Pipsqueak Bagels brings fresh, delicious bagels to the Southeast’s Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood.
My 11-year-old son might have been the first one in our family to spot the Pipsqueak Bagels coming soon sign on a storefront on Southeast Gladstone Street back in December 2025. And the sign got us excited about a bagel shop close to our neighborhood.
Pipsqueak Bagels got its start at the Milwaukie Farmers Market in 2024, and opened their first brick-and-mortar this April. Clearly, many of their farmers market customers followed them over because we noticed lines snaking down the block since the opening. We finally headed to the bagel shop about a month after it opened. We arrived at 8:03 am and the line was already stretching along the sidewalk. I had seen on Instagram that customers reported it went quickly. Happily, they were right.
What to Expect at Pipsqueak Bagels
Pipsqueak offers a selection of drip coffee, hand-rolled bagels ($4 each, $21 for a half dozen or $38 for a baker’s dozen) with spread, and brunchy sandwiches like the Sunday Best with cream cheese, smoked salmon, red onion, capers, lemon, olive oil and cornichons ($17), or the Italian Stallion with Italian cold cuts, Duke’s mayo, arugula, red onion, Mama Lil’s peppers and provolone cheese ($16).
Once we made it inside the shop (at 8:14 am), we could see the selection of bagels. The shop is bright and clean, with a large kitchen where lots of workers took bagels out of the oven and prepped orders. There’s seating both inside and outside the shop. On our trip, bagel flavors included: plain, sesame, everything, poppyseed, asiago black pepper, sea salt, rosemary sea salt and cheddar jalapeño. Spreads included: hummus; butter; and plain, scallion, Mama Lil’s, smoked salmon, honey walnut and vegan cream cheese.
So, How Were the Bagels?
I ordered a sea salt and rosemary bagel (pictured opposite page) because I’d never seen that topping combination before. My 11-year-old got a cheddar jalapeño bagel and we grabbed an everything bagel for my teenager who was still sleeping at home. By 8:20 am we were leaving the shop with our bagels and scallion cream cheese ($9) to go. My son and I were both impressed we’d made it through the long line so quickly!
I toasted the bagels at home and then we dug in. (You can get them toasted at the shop if you prefer.) First off, there’s nothing small about Pipsqueak’s bagels. They are big and puffy from a slow, overnight proofing. They’re boiled, seeded and baked the next day and have a lovely chew on the outside and soft interior. My son and I thought they were better than Henry Higgins Bagels, but my teenager ranked them as good as Henry Higgins. I also appreciated how well-topped the bagels were — there wasn’t just a mere sprinkle of everything seasoning across the top, the everything bagel was thoroughly coated on both sides. And the scallion spread was really flavorful and creamy.
My 11-year-old, who has a sweet tooth, did note his disappointment in not having a sweet bagel option like cinnamon raisin or blueberry. And I would have appreciated a bagel sandwich option of egg, cheese and bacon or sausage. But overall we were impressed with Pipsqueak and will be returning for our weekend bagel fix.
Know Before You Go
Where: 3844 SE Gladstone St., Portland, OR 97202
Hours: Thursday-Monday, 7 am-1 pm, or until sold out. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Good to know: There’s seating both inside and outside. Lines can stretch down the sidewalk, especially on weekends, but on our visit they moved quickly. Since Pipsqueak can sell out, earlier is your safest bet.
Online: Pipsqueak Bagels website | Instagram @pipsqueakbagels
