The Brew Review: Einstein Bros. Bagels
When I was in college, my favorite place was not the famed Starbucks, but Einstein Bros. Bagels. Back then, I would stand in line for hours on end; mainly because there were only two on campus but the one I loved was the only one that served specialty brewed coffee and ham & Swiss bagel. My personal favorite brew: a frozen caramel frappe.
Now that I’m a working adult, I don’t have time to stand in line and wait several minutes for my favorite drink, but every now and again I get cravings that must be satiated! So I’ll brave the traffic and constant chatter of college students just for a cup of my favorite brew just before 3pm (their closing time). I realized that Einstein has changed in the past few years since I’ve been in undergrad. For starters, the company raised the price of their food. I’m not surprised, considering that all restaurants have to make adjustments.
For the record, price vary on whether or not you’re craving a bagel and shmear or a sandwich for breakfast or lunch. My meal cost $11.09 for a plain ham & egg & Swiss and a medium specialty classic. Their full menu can be found here (prices not included).
Einstein’s bagels are made with simple ingredients including cage-free eggs and thick-cut bacon. Their bagels also do not include artificial flavors. Once you take a bite of any bagel (i.g. plain, jalapeño cheddar, or chocolate chip), you will be mind-blown!
I can handle the change in food. What I couldn’t handle and completely freaked out about was that Einstein Bros. Bagels is now partnered with Caribou Coffee which is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE COFFEE COMPANY! I freaked when I noticed this change. If you didn’t know, Caribou Coffee not only tastes like absolute heaven, but it is a company that is 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified and contains the World’s Top 1% of beans.
The caramel frappe is now called the caramel high rise and still comes in several makes including hot, iced, or frozen. I elected to try the frozen caramel and as soon as the liquid touched my tongue, I was immediately brought back to the time when I would sit and enjoy quiet days on my own and enjoying the whether. It was amazing. I can’t even remember what the old coffee tastes like now that I’ve tried the new brew. I would highly recommend it and look forward to trying many more.
