Gwonseon-gu bagel café in Suwon: basil cream cheese, Orange Bagel

This review includes some items paid for with my own money.

What is Orange Bagel in Suwon like?

Orange Bagel (오렌지베이글) is a large bagel bakery café at 129 Omokcheon-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon. It is open 07:30–21:00 (last order 20:30), every day of the year. The car park is big, so it's easy to get to by car.

The older folks head out to the fields early in the morning, so it was just me, my husband and my brother-in-law on a café outing. I had always wondered about this Suwon bakery café every time we drove past, and we finally made it.

The first thing that hit me was the sheer size. The entrance felt grand, and the car park was huge. It could easily hold 50 or more cars, and it was still almost full because it was the weekend.

Does Orange Bagel make its bagel dough from scratch?

Yes, Orange Bagel mixes its dough by hand every day from the early morning. When we walked in, my husband said, "A place this big must just bake dough that gets delivered, right?" Turns out it doesn't.

According to the sign in the shop, the dough is made with 100% orange juice without a single drop of water added, flour from France and Canada, and orange zest. It is fermented twice at low temperature and baked at the temperature where it tastes best, so you can feel how serious they are about bagels.

The display shelves were packed with all kinds of bagels. Every one looked big and tempting, which made choosing fun.

There's clearly a reason it's known as a top bagel spot in Suwon.

There was a wide range of drinks too. A 10% discount for police, firefighters, soldiers and U.S. Army was also running. Discounts like this always catch my eye for some reason.

What three of us ordered at Orange Bagel

• Drinks: Americano, café latte, Orange Latte
• Bagels: blueberry bagel, basil bagel, Deep Choco bagel
• Spread: basil cream cheese

After ordering, we grabbed a seat on the 2nd floor.

There is a mini oven on the 2nd floor of Orange Bagel, so you can warm up your bagel.

Blueberry bagel: warming it in the oven brings out the aroma

Toasting the blueberry bagel lightly in the oven made the blueberry aroma and sweetness stand out even more. The round, fluffy look is just so cute. (Oh no... I burned it... but it's still delicious!) It was nutty and sweet at the same time, which I loved.

Basil bagel with basil cream cheese

The basil bagel spread a gentle basil aroma from the very first bite.

The downside is that the aroma got a bit weaker once toasted. But spread with basil cream cheese, it was a combination that hits right at the heart of basil lovers.

Deep Choco bagel: packed with chocolate filling

Personally, the most memorable item was Orange Bagel's Deep Choco bagel.

Chocolate baguettes are trendy right now, and a chewy chocolate bagel made me curious, so I picked it out of curiosity.

Whoa, what's this?! When I cut it open, the bagel was really full of chocolate filling. My heart skipped! Sweet chocolate came pouring out and I was so surprised. For someone like me who loves Pokémon chocolate roll bread, it was the best choice.

If you like chocolate baguettes, Orange Bagel's Deep Choco bagel should satisfy you too. Its chewy texture has a different charm from a crispy baguette, so I think comparing the two would be fun.

Which coffee beans suit Orange Bagel's drinks?

I ordered the Americano and café latte with the acidic beans and the Orange Latte with the default nutty beans, and I was happy with both. The Americano and café latte were clean and aromatic, and went well with the bagels.

I thought about switching the Orange Latte to the acidic beans, but they recommended the default nutty beans, so I kept them. It was a huge success. It suited my taste perfectly, since I usually love Orange Bianco. The subtle orange scent rising with every sip felt so good. It's a drink that really lives up to the name Orange Bagel.

What is the space like at Orange Bagel, a large Suwon café?

Orange Bagel runs from the 1st floor up to a 3rd-floor rooftop, so it's quite large. After eating, we looked around the café, and there are plenty of seats, so it looked good for family gatherings or dates. If you're looking for a big café in Suwon, this space should satisfy you.

Is there a Suwon Samsung Bluewings fan discount at Orange Bagel?

Orange Bagel also gives a permanent 10% discount with proof of being a Bluewings fan.

At first I thought it was for a baseball team, but it's actually a perk for fans of the Suwon Samsung Bluewings football club, not Suwon FC.

They also sell cheering goods, so it looked like a little holy ground for fans.

Final verdict on Orange Bagel

I don't usually eat bagels very often, yet Orange Bagel left quite an impression. I especially loved the moist, fluffy texture and the nutty flavor.

The spacious interior, easy parking, and the variety of bagels and drinks all satisfied me at this Suwon bagel shop. I'd recommend it to bagel lovers, and also to anyone looking for a big café.