I am one of those tedious ex-New Yorkers who moan about how terrible the bagels are in California. We also gripe a lot about crummy pastrami and your ridiculous little pizzas.
But mostly, it’s the bagels, people. They’re like puffy dinner rolls. It’s meshugga.
The Bagel Mill in Petaluma is the first local baker to even get close to perfection, both boiling and baking these ancient carbo-loaders into chewy, snappy rings of goodness—but with a Sonoma twist: farm-to-table sourdough whole-grain bagels.

Owner Glenda Dougherty is a Sebastopol native who made it big in the NYC culinary world (so she knows a thing or two about bagels). Using flour she mills onsite and a sourdough starter she manages fastidiously, Bagel Mill bagels are seriously delish, easier to digest and have a light tang of sourdough. The whole wheat is lighter than you’d expect but brings a little more heft. Daily flavors include plain, poppy seed, sesame, onion, garlic, everything, cinnamon raisin, marble rye and whole wheat.
Because you can’t have a bagel without a schmear, there are a few special flavors like scallion or kimchi that uses Golden State Pickle Works ferments. Other toppings like classic lox are tops, along with the smoked trout salad, egg salad or the Pastrami Reuben.

On weekends, Dougherty has specials that have included the much-loved bialy (please make it a daily), Asiago and salt (sodium be damned!)
We’re fans, even if these bagels have been California-ized. We think you will be, too.
212 Western Ave, Petaluma, 707-981-8010. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday, thebagelmill.com.
Amazing bagels. Helpful, friendly service for first-timers. First vegan schmear I have seen in the North Bay. What dreams are made of: the Vegan Dream lunch sandwich with the whole wheat everything bagel. Buckwheat tea on the side. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f33472bbe19b1ae627003c17e52a563353b27f02de4544ae0838a5ff08899ca7.jpg
One year have passed since I eventually resigned from my workplace job and I’m quite happy today … I started doing a job over net , over a site I found over internet, many hrs per day, and I make much more than I did in my past work… Paycheck I got for last month was for 9 thousand dollars… Amazing thing relating to this is that I have more free time for my own children . This is exactly what I do earn10keachmonth.gxjo.com
Bagels good. Big Apple boasting? Not so much. There’s a reason you left.
Grateful bagel in Sebastopol also has good bagels!