Saturday, April 4, 2009

Restaurant Review: Bruegger's Bagels

Bruegger's Bagels, Framingham, MA

I know what you're thinking...Not another bagel restaurant review!!
Well, when you have kids and you don't do junk fast food, you go to bagel joints. The food is quick, usually fresh, the kids like it, and most of the time the bathrooms are clean and easy to spot.

And a family of six can eat
cheap, especially at places
like Bruegger's where they
tend to heap the toppings
on their bagel (round or square)
sandwiches. Just get sliced
toasted bagels for the kids
and a tub of hummus, or
order yourself a Leonardo da
Veggie (without the cheese) and
spread the toppings between
the kids' bagels.

Don't tell the kids, but I
actually don't care for
Bruegger's hummus! Maybe
I'm just a hummus snob--
or connoisseur--but it's too
herby and dry for my tastes,
but the kids like it and it's
thick like my homemade
stuff so it doesn't fall off the bagels while they eat it.

Bruegger's does have good
soup to make up for their
less than stellar hummus.
There's usually a vegetarian
offering--though not always
vegan. Their fire-roasted
tomato soup is excellent. But
the lentil & spinach soup
contains parmesan (though it's
clearly marked--they're good about that sort of thing).

And they have nice sour
pickles, but you have to
order a sandwich or ask
for some on the side.
Besides the usual fruit
cups, salads & coffee,
this Bruegger's has Naked
juices and a basket of mini
Lake Champlain dark
chocolates for sale in front of the register...the kids know I can't resist a good chocolate!

This Bruegger's is located
in Shopper's World in
Framingham, which is in
between route 9 & route
30. 508-875-5244

There is plenty of parking
nearby, but the spaces
immediately in front of the
restaurant may be full at lunchtime or during birthday parties at the Snip-Its nextdoor.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love Breuggers! Almost as good as Einsteins. I haven't been in a long time. I used to always get the cinnamon and sugar bagel...which makes me wonder, are they vegan? Haven't been to Einsteins since pre-veg.

veganf said...

Ya know I have no idea--I don't really like cinnamon sugar flavours (unlike my husband who could eat that sort of thing daily). I'll have to ask about their sugar sometime via email...

Anonymous said...

I'm glad to see your reviews of the bagel places. We have both a Bruegger's and an Einstein, but I have never been to either. I actually never knew that you could go in and have a meal at those places. I always assumed they were like donut shops, where you make your selection and then leave. Now when we are out, I know where we can stop at for a quick bite.

Lisa~~ said...

Since moving to Atlanta (from West Roxbury) I haven't had a decent bagel and man how I miss Bruegger's bagels...sweet memories.

Thistlemoon said...

I haven't been to a Brueggers in years, but I remember it being good - love the olive/pimento spread! Wonder if they still have it.

River (Wing-It Vegan) said...

I've never been to a Bruegger's Bagels, but we see them on our travels all the time. It would be worth going just for the mini chocolate goodies! :-D

veganf said...

Lisa~~ want me to ship you some bagels? My sister used to ship NYC bagels up to my father when we moved to NH and they seemed to survive the trip well.

River - I don't know if the chocolates are a staple menu item across the country...Lake Champlain chocolate are a rather local Vermont product. I'd be interested to know if anyone goes to a Bruegger's elsewhere!

Lisa~~ said...

Thanks for the offer of shipping, very sweet. I'm heading up to Boston in June and can't wait to indulge in so many of my favorite treats. Maybe I should plan to bring an extra suitcase just to pack bagels and Italian pastry to bring home. I swear, people down here think that grocery stores have great bakeries...oh how little they know!!