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A few weeks back, I stopped by the downtown location of Westman’s Bagels & Coffee to do a bagel review. I ended up coming away with all kinds of feelings about the storefront signage that appeared to whitewash Jews from the history of the bagel’s creation and cultural impact.
Westman’s owner, Sanya Gulati, read the article and your feedback about it, and quickly announced that not only would the signage come down, but it would be replaced by a new version that reflects the culinary history more accurately.
“Our intent with the signage was to offer a simple overview of the bagel’s journey from its origins to becoming a widely loved food in America. We recognize that in doing so, we didn’t clearly reflect an essential part of that story: bagels originated within Jewish communities in Poland and Eastern Europe and were brought to New York by Jewish immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where they became a cornerstone of Jewish-American food culture,” said Gulati. “We understand how the current wording comes across as incomplete, and we agree it should be corrected.”
In fact, in the weeks since then, not only did that old signage come down, but the new version is already up.
Not only does the revised signage acknowledge Polish Jews’ essential role in the creation of the bagel, but it also provides deeper info on Yiddish connections and the Bagel Bakers Local 338 union, helping to tell a fuller story about the food.
I also had the chance to speak with Gulati, who reiterated that the initial omissions were never intentional; it was a case of trying to tell the history in the most concise manner possible, with details getting lost along the way.
While chatting with Gulati, who purchased Westman’s with Ankit Sirmorya in early 2025 and quickly expanded downtown to open its third location, I learned more about why she got into the bagel business. An Amazon veteran and “foodie at heart,” she was on the hunt for the right opportunity when former owner Monica Dimas decided to sell. While her passion is in coffee, she saw how much bagels were booming and “we decided this is the right business to venture into.”
“I thought I could add value and I could build a venture of my own instead of working for a big giant,” she told It’s a Shanda. “So that was my motivation.”
While Westman’s had locations in Capitol Hill and the U District, Gulati says she quickly learned not only how to run a bagel business but also where the gaps were. That led to Westman’s snapping up the standalone spot on the corner of 3rd and Spring (“I call it a brick-and-mortar food truck”), a prime location for downtown workers, tourists, and commuters.
They’re also moving quickly to get their fourth location up and running. A 1,202-square-foot space in Waterfront Place on the corner of Madison and Western, situated just blocks from both Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square, follows a similar thought process, though Gulati has bigger plans for that tourist-friendly destination.
“We’re thinking of doing a beer and wine thing there, so I’m currently in the menu-building phase for that,” she said. “It's going to be a sit-down, unlike our other locations. People can have the same grab-and-go experience, where they want a quick bite and just leave with their sandwich and coffee. But if somebody wants to sit down and have a bite with their friends in a group setting, this will be the one where we'll have that space.”
She added that Westman’s waterfront shop was slated to open “as soon as possible,” possibly within the next 1-2 months.
Gulati, who says her go-to bagel order is an egg and cheese on a jalapeño cheddar, remains very bullish on the Seattle bagel scene. Even as Westman’s and other businesses expand, the city isn’t running out of room anytime soon.
“I think there's room for everyone,” she said. “I think everybody is doing a good job in terms of finding their own niche.
“From my perspective, I feel like I'm in the people business, right? I want to provide the best breakfast, lunch, and catering experiences for people who are coming to my storefront. If you are not giving them a good coffee or you're not giving them a good breakfast sandwich, you're ruining their day, right? That matters to me.”
While we might have started from a place of confusion, I am grateful for how willing Gulati was to have the conversation and provide clarity. Understanding where the bagel came from is an essential part of the shared experience as we appreciate what it means to so many people today.
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