Wootown Bagels have finally hit Columbus.
First Thing: Fun name.
Second Thing: Where exactly is Wootown?
As it turns out, the town name is legit. In this case, it’s short for Wooster, Ohio, which is the the homeplace and headquarters of this particular bagel bakery. Its products can be found at several Wooster spots as well as on the (Wooster) college campus and in its Local Roots Market.
These days, the bagel’s territory has been expanding through farmers markets, making appearances in Medina, Wadsworth, and now in Columbus as well (Worthington, close enough). The house bagels are sold in tidy four-packs in a host of expected flavors including Everything, Rosemary, Poppyseed, and Cinnamon Crush.
It’s worth noting that Wootown’s bagels have some street credibility. Each one is hand-rolled, boiled and baked in accordance with the expectations of the serious bagel community. While it’s probably possible to appreciate those features by enjoying a bagel straight out of the bag…it’s even nicer to appreciate those features in a toasted, buttered Cinnamon Crush bagel.
The bagel does slice nicely for toasting: Dense, like a bagel should be, it splits cooperatively under the gentle sawing pressure of a serrated knife. Crisped in the oven, the clots of cinnamon sugar remain glued to the outside, blending with a little signature bagel malty sweetness. A little butter, and it’s just chewy perfection.
Debuting in 2015, Wootown is a relative newcomer to the bagel scene. On its website, its proprietor happily admits to scant former bagel making. A personal history of bagel eating and fandom drives the operation’s excellence and dedication to refining house recipes. Sometimes, if you want the ultimate “good” bagel, you have to make it yourself. And that’s what Wootown did.
You can find Wootown at the Worthington Farmers Market. It’s continuing operations outside on weekends right on into December this year.
For more information, visit wootownbagels.com.