This Tacoma neighborhood has 3 great restaurants in a row

“Long way to go for a bagel.”

That was the response from a friend when I said I was heading to Tacoma for a bagel, namely one from Howdy Bagel, which is about 40 miles from my house. Now, while I don’t normally like to define if something is “worth a drive,” the bagels here are worth a drive, a ferry ride, a bike ride, a long walk — whatever it takes to reach this South Tacoma shop.

Howdy Bagel opened in May 2023 in the Edison neighborhood. The gay cowboy-themed shop closed briefly in 2024 after the tragic murder of co-owner Jake Carter in New Orleans, reopening in February 2024 with Carter’s husband, Daniel Blagovich, at the helm.

There was a line when I met a friend at Howdy Bagel a few weeks ago at 9:30 a.m., but it moved quickly. Take a few extra minutes to decide between a straight egg and cheese or a sandwich with pastrami.

We went with the egg and cheese on a sesame bagel ($8), a pastrami egg and cheese on an everything ($12.50), plus an English breakfast on a rosemary sea salt ($10).

Listen. The bagels — which possess that perfect mix of a shiny, crisp exterior that easily gives way to a delightfully chewy interior — would be perfect on their own. Add in a perfectly fried egg, melty American cheese and a generous schmear of Howdy Sauce (a blend of mayo, chili crisp, a little salt and a hint of sugar)? Transcendent. The sauce has just the right amount of spice and is so good that I would pick it over cream cheese on any bagel and egg sandwich from now on.

The English breakfast is an open-faced tartine piled with scallion cream cheese and a veritable salad’s worth of cucumber, capers, microgreens and pickled red onions and a drizzle of olive oil. It’s crunchy and fresh and refreshing. The rosemary in the bagel is as delicate as it can be while still being rosemary. It’s almost good enough to tear me away from sesame as my go-to bagel; I’m definitely picking it over poppy (sorry, bagel purists).

Howdy Bagel opens at 8 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday and often sells out before its posted 3 p.m. closing time.

If you find yourself in Edison and without a bagel, fear not. There are a ton of great eats along this stretch of South Tacoma Way.

Head a few blocks south and you’ll run into Empanadas Colombianas Luis Panes, an empanada specialist located in a former diner. The checkered floor is a dead giveaway, and the tiny, twirling stools are set up against a long counter that most likely used to represent the front-row seats to watch bacon sizzling on a flat top.

The kitchen is in the back now, but you can still get bacon. Even better — you can get a huge slab of pork belly, partially sliced into bite-sized nuggets and held together by a strip of unbelievably crackly skin. Get it on a heated platter with a pile of rice and beans, plus two eggs and an arepa, for $15.99.

The stars of the Colombian menu, though, are the eight empanada varietals. The flavors range from a Hawaiian, filled with pineapple, ham and mozzarella, to beef and potato or pork with rice and peas. They’re easily distinguishable on a plate, a rainbow of crisp, corn pastry shells ranging from a pale tan to golden yellow, red and vibrant green.

You can mix and match flavors, with six empanadas going for $17.99. They come with a spicy, herby aji and a creamy, tangy dipping sauce, too. They are gluten-free and there are vegetarian and vegan options. Each — from the spinach and cheese to the chicken with potato — is terrific.

On the other side of Howdy Bagel, just a block to the north, there’s Opal Lounge. Come here the next time you’re in Tacoma craving barbecue.

A three-meat platter with cornbread and two sides runs $33 and is big enough to feed two. The barbecue here is of the saucy variety. A big cup of it comes as a side, perfect for dunking succulent ribs or for dredging slices of brisket. The baked beans are also copiously saucy, with a hit of spice and a nice level of vinegar. Also great is the sausage, split and chargrilled but still snappy and juicy.

I get that a saucy barbecue plate isn’t for everyone, but in Opal’s case, it’s not that it’s hiding dry meat — it’s just the style of barbecue. This is nicely seasoned meat, made even better when sauced.