Benchwarmers Bagels – Rockway

Benchwarmers Bagels has a shop on South Saunders Street at Rockway, one of three the bakery runs in Raleigh. The bagels are boiled in honey water and baked in a wood-fired oven until the crust goes dark.

The dough starts with heirloom grain, milled fresh by Boulted Bread, then pre-fermented and left to rise cold for a long stretch. That slow handling is what makes the inside open and airy, and none of it can be rushed. The bakery has been making them this way in Raleigh since 2019.

What to know

• Coffee is brewed from beans roasted locally by Jubala Coffee.
• Bagel sandwiches are what most people come in for.
• Pan-baked pizza is also sold here.
• Orders can be placed online, and catering and wholesale are available.