Primrose Bagels — Restaurant in Toronto

UPDATE 2022: I added an extra star to my review after a few recent visits for really tasty lunchtime sandwiches. Primrose has a great selection of sandwiches, and their fish tastes fresh with really delicious add-ons and combinations. The sandwiches are a good size, and a decent price for what you get. I still wouldn't come here for the bagels alone, they're fine, but nothing special.

I recommend visitng Primrose for a filling and tasty lunch, but skip the dozen bagel on your way out.

ORIGINAL REVIEW: I really wanted to like this place. Unfortunately, it is average in every respect, and not worth the trip.

The Bagels: Starting with the most important thing, the actual bagels. I am HERE for the concept of hand-rolled, malt-boiled bagels, and Primrose does get the texture right. They've got the right amount of chew and are just the right size. Unfortunately, that's all they get right. The bagels taste fine, but mostly because they don't taste like much at all. They lack the malty flavour I'd have expected from the boiling, and there's no lactic tang, which leads me to suspect that these are not given much time to proof and ferment. A bit of levain goes a long way to giving some flavour.

The Selection: I arrived at about 11:10am on Saturday, and when I walked in, they had 4 salt bagels, about what looked like about two dozen whole wheat bagels. That's it. In the whole joint. 3 hours after they opened. I'd seen on their instagram that they'd been selling out quickly since opening, but give me a break. Maybe continue baking during the day?

Service: Service was no better or worse than I'd have expected. The cashier was clearly tired of people complaining about their lack of selection and got snarky when I pointed out that 11am is not "late in the day", contrary to her explanation. I don't blame her, to be honest. With their seemingly complete inability to keep their shop stocked, I'd be sick of the comments too.

The Aesthetic: Honestly, this seems like a case of trying too hard. Clearly trying to give patrons vibes of Russ & Daughters crossed with old school Jewish deli, they've forget the most important ingredient in those institutions' success. Their aesthetic came after developing a successful following.

Primrose has lots of potential, but needs to rethink some fundamentals. Until that happens, I...

I visited this spot based on a trusted recommendation, and I must say, the bagel I chose—the Bodega—was absolutely delicious. My husband, on the other hand, ordered the Pastrami, Egg, and Cheese and wasn’t a fan. It lacked pickles, which could’ve balanced out the richness of the egg and pastrami. I definitely would’ve asked for pickles if I had known they weren’t included by default.

It was my first time ordering in-store, and although the menu offers a wide variety, the ordering experience was underwhelming. The staff member at the counter seemed disengaged and rushed me to order, despite there being no line. There was no effort to walk me through the options—no questions about toasting, add-ons, or preferences. Compared to ordering on Uber Eats, the in-store experience lacked clarity and personalization.

The bagels themselves were decent but not outstanding—I’ve had better in Montreal. I would return, but more informed and with tempered expectations.

Another downside was the wait. I waited around 20 minutes for three bagels while watching staff chat casually and move at a slow pace. There was one person on eggs, another handling fillings, and a third just packing orders. It felt like the workflow could be more efficient. The wait felt excessive, especially since they were juggling Uber Eats orders alongside walk-ins.

Lastly, the location isn’t convenient if you’re coming from downtown. The drive was unpleasant due to roadworks, and by the time I got home, the bagels were a bit soggy—definitely not ideal for delivery.

Overall, I’d say the food has potential, but the experience needs polishing—from customer service to prep time. I’d go back, but...

First, the bagels are great. I'd give them a 4 or 5 stars and if you only care about the food, then come on down, you'll love it. It's worth mentioning they have an absurd winter policy. Today, Monday, at 930am. I walked in to order a Bagel. They clearly have a sign on the door that says maximum 2 people inside. I respect that. There was another gentleman who just finished ordering as I walked in. He was clearly standing far to the side, socially distanced. I ordered and the cashier told me we had to go outside and wait for the food at the sidedoor. Today, it's -27 with the windchill. After standing outside in the freezing cold with this gentleman for a few mins, I walked inside and asked her, if there was nobody else ordering, why we were told to stand outside. She said "we are only allowing 2 people in the store at a time", for which I said..."there is nobody here" the store was empty, and 2 people are standing outside in -27 degree temperature. This is ridiculous. The gentlemen with me said he would not be back till springtime as waiting outside is silly. We BOTH agreed, that if someone else was to be seen walking up, we would leave instantly to abide by the 2 customer max, but to have people outside, in -27 degree weather while the store is COMPLETELY EMPTY makes no sense. So here is the reality, i'll go back, but not till the spring or the weather is warmer. Silly business owners not being able to see what they're doing and driving away business on bad practices and principles. It's a pandemic, adjust your outside waiting policy when your store is empty on...