Potato vs corn bagel taste test at Orange Bagel, Suwon

Bagels and iced Americano, the signature shot from Orange Bagel

There are so many bagel specialty shops around these days. I'm a fan of bagels myself, so whenever I find a new place I get curious what it'll taste like. This time I visited Orange Bagel, where you can enjoy a variety of bagels alongside coffee.

I tried the Laugenbutter bagel, potato bagel, and corn bagel myself, and the three were really different in character. To sum it up quickly: Laugenbutter was the top pick for all three of us, potato was a hearty meal-type bagel, and corn was a sweet dessert-type bagel!

Beyond the bagels, the New York-style interior and the third-floor outdoor space gave us plenty to look at, so let me introduce them one by one. 😊

Full of New York vibes, fun just to explore the space

Orange Bagel's red-brick exterior under a blue sky

Orange Bagel sign and entrance with New York-style graphics

When you arrive at Orange Bagel, the first thing you notice is the huge red-brick building. On the day I visited, the sky was especially blue and pretty, and it matched the building beautifully. The Orange Bagel sign and the graphics reminiscent of New York made the concept clear even before stepping inside.

Once inside, the red brick, checkered floor, a big American flag, photos of New York streets, records and vintage props create a slightly different mood in each corner. The staircase with photos lined along a red wall was especially memorable.

Interior decorated with red brick and checkered flooring

Staircase with photos hung along a red wall

This didn't feel like a place you just grab bagels and leave — it felt more like a Suwon brunch café where you look around and settle in comfortably with your coffee.

Café seating area with an American flag and vintage props

Interior corner decorated with records and New York street photos

Since each space has a different mood, it's fun to take photos and slowly wander around, so if you're looking for something different in Suwon or a Gyeonggi-do spot worth visiting near Seoul, keep this one in mind.

On the third floor, an outdoor space like a rooftop jazz bar

As I explored, I went up to the third-floor outdoor area, and a completely different mood unfolded from the interior.

Under the blue sky, there were tables and chairs with lighting strung along, and personally it felt like a rooftop jazz bar. I got curious what the mood would be like at night. ^^ The space was also spacious enough to be good for a group.

Third-floor outdoor table area with strung lighting

Spacious rooftop seating under a blue sky

According to the bulk-order notice posted in the store, they can handle not only group orders but also regular supply deliveries and event catering. Useful to know if you ever need to prepare a large batch of bagels for a gathering or event.

Since the mood shifts from the interior all the way to the third-floor outdoor space, being able to enjoy each space in turn felt like a plus for anyone looking for a large café in Suwon.

Laugenbutter, potato, or corn — which bagel to choose?

Bagels filled with cream and toppings on display

Close-up of basic bagels arranged in the display case

The display case had a wide variety, from basic bagels to ones packed with cream and toppings.

The three chosen bagels: Laugenbutter, corn, and potato

Cross-section of the Laugenbutter bagel topped with salt

The three bagels on the table with coffee

We picked the Laugenbutter bagel, corn bagel, and potato bagel.

Bagels are known for their chewy texture, but that chewiness can sometimes tip into being tough. Orange Bagel's bagels were chewy yet soft, and I liked the bagel itself right from the start.

Among the three, we started with the Laugenbutter bagel, which was closer to the basic style. The buttery savoriness, the bagel's chewy-yet-soft texture, and the saltiness came together beautifully. Out of everything we tried today, the Laugenbutter bagel was #1!

It wasn't a flashy filled bagel, but we kept reaching for it anyway. Because it let us really taste the flavor and texture of the bagel itself, all three of us enjoyed it the most.

For a hearty meal, go potato; for a sweet dessert, go corn

Potato bagel packed with potato salad and bacon

Top of the potato bagel with potato chips and smoked paprika seasoning

The potato bagel was really close to a full meal. It was packed with potato salad and bacon, topped with potato chips and a spicy smoked paprika seasoning. Potato salad and bacon alone might have felt heavy or plain, but the toppings on top kept it from being greasy or one-note. The portion was substantial enough to feel like a real meal — it would even work as a meal for kids.

Meanwhile, the corn bagel was the one that caught the eye first, visually. Looking at the display case, there's no way you'd pass it up!! It was filled with sweet corn cream that brought out corn's natural sweetness, making it feel more like a sweet dessert snack.

So at first I planned to eat in the order Laugenbutter → corn → potato, but after one bite of each, the corn bagel turned out sweeter than expected, so I ended up eating the potato bagel first and saving the corn bagel for last.

Eating them this way made each one's character really clear.

Savory and salty basic flavor → Laugenbutter
Hearty like a full meal → Potato
Sweet like a dessert → Corn

My family loves the basic flavor, so Laugenbutter was #1 for us, but you might want to pick based on your own taste preferences. 😊

Next time, plain with a generous spread of cream cheese

Bagels lined up side by side on the table

A bitten bagel showing its chewy interior

After trying all three, what stuck with me most in the end was the fundamentals of the bagel itself. Being delicious because of rich toppings or fillings is a bit different from the bread itself being delicious. Orange Bagel kept the chewiness while staying soft instead of tough, which made me curious about their plain bagel.

Next time I visit, I'd like to buy the blueberry bagel or plain bagel that I usually love, along with cream cheese on the side, and spread it on generously. The fact that I thought a basic bagel with just cream cheese, no fancy toppings, would taste great says a lot about how much I liked the bagel itself. 👍

A rich, nutty Americano that paired perfectly with the bagels

Iced Americano made with nutty coffee beans

Iced Americano served alongside the bagels

Along with the bagels, we also ordered an iced Americano. You can choose between fruity beans and nutty beans, and I went with the nutty ones.

When I first got the cup, I thought the portion looked a bit small, but once I tried it, the rich, nutty coffee flavor passed with flying colors! It paired especially well with the bagels.

At bagel specialty shops, your eyes naturally go to the bread first, but it was satisfying that the coffee was delicious too. If you're looking for good coffee in Suwon to pair with your bagels, pick your beans according to your taste. ☕

Gift-worthy looks: a gift box when you buy 4

Inside of the gift box with bagels placed in separate compartments

While choosing bagels, another thought crossed my mind — I'd love to pick a few as a gift when invited to someone's home. Especially with pretty-looking ones like the corn bagel included, it would look great as a set.

At Orange Bagel, buying 4 bagels gets them packed into a gift box. Each one is neatly separated so nothing gets messed up, and it looked clean and pretty enough to work as a light gift for anyone who loves bagels.

The three we tried had clearly different personalities, but our top pick among the three of us was still the Laugenbutter bagel. More than anything, the texture of the bagel itself was so good that I already want to try the plain or blueberry one loaded with cream cheese next time. From the New York-style interior to the third-floor outdoor space and a variety of bagels and coffee, Orange Bagel is a bakery café in Suwon worth visiting. If you're looking for a Suwon café to enjoy bagels and brunch together, keep this one in mind. 😊