"Kettlemans Bagel opened in Ottawa in August of 1993. When the business started, our mission was to make the best bagels you could find. By rolling, kettling, and baking traditional Montreal Bagels in a wood-burning oven using hand-picked hardwood, and maintaining an unwavering commitment to the traditional quality of the food, we have become a food institution — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year — for over 25 years. However, tradition does not mean much if the authenticity is gone."
Overall, reviews of Kettlemans Bagel describe a place with fresh Montreal-style bagels and a wide range of toppings, from cream cheese to smoked meat, with many customers praising the quality and variety. Service is frequently noted as fast and friendly, the surroundings are clean and welcoming, and staff are described as helpful with good recommendations. Many visitors say they would return and some call it among the best bagels in Montreal, though a few reports mention slower service, occasional order mix-ups, or inconsistency in bagel texture from visit to visit. Pricing is described as reasonable or competitive for the quality, with some comments about value and portions. Overall sentiment emphasizes taste and service, with praise for ambiance and care shown by the staff, while noting that experiences can vary.
I ate a ham & cheese bagel here with the herb bagel. It came with a pickle which was a tasty bonus! Everything was delicious. The store was very clean & well stocked. The staff was polite & nice to us. The location is great & the store was super clean. I love the ambience of the restaurant.
First time in Montreal, we discover that a local specialty is BAGELS (I thought New York had the monopoly of that), & upon the recommendation of the staff in our hotel for a good place nearby, we rush to Kettlemans to check it out. Well, we were not disappointed: the bagels are very good, with all the necessary condiments (various types of cream cheese, lox, onions, etc.). Staff was friendly & efficient, the place is new, clean & well organised. We will go back.
I have very mixed feelings about my experience ; we first went & asked for 2 Konscious sandwiches, which is labeled as vegan, & a vegan blueberry cream cheese bagel. I asked the employee which bagel they were using for those. He told me all bagels have eggs… I was confused because the Konscious sandwich is labeled as vegan !!!!! He wasn't knowledgeable & ended up asking his manager who was talking about the gf bagel. I looked online & it did say that the gf option was vegan… So we asked the Konscious sandwich & made sure to specify that we wanted the gf vegan bagel & vegan cream cheese. They weren't understanding, they were asking us if we wanted the nondairy one. Anyways, we ordered & then left without checking our order (big mistake). We received 2 Konscious sandwiches without cream cheese & with REAL salmon !! & a 3rd Konscious sandwich with blueberry cream cheese ?!? We kept everything & went back later. The employees weren't the same. We explained the issue & asked to speak to a manager. This time, the employee & the manager were very helpful, knowledgeable & kind. We ended up getting a refund & our order remade for free. They confirmed that the only vegan option is the gf bagel, the other ones either contain eggs or are cooked in honey water. So ! We were able to taste the sandwich, but I was disappointed in it. It is pretty tasteless in my opinion. & the bagels are very dry & sandy. I did like the cream cheese tho. But I won't go back.
They aren't quite NJ/NY-level of bagels, but they're still good. Have gotten a dozen bagels to take home & freeze, tried some of the cream cheeses, & bagel sandwiches to eat there. Pleasant dining area, big windows so you're right there on Avenue des Canadiennes, by the Bell Center. Very commercial, very consistent. Have always had very pleasant service & good experiences here. Watched them make the bagels through the glass. Bagels are always fresh. Never had a long line to order, always found a table to sit at.
Not the best bagel spot, but a convenient choice next to Centre Bell. I tried the salmon bagel-decent, but not impressive. It had too much cream cheese & olives, which didn't really complement the flavors
Dec 11, 2024
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Growing up in Ottawa (& living now in Toronto) Kettlemans has been my goto for bagels. Honestly, I had a bagel here & it was kind of dry & tasteless. Also, I was charged for a full breakfast sandwich when ordering just an egg & cheese.
This place is so slow. Every time I give them a second chance, it blows my mind how disorganized it is. First time I went, it took 20 minutes for a toasted bagel with cream cheese. They need to review how they process orders in the kitchen because if you get stuck behind a large sandwich order you wait forever. This time, I simply placed an online order for pickup of a dozen bagels. When I show up, it's like they had no idea it existed & filled the order as I waited. Defeating the whole purpose of an online order. Not the employees fault, needs better management
I was looking for the Montreal bagel experience & found Ketlemans. It looks like an old style bagel oven but cooked en masses. My smoked eat bagel on cheese n herb was excellent & her smoked salmon on pumpernickel.was superb. Coffee was good too.
The first time I tried this place, I really liked it. However, I went back today with my brother & it was not fresh at all :( I took the cubano & the bagel was HARD as a rock & tasted days old. The meat did not taste fresh either. My brother took the Kettlemans special, which he found wasn't as good as the first time either. There was a good amount of salmon, but the amount of cream cheese overwhelmed it. However, his bagel tasted fresher than mine so I guess I just got an old one that they found under the counter 😂
Sep 20, 2024
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Kettlemans Bagel is a delightful spot for bagel enthusiasts looking for fresh & delicious offerings. The store is clean & has a good atmosphere. The bagels are fresh, with several varieties to choose from. They also offer a selection of gourmet items, either to buy separately, or add to your bagel, such as artisanal cream cheeses & smoked salmon. They also have a few freshly made pastries. Their prices are good & acceptable However, my visit had a few downsides. When I inquired about a couple of sandwiches from the menu, I was disappointed to learn that some ingredients were unavailable. Additionally, I noticed a concerning issue: there were a few flies around the pastry section, occasionally landing on the pastries. This detracted from an otherwise good experience. Overall, while the food quality is commendable, attention to cleanliness in certain areas could be improved.
Small portion, taste was not good. I ordered Philly Cheesesteak, it had the meat taste. The vibes were good, nice staff, location is great. Sanitizing bottle was empty, the soap container in toilette was broken. It's a pity a place with good potentials could improve quality to have returning customers.
Perfect Montreal-style bagles & fun to watch them making them. Good variety of fresh-made sandwiches, drip coffee, & take home options. Dill pickles cream cheese is the best!!
The bagels are unique to Montreal, the cream cheese seems generous & it feels pretty affordable to grab them. Lots of flavours & combinations to try. Wish they had more coffee. They do seem understaffed for the weekend & wait times can be a bit longer.
I'm giving a 3 stars because i'm normally very satisfied with the quality of products & the great service but was unfortunately disappointed this morning when I ordered the breakfast bagel egg, bacon & cheese sandwich only to arrive at work & open it up & see the egg is missing & also on regular sesame bagel when I had asked for poppy seed bagel.. needless to say it tasted quite dry without the most important ingredient, the egg!
