Sour Seed Bagels — Restaurant in West Palm Beach

Bagel snob here. This is my time to shine.

While the bagels at Sour Seed were above-average for the area, that isn't exactly a high bar to clear.

The Sour Seed bagel is of an appropriate size and width so that it actually fits in a standard toaster*. It has a proper crust on the outside that browns nicely, and a soft interior. The use of sourdough is a nice touch, offering a distinct flavor profile compared to traditional yeast bagels. Anyone who knows how a proper bagel should look and taste will likely approve of the bagels here, but again, the bagel bar is quite low to begin with.

The only other options in the immediate downtown WPB area for a bagel are Makeb’s or Johan's Joe, neither of which passes my bagel tests.

(Side Note #1: Why South Florida - with all the folks who've migrated from Up North - can't manage to have a proper bagel place is maddening. Don’t be fooled by Brooklyn Bagels, which is a misnomer in every sense.)

(Side Notes #2 and #3: The only worthwhile bagel at Makeb’s is the bialy, which confuses the workers who sometimes do not know what a bialy is. Also, as much as I like Johan's, it is not a bagel place. Bagels, as we know them at least, are not a traditional Swedish food.)

If you just want a decent bagel and aren't interested in further analysis, you can stop here. The serious bagel hunters should read on.

Let’s start with a simple cost analysis.

For context: A whole bagel sandwich with Nova lox at Russ & Daughters or Zabar’s in NYC costs $17. A bagel with lox at SS is also about $17, but somehow, a bagel with butter and jam is just shy of that at $15.

A simple bagel with cream cheese (even flavored) is $6 at Russ & Daughters, while Zabar’s will hand you a bagel with either butter or cream cheese for just $2. At SS, it’s $6-7 for a bagel and cream cheese, but if you want a tomato and some sea salt, you’re now in the upper tax bracket, paying $15.

A dozen bagels at Russ & Daughters costs $12. And a baker’s dozen from New York Bagel in metro Detroit - the Gold Standard of bagels - is about $13. We will never know what a dozen bagels costs at Sour Seed because they will never give you a dozen bagels.*

To be fair, I’m a bagel expert, not a mathematician, but a single slice of tomato with some sea salt does not constitute a $9 increase in price. All in all, the pricing involves some financial gymnastics. As one friend observed: the math doesn’t math. Indeed.

Costs aside, the overall business practices are lacking.

This is a walk-up window establishment with no indoor seating or shaded overhangs. Fine, but good luck during the summer months. Which is all the months.

But the nail in the coffin: Bagels Delayed = Bagels Denied. In addition to my bagel with flavored cream cheese, I wanted to order two additional plain bagels to have over the weekend.

I was denied those bagels.

I was told I could not purchase two more bagels because the head bagel decision maker didn’t want to run out of bagels for the day. I'm not sure that's how business works, but okay. ¯(ツ)/¯

(Side note #4: GTFO)

Long review long: If you want a decent bagel, Sour Seed is fine, but the costs are laughable, and I was refused two extra bagels that I would have happily paid for. I have come here twice, and will not return. I believe it was George W. Bush who said, "Fool me once, Sour Seed…not gonna get fooled again."

*I could not independently confirm whether the bagel would fit in my toaster because I was refused two extra bagels to take home for the weekend. However, my experience tells me that the bagels would have fit and toasted very nicely....

•  Latest Visit (July 27) – Egg Salad + Coffee Win

“On our latest visit, we tried the egg salad bagel for the first time — incredibly fresh, light yet creamy, beautifully presented with vibrant dill and a dusting of smoked paprika, all on a perfectly baked, chewy bagel that shows the signature care and precision Chris and his team bring to every plate — and as always, the bold, smooth organic black coffee was absolutely on point.”

• A True Gem in West Palm – First Visit Highlights

“In the heart of West Palm Beach lies Sour Seed Bagels—a small, standout spot known for its commitment to quality. The bagels are genuinely excellent, with a sourdough crunch that delivers on texture and flavor. The organic black coffee remains exceptional—bold, smooth, and carefully brewed. The ingredients used, particularly in items like the Wild Alaskan Sockeye Cold Smoked Salmon bagel, are top-tier and thoughtfully assembled. It’s clear that Chris, the owner, is meticulous about sourcing and quality.

However, a few realities need to be acknowledged. The pricing leans high, and the wait time can stretch anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, even for a basic order. There’s no indoor seating and only limited outdoor tables on a narrow sidewalk, which makes eating in a challenge (though I’ve heard plans are in the works to expand with a raised deck — a great improvement that’s on the horizon).

At the time of writing, the online ordering system is not user-friendly and feels poorly thought out. There’s no dedicated pickup line for online orders, which adds to the overall wait and confusion. With the level of care shown in the food itself, I’m hopeful this side of the experience will be improved in the near future.

Most of the staff are fantastic—professional, upbeat, and efficient. But there is one exception. The lead cashier consistently delivers an experience that feels more like a checkpoint than a welcome. Her dismissive and combative demeanor is out of step with the otherwise warm environment. Frankly, she’d be more at home enforcing rules at a detention facility than representing the face of a customer-focused business (Update: The one staff member who didn’t reflect that energy is no longer there, and the overall vibe of the place feels even better now.)

Sour Seed Bagels is already a standout — a place where top-quality ingredients, thoughtful execution, and real passion come together. With every visit, it feels more and more like one of West...

We were there this morning: 1) too expensive, 2) uncomfortable, 3) rude.

1. 2 Bagels with cream cheese and two latte-s, $29. In McCabe it would be $15, Pura Vida $22. The coffee and the bagel were about half the regular size.

2. The tables are only outside, on the sidewalk in Florida heat, with the tables rocking on the uneven surface.

3. There was only 1 other customer, a young man.

We live downtown and walked to the place. We met a friend, on our way, who gave us a few grapes, maybe 10. We were eating the bagels and the grapes, like 5 each.

This young woman, 35-ish, anorexic, dressed like a 14 year old, walked around to clean tables and said to us, with a fake tone, "those grapes are good, aren't they?"

Yes, they are, thank you.

Then it rained a few drops. She comes out again and talks loudly to the young man: Was this rain or grape droppings from these people?

I did not say anything.

Then she turns to us, with a sarcastic tone: Is it rain on the sidewalk or your sweet grapes?

Do you mean we are not allowed to eat these grapes (there were only 2 left). Say it straight. - I said.

She, with a fake smile: Sir, you are looking for conflict.

No, you are looking for conflict.

She, talking over me: Sir, bla bla bla...

I said, "You know what? Keep doing your job, cleaning tables, or whatever. If you have smth professional to say, say it straight. We are not here to exchange jabs with the help.

She: Oh really, are you serious? (She had to say the last word.)

Clearly, she was not a service-oriented person, maybe somebody's gf who had this brilliant idea to do bagels.

She should have said, only once, simply, "the grapes are not allowed."" We would have left.

We are 2 seniors, almost 70, living here from a quarter century. She was half of our age.

Disrespectful! I will...