St. Pete Bagel Co.
Coffee
Apple Fritter
Glazed Sour Cream Old Fashioned
Blueberry Cake Donut
Red Velvet Donut
Crème Brulee Donut
Key Lime Pie Donut
Chocolate Cake with Caramel Peanut Ganache Donut
Waking on Black Friday with a focus on culture and cuisine far moreso than shopping for bargains it was just after 7:00am that our trio entered the doors of the Largo location of St. Pete Bagel Company and with options running the gamut from hot bagels and spreads to several ‘designer’ donuts as truly gregarious service further enhanced the mom n’ pop feel of the space I cannot even fathom how locals or tourists could consider visiting Dunkin’, Krispy Kreme, or any sort of chain for their early morning carbs.
Admittedly a bit off the beaten path, in a small strip mall off Indian Rocks Road with a more appropriately named flagship in St. Petersburg proper, it was mere moments after stepping foot into the shop frequently awarded Best Bagels in the Tampa Bay Area that we were greeted by friendly smiles and immediately identifying us as visitors the inquiries and recommendations came quickly, an eventual order of two coffees, a half-dozen donuts, and one fritter tallying a mere $8 with long tables ready to seat us as we indulged.
Perhaps unwisely eschewing the eponymous boiled and baked delicacy in favor of items far more sweet it was immediately in the hot n’ crispy apple fritter that I sank my teeth and although a bit more oily than some may prefer I personally found the fruit to dough ratio pleasantly skewed to the left as pockets of cinnamon helped curb substantial sweetness, a similar balance offered by the use of more than the usual amount of sour cream to craft an old fashioned with a nearly pudding-textured center that stands in the same echelon with reference standard versions found at old school doughnut shops speckled around the Chicago and LA.
Somewhat underwhelmed by a blueberry ring whose artificial taste was only enhanced by rich icing but subsequently impressed by the manner in which cream cheese frosting helped to tame the richness of moist Red Velvet it was onward to filled options that the experience progressed and although the crème brûlée was more akin to typical custard beneath a slightly harder than average glaze the Florida favorite Key Lime Pie with added zip from a dusting of zest was truly delicious, a final few bites of Snicker’s themed chocolate cake beneath peanuts and caramel proving a pleasant pairing to the locally roasted French Vanilla coffee.
http://www.stpetebagelco.com/
