Photos by ChiHon Kim ()
Though I’m no longer a resident of Daegu, I return often to the city where I was born and raised. It may be my hometown, but I also love Daegu’s food. Trends in food change very quickly in Daegu, and the city is one of the standout foodie cities that lead the restaurant industry in South Korea. The city is constantly changing its menus and adding new eateries, making them worth a trip for the meals alone or with friends.
Truly Baker is a bagel shop that is contributing to building Daegu’s reputation as a food scene standout. Since opening its doors in Bongsandong back in 2019, the shop has been offering the most beautiful and healthy bagels in Daegu since.
When I entered Truly Baker, I found a batch of beautiful bagels of different colors and ingredients. Caught off-guard, I thought to myself “What on earth have they done to the bagel?”
Co-owners Lym Mihui and Kim Hyorim are old friends who came together to open Truly Baker, with Lym having the background in bread and bakery. Thanks to their business and baking skills, the shop quickly became a social media favorite thanks to the colorful look and great taste of their product.
Choose from five to six different bagels including plain and Quaker Oatmeal. Then, add a little flavor with some of their delicious spreads like the famous honey rainbow cream cheese, plain cream cheese, Oreo chocolate cream cheese, jalapeno nut cream cheese, honey pecan cream cheese, and even Ang butter, a combination of red bean paste and butter.
At Truly Baker, the New York original bagels and Oatmeal bagels are relatively crispy on the outside and slightly soft on the inside. If you prefer a perfectly soft bagel, then choose plain bagels, onion bagels, or rainbow bagels. If you are looking for bagels without any fillings, sweet potato bagels might be a good option. And their signature sandwich with bacon, blueberry, egg salad and Arugula is a must-eat item in this place.
You can also build your own bagel with lots of spread options, or you can just grab a pre-made one. You can also ask for your bagel to be toasted. I opted for a toasted rainbow bagel with honey cream cheese for 5,500 won (or $4.17). The chewy bagel itself was really good and the sweet cream cheese paired nicely.
Co-owner Kim suggested the onion bagel with honey cheese cream which is supposed to be a perfect combination of sweet and salty, or the New York original bagel with plain cream cheese for a classic taste. Unfortunately, the rainbow bagel was enough so I couldn’t try the others. Instead, I ordered a pack of rainbow bagels to share with my family.
Truly Baker also offers a variety of drinks to wash down their delectable bagels with. Try a refreshing fruit soda or milkshake made of matcha, banana, vanilla and more.
This is a pretty popular spot, so if you’re short on time, Truly Baker takes online orders.
While it may not be difficult to find rainbow bagels in Seoul and Busan, none can match Truly Baker’s shape and color. Plus, considering that Truly Baker’s rainbow bagels are made with organic flour and go through a much more intensive process than plain bagels, they are an affordable treat.
If you want to start your morning right with colorful and delicious bagels, head to Truly Baker, only a 10-minute-drive from Camp Henry and Camp Walker. The number of likes you’ll get on Instagram from a photo with their bagels will make the trip worth it as well!
Address: 대구 중구 봉산문화1길 32 (KOR), 32, Bongsanmunhwa 1-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu (ENG), NAVER MAP: http://naver.me/FN2sNwDz Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Closed on every Tuesday) Website Online order here.
