It’s an everything bagel kinda year: Nick’s Pizza uses it in its crust, left; Bardea uses it in pastries, center; and Hell’s Belles on croissants and hand pies.
If it seems like everything bagel seasoning is, well, everywhere, that’s because it is.
Avocado toast, pizza, pop tarts and arepas are among the food getting that deli treatment in Delaware, and they’re not alone.
A National Restaurant Association poll of culinary professionals found that the addictive seasoning was named a top flavor for 2024.
The mix typically includes dried garlic and onion flakes, poppy and sesame seeds and salt—toppings left over after making specialty bagels. Combining them is a lesson in waste-not-want-not.
There’s something about the blend that conjures the feeling—and taste—of a New York deli, says Kyle Berman, executive chef at The Pines in Rehoboth Beach.
“It has all the ingredients people love,” he said.
In 2017, Trader Joe’s captured the magic in the Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend. Since then, the food and hospitality industry has turned the humble mix into a culinary must-have.
Here are some creative ways to use it.
A Milford’s Riverwalk Farmers Market, customers line up for Fat Cat Farms’ everything English muffins.
Everything bagel’s nostalgia
As Berman noted, everything bagel mix has a nostalgic taste. He took it further by dusting Parker House rolls with the seasoning—and he’s not alone.
The Brandywine Restaurant in Wilmington has also used the blend on the rolls, a sweet, fluffy milk bread invented in the 1870s in Boston’s Parker House Hotel.
During the Riverwalk Farmers Market season in Milford, customers line up for Fat Cat Farms’ everything English muffins.
The Camden, Delaware, farm uses eggs from free-range hens and a special sourdough starter.
Bardea’s Amanda Nichols adds the salty, nutty blend to her savory version of a Pop Tart, served with fennel onion jam and basil oil.
Savory not sweet
Everything bagel seasoning instantly adds depth to savory pastries—there’s no mistaking them for their sugary cousins.
For instance, pastry chef Amanda Nichols at Bardea Food & Drink in downtown Wilmington adds the salty, nutty blend to her savory version of a pop tart, served with fennel onion jam and basil oil.
Hell’s Belles Bake Shop in Wilmington’s Little Italy section sprinkles the seasoning on savory croissants and hand pies, while 322 BBQ/Hill Donut Co. & Pancake House in north Wilmington uses it on donut rolls.
“So good,” says owner David Wiederholt.
Nick Vouras of Nick’s Pizza puts everything bagel seasoning on the edges of his specialty scrapple, egg and cheese pizza.
Pizza party
Pizzerias don’t limit their creativity to pizza toppings. Now, they consider the crust.
Consider that Nick Vouras of the new Nick’s Pizza near Price’s Corner puts everything bagel seasoning on the edges of his specialty scrapple, egg and cheese pizza for an extra wow factor.
Bivouac Pizza food truck uses the spice to finish some pizzas, said owner Paul Egnor. An example is a pie with butternut squash, goat cheese, blistered tomatoes, kale chips and an apple cider gastrique.
Bivouac Pizza food truck uses the spice to finish some pizzas, including its butternut squash, goat cheese, blistered tomatoes, kale chips and apple cider gastrique offering.
Brunch staple
The avocado toast section at Kristina’s Kitchen in Millville includes the avocado everything bagel, which also comes with smoked salmon and a fried egg. “Both are very popular,” said owner Kristiana Malone.
Once a month, Thompson Island Brewing Co. in Rehoboth Beach serves brunch, and you might find BLT avocado toast with everything seasoning.
And on Sunday, Jan. 28, Mojo Loco, a food truck, will bring its everything bagel spice-crusted arepa with chorizo, egg and parmesan to Midnight Oil Brewing Co.
Crooked Hammock offers everything bagel dip and soft pretzels.
Starters & snacks
Thompson Island’s regular menu includes deviled eggs with sour cream, onions and everything bagel seasoning.
Crooked Hammock Brewery’s locations in Lewes and Middletown have happy hour menus with everything bagel dip and soft pretzels.
But products are limited to restaurants.
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Store shelves are also filled with salty, garlicky examples. Try The Snack Factory’s pretzel crisps with everything seasoning for a satisfying crunch with lots of flavor.
Not surprisingly, The Matzo Project makes small-batch crispy snacks with flavors that include everything, plain and cinnamon sugar.
While you can buy the prepared blend, Tom Craft, co-owner of 2 Fat Guys in Hockessin, makes his own.
“We are going to run it as our featured wing flavor sometime in the next two weeks,” he said.
Don’t want to shake and stir?
Surf Bagel, which has four Delaware locations and an online shop, has a prepared mix in a glass jar.
Also based in Delaware, Henlopen Sea Salt now sells Sea Salt Everything.
“We use roasted garlic flakes and white and black sesame seeds, along with our salt,” said owner Dave Burris. “ It makes the everything a little everything-er.”
