Bagel Cafe

Where: 6551 Trigo Road, Isla Vista, 805-685-7114

What: More than 15 types of bagels piled high with creamy, cheesy goodness (among other things)

How much? A plain bagel, cream cheese, and coffee is around $3, but a fully loaded bagel sandwich is close to $5.

The dish: You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but you can definitely judge a bagel shop by its size the smaller the better! Bagel Cafe, located right in the heart of Isla Vista, is jam-packed every Saturday and Sunday morning (and quite busy most weekday mornings). The cafe can’t hold more than about 15 people at a time, yet the menu takes up the entire wall behind the counter and is brimming with different combinations of cheeses, veggies, meats, eggs, and sauces to top of your bagel of choice. The Zuma is a classic favorite: cream cheese, sprouts, tomato, avocado, and lemon pepper. Have a sweet tooth? Try the Harvey Keitel: a cinnamon sugar-glazed bagel topped with strawberry cream cheese. Or, mix it up a bit by asking for one half strawberry and the other half blueberry cream cheese. For lunch, go with anything labeled “melt” these have cream cheese and your choice of Swiss or Cheddar, in addition to your toppings of choice.