts to learn about what makes his business so special. Independently owned and operated since 2020, Solomon’s offers a huge variety of boiled (not steamed!) bagels made the old-fashioned way. They also have amazing yeasted donuts for both vegans and non-vegans alike. In my opinion, Solomon’s has the best bagels in San Diego.
To say that Jeffrey is knowledgeable about bagels is an understatement. Having worked for 42 years in the industry, with 18 of them being in the legendary Long Island, Jeffrey is simply a master of his craft. While sitting down and talking about his business, it is clear that Jeffrey brought not only his knowledge of bagels but his pure passion of the craft with him to San Diego.
Self-taught by watching master bagel makers from Long Island, Jeffrey successfully ran first a German Deli, and eventually a bagel shop for 18 years. Working 16-hour days in order to make his business work, Jeffrey summed it up for me: “not many people last long in this industry”. To make it 42 years is a testament not only to his work ethic, but the quality of products he has made throughout the years. Eventually, he ended up in the Bay Area working in tech, but was drawn back to his roots when he started Kettleman Bagels in Portland, which was ultimately bought out by Einstein Bro’s Bagels.
Solomon’s Donuts and Bagels opened on April 17, 2020 in North Park, San Diego, just about one month after the pandemic caused mass lockdowns and forced businesses everywhere to close. Yet two years later, Solomon’s is still busy churning out top-tier baked goods and breakfast sandwiches. That is not to say that life is easy now, though. “It is still a struggle”, Jeffrey said. Starting Solomon’s has been a monumental task that required two years of fully remodeling retail space and creating a kitchen and bakery from scratch, just to open right as the pandemic closed doors everywhere. The team at Solomon’s knows that they need to stand out to survive. Jeffrey and his manager Joey are committed not only to maintaining the highest level of quality, but to constantly innovating and bringing customers new flavors.
The process of making boiled bagels is “painstaking work”, says Jeffrey. But the work pays off. Their bagels have an amazing crust that is different from mass-produced, steamed bagels. The ones at Solomon’s are fat, fluffy on the inside, and perfectly chewy. In fact, I often eat these bagels by themselves – they’re good enough that they don’t even need lox, cream cheese, or anything else on top (although Solomon’s offers all of this and more!).
Don’t get me started on their donuts. Made with yeast, these monstrous baked goods are flaky and delicious, as all donuts should be. Glazed, chocolate, and various fruit flavors tempt customers at the case, and I often walk away with many more than I planned. For any vegan readers, Solomon’s offers some of the best vegan food in North Park – and they only plan on increasing their vegan options as time goes on. If you’re looking to get your hands on the best bagels in San Diego, check out their menu and order online here!
How were Jeffrey and his team able to overcome the hardships of the pandemic, I asked? Jeffrey gives all credit to his amazing staff. “Consistency and low turnover” are what helped Solomon’s stay open through one of the most trying times for small businesses in recent memory. Joey confirmed this. When asked about what makes Solomon’s unique, he said that the team and environment they have cultivated feels like a “home away from home”.
In a time where turnover is high and many mom-and-pop shops are getting bought out by corporate money, it is a breath of fresh air to see a restaurant invest in its vision and its employees. Additionally, Jeffrey et al. want to be here not just for their workers, but for North Park as well. One of the goals for Solomon’s is to make an inclusive shop – where people with any diet can come in and find what they’re looking for. While the bagels are vegan and there are vegan donuts too, the team at Solomon’s is not yet satisfied. They aim to make all vegan foods in-house, with the ultimate goal of having everything that is available to omnivores also have its own vegan counterpart.
So, what is it that makes Solomon’s special? At the end of the day, I think it is Jeffrey and his crew’s dedication that has made Solomon’s the best bagel shop in San Diego. Not just to their own team, but to their craft and their customers too. Jeffrey and Joey both love North Park. Jeffrey cites the friendly people and the great community feel as his favorite parts of the area. For Joey, what keeps him going is setting up people’s day and giving a great experience to those who come into the shop. And how could you not have a great experience here when you’re chomping on a fresh, boiled, New York style bagel made by a master like Jeffrey?
