Nisha Arora, owner of Bobby’s Bagel Cafe in Northern Virginia, first started playing around with the idea of creating a pumpkin-shaped bagel more than four years ago.
And she didn’t stop at the shape — she experimented with the flavor, too.
“When we had it in 2020, we made it actually pumpkin-flavored, but kids were not happy about that part,” said Arora.
So she decided they would be plain unless requested by special order. But they come in different colors, a vibrant orange, a muted squash color, and a green similar to some pumpkin varieties.
Arora was sure the treats would go flying off the shelves each fall — but they did just OK.
Then this year, TikTok took the wheel. At least three different TikTok users posted their reviews of the seasonal bagels, and so far combined, that’s led to close to a million up-close views.
“I don’t know why it never happened in the last four years, but we are blessed, and we are happy about it,” she said. She described the business as “crazy busy” since the social media posts caught on.
Arora’s success with the pumpkin-shaped bagels was first reported in Northern Virginia Magazine, and she said she’s excited to see how popular they are.
But she stresses she’s always believed that bagels deserve a spot on the table at all kinds of holidays. Bobby’s Bagel Cafe makes “alpha bagels” that spell out names for birthdays, for example. For Valentine’s Day, they have heart-shaped bagels, and yes, they’re red. And for Easter, they make Easter egg-shaped bagels.
Arora said the popularity of the pumpkin-shaped bagels means ordering ahead is essential.
Her personal favorites?
“It keeps changing,” she said with a laugh. “Right now, it’s egg-everything, but rainbow too, because I love bright colors.”
Bobby’s Bagel Cafe has three locations: Oakton, Herndon and Reston.
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