“If smoked salmon and cream cheese bring only one thing to mind, you can count yourself among the world’s millions of bagel mavens,” writes Ms. Maria Balinska in The Bagel: The Surprising History of a Modest Bread.
Can such delicacies be found in Idaho? Most people think about Boise when they want to enjoy culture, or in this case, the kind of comfortable coffee shop or bakery where they can find an assortment of bagels and hot drinks. While there are no shops with the word “bagel” in their title in Nampa, Idaho (20 miles west of Boise) there are still many great places in this town to grab one.
The selection at Robin’s Nest Espresso and bakery is extensive and features exquisite, textured bagels that are much tastier than ones you’d find at a grocery store. They set the bar high. The apple cinnamon and strawberry bagels are spectacular.
I frequent the Flying M Coffee garage at 1314 2nd Street So. They have a wide selection of delicious bagels that you can get hot and fresh out of the oven. Their website states “Our bakers get up awfully early every day to bring you fresh, made-from-scratch treats: muffins, scones, cookies, cakes, bars and much more deliciousness. Customer favorite’s include the no-bake cookie, five-food-group cookie, flying m bar and the vegan nut bar. Most days feature a vegan, wheat-free or natural sugar item.”
I enjoy the sesame seed bagel toasted with half fresh strawberry cream cheese, with real strawberry slices, topped with apple cinnamon cream cheese. There is also the delicious poppy seed bagel toasted with half berry berry cream cheese and half raisin walnut. Superb! The lox cream cheese is very tasty too.
The Flying M has plenty of seating and is a frequent spot for meetings as well as for those who just want to pop in, meet and greet. Concerts and poetry readings are frequent. You can read several newspapers and magazines for free. They always have plenty of seating, since there are two levels to the establishment. The only downside is that the small parking lot fills up quickly, and street parking can be limited.
Nampa commuters can also check out Day Break Donuts and More on Caldwell Blvd and Donut Delights on Melba Drive to grab that essential bagel when needed.
So next time you’re driving down Route 1-84 through Boise toward Oregon, know that you can stop off at one of these spots for a roll with a hole.