| Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels | |
|---|---|
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 Exterior of the shop inSoutheast Portland'sMt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood in 2025 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 2013 (2013) |
| Owner | Leah Orndoff |
| Location | Portland,Multnomah,Oregon, United States |
| Website | hhboiledbagels |
Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels is a small chain ofbagel shops inPortland, Oregon, United States. The business was established by Leah Orndoff in 2013 and initially operated as apop-up, atfarmers' markets, and via wholesale. Since opening the firstbrick and mortar shop inSoutheast Portland'sMt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood in 2013, Henry Higgins has expanded to four locations. The business also has shops in theNortheast Portland part of theKerns neighborhood, in Southeast Portland'sSellwood-Moreland neighborhood, and inNorthwest Portland'sNorthwest District.
Henry Higgins serves various varieties ofNew York-style bagels, as well asschmears, sandwiches, sides such aschopped liver andpickled herring, and baked goods such asbialys,knishes, andrugelach. The business has garnered a positive reception and was selected to represent Oregon inEat This, Not That's 2022 list of the best bagels in eachU.S. state.
Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels is a small chain ofbagel shops in Portland, Oregon; there are four locations,[1] inSoutheast Portland'sMt. Scott-Arleta andSellwood-Moreland neighborhoods, in theNortheast Portland part of theKerns neighborhood, and inNorthwest Portland'sNorthwest District. According toKOIN, the company's missions is to "provide Portland with a traditional NY style boiled bagel".[2] Among boiled bagel varieties areeverything, onion, andpumpernickel.[3] Bagel toppings include such asschmears,cream cheese, and fish.[4] The menu also has sandwiches (including hot and cold bagel sandwiches),[4] deli sides such aschopped liver andpickled herring, and baked goods such asbialys,[5]knishes, andrugelach.[1] Other sandwich ingredients include capers, dill,lox,[6] red onion, and tomato.[4] Drink options include coffee, tea, andhot chocolate.[7]
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Leah Orndoff started the business in 2013,[8] initially operating as apop-up, atfarmers' markets, and via wholesale.[9][10] The firstbrick and mortar shop opened at the intersection of Foster Road and 64th Avenue in Mt. Scott-Arleta (nearFoster-Powell) in May 2015.[11] The shop had a seating capacity of 14 people, rotating artwork as well asmugs by ceramicist Cooper Jeppesen, and served coffee from Mudd Works.[9][12]
Henry Higgins has also operated a bakery on Northeast 19th Avenue,[8] in Kerns. In 2018, the business announced plans to open a third location on Tacoma Street[13] in Sellwood-Moreland, in the space previously occupied by Feastworks Delicatessen.[8] The shop opened on March 17,[6][14] with a seating capacity of approximately 25 people.[7] In 2020, during theCOVID-19 pandemic, Henry Higgins operated via delivery services like bicycle-based CCC as well as Caviar andGrubhub. Henry Higgins also sold groceries using these services.[15] The business expanded weekend hours in mid 2021, hosting "After Hours with Henry Higgins".[16] In 2023, Henry Higgins purchased the space previously occupied byKornblatt's Delicatessen in the Northwest District.[17][18] The shop opened on May 15.[19]
Dave Barile has been the head chef.[8][20] Henry Higgins has usedflour from Shepard's Grain and flour and seeds fromBob's Red Mill.[21] The business has been a vendor at community events, such as aHanukkah food pop-up in 2022 and the Hanukkah Night Market at Eastside Jewish Commons in 2023.[22][23]
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Henry Higgins ranked second in the Best Bagel category ofWillamette Week's annual readers' poll in 2020.[24] It won in the same category in 2024 and 2025.[25][26] Tanya Edwards selected the business to represent Oregon inEat This, Not That's 2022 overview of the best bagels in eachU.S. state.[21] In a 2023 review of the smoked salmon bagel sandwich, Meira Gebel ofAxios Portland wrote:
The smoked salmon was lovely and salty, complemented by the creaminess of a thick smear of cream cheese and the citrus of squeezed lemon. The herbs and veggies provided a hit of cool freshness... My only note is that the sandwich didn't want to stay together. It kept slipping, but I happily continued to compile the pieces into perfect bites.[4]
Gebel also said, "Boiled bagels are a classic New York tradition, and at Henry Higgins, you can grab one without getting on a plane."[4] In the first Portland Bagel-Off organized by Jacob & Sons Deli in 2023, Henry Higgins won the People's Choice award.[27][28] Daniel Barnett,Brooke Jackson-Glidden, and Nathan Williams included the business inEater Portland's 2024 list of ten "real-deal" bagel shops in the city.[1]
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