Zylberschtein’s Delicatessen and Bakery Pinehurst
When he couldn’t find great bagels in Seattle, Josh Grunig decided to make them himself. Now his quirky Pinehurst deli has a devoted local following.
The exterior of Zylberschtein’s Delicatessen and Bakery is simple and unassuming, tucked into a quiet strip mall in Seattle’s Pinehurst neighborhood. There’s not much that would clue you into the magic inside, other than perhaps the line of customers that frequently forms.
The magic of Zylberschtein’s seems to come down to two local legends: the friendly and gregarious owner, Josh Grunig, and his famous bagels. Grunig is a favorite in the community, a proud Jewish baker bringing all his favorite East Coast deli foods to Seattle. And the bagels, considered among the best in Seattle, have a legion of devoted fans.
“There aren’t too many Jewish delis in this area,” said one customer when the Washington Grown TV crew visited Zylberschtein’s in Season 12. “They make their own bagels, which we order every time we’re here — one of the best bagels in Seattle. They’re crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, with the perfect amount of chew.”
Grunig, the owner and head baker, opened the restaurant in 2019 with the help of a successful Kickstarter campaign, in which supporters pledged more than $50,000 to help the restaurant get up and running. Ever since, Zylberschtein’s has been winning over customers with its handmade breads, bagels, doughnuts, sandwiches, and soups.
“Jewish deli food is all about making stuff from scratch, taking humble ingredients and making them taste outstanding,” said Grunig. “Any of the items that we don’t make in-house, we try to seek out other passionate producers. Everything that we can find of the highest possible quality is going to be from Washington.”
Originally, Grunig had no plans to open a bakery. After an attempt at engineering school left him unsatisfied, a young Grunig found himself living the “snow bum” life in Breckenridge, Colo., chasing powder with friends and trying to make plans for his future. But when he threw an impromptu dinner party for some ski-instructor friends, he had a light-bulb moment.
“I made all these different dishes, and (during the party) I remember looking around a houseful of people, and everyone was enjoying themselves and loving life,” said Grunig during a 2024 Instagram Live Q&A. “I loved being the person providing nourishment and hosting. I think, in that moment, I realized that (feeding people) was my future.”
He decided to go to baking school, where he was able to learn why, exactly, his family recipes worked so well. Then in 2019, he took all that knowledge and passion and took the leap of opening the shop.
“I was looking around trying to find a good bagel in Seattle. I had trouble finding one, so I said, 'I guess I better make them myself.' We’re trying to make food slowly and intentionally — we’re trying to honor the past in that way — so I thought it would be great to use our family name,” he said. After a short pause, he smiled and joked, “My family emigrated from Poland. They thought, what is the longest, most difficult name possible to come up with”.
