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The best bagels in New York City
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From old-school spots in the East Village to buzzy Brooklyn outposts
By Devra Ferst
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A quick way to start a fight? Take a stance on the best bagel in New York City. This may be the world’s bagel capital, but there’s little consensus amongst New Yorkers about the platonic ideal. Perhaps the only elements we can all agree upon are that the bagel should be freshly baked and a selection of schmears must be available. Older school bagel devotees often argue that a bagel must have a visible hole, be on the smaller side, and require a strong jaw to chew; others look for more modern pillowy rounds, reaching sizes that can nearly eclipse a human palm.
It seems that with every year, the options only grow greater. However, bagels have been part of the city’s fabric since they arrived with Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the late 19th century, and for a time in the 20th century, the powerful union Local 338 controlled bagel baking in the city. Today, it’s more of a free-for-all: Bagels aren’t constrained by size, flavour, or even colour – you can still get those bright rainbow bagels that went viral (for better or worse) nearly a decade ago now, while other shops have been baking their rounds the same way for decades.
We respect a range of bagel opinions – but, ultimately, drew two lines when it came to assessing what are, truly, the best bagels in New York City: Bagels shouldn’t match the highlighter on your desk, nor should they be sweet (if you’re looking for a sugary round treat with a hole, might we recommend one of the city’s fabulous doughnut shops, like Fan Fan or Peter Pan?). We’ve also considered geography in our guide, spotlighting standout bites in a range of neighbourhoods from the Lower East Side to Greenpoint. (For those cult-inspiring Long Island bagels, you’ll have to find another list – we’re keeping this to the city). And yes, we’ve tasted all of them; if you live here, we suggest making a point to do the same.
Whether you’re a local or visitor, these are the best bagels in New York City for when the craving hits.
Jen Goldberg/PopUp Bagels
PopUp Bagels
The name here is a bit of a misnomer. What started as a pop-up is now a brick-and-mortar chain with three locations in Manhattan and several more outside of the city. The PopUpteam operates things differently from most neighbourhood bagel shops. There’s a strictly enforced three bagels plus schmear requirement. And even if you splurge on smoked fish, the team will not be assembling your sandwich – that’s on you. While that may annoy some, we’re grateful this policy keeps long weekend lines moving.
Address: 338 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10023
Website: popupbagels.com
BO’s Bagels
Frustrated by the dearth of good bagels in Harlem, Andrew Martienz started baking them in the home he shared with Ashley Dikos nearly a decade ago, and in 2017, the duo opened their first BO's on 116th Street (there’s also one farther uptown). These are the types of bagels worth boarding a subway for: Keeping with the traditional style of New York bagels, the offerings at BO’s are petite and chewier than most. There are a few standing tables but no real seating, so take your haul to go – Central Park isn’t far.
Address: 235 W 116th Street, New York, NY 10026
Website: bosbagels.com
Apollo Bagels
Joey Scalabrino and Mike Fadem, who own Williamsburg pizza destination Leo, started Apollo as a pop-up and it quickly caught on. Today, the duo operates two locations – one in the East Village and the other in the West. Their bagels have a tang, courtesy of a sourdough starter used to make the dough, some air pockets in their crumb, and a nice crust. Options at Apollo are simple: there are plain, sesame, and everything bagels and a few sandwiches to choose from, including one with whitefish salad, pickled peppers, and dill. Be ready to line up on the weekends. There are a couple of bench seats outside, but nearby Tompkins Square Park is more pleasant for a bagel brunch.
Address: 242 E 10th Street, New York, NY 10003
Website: apollobagels.com
Todd Chalfant/Russ & Daughters
Russ & Daughters
Russ & Daughtershas been a New York staple for more than a century. Joel Russ, a Jewish immigrant from Strzyzow, Poland, opened his “appetising shop” on the Lower East Side in 1914, and his descendants still own the business. Starting in 2015, the team began baking their own bagels in Brooklyn’s Navy Yard and, more recently, started rolling, boiling, and baking more at theirHudson Yardsspot. No matter which location you go to, you can (and should) opt for lox or Nova to be draped over your bagel. If you’re looking for seating, head to their Lower East Side cafe or the Hudson Yards location.
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Address: 127 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002; 502 W 34th Street, New York, NY 10001
Website: russanddaughters.com
Bagel Hole
If you walked past Bagel Hole, you might not think much of this narrow old school shop on a quieter stretch of Park Slope’s 7th Avenue. Neighbours will fix that. Bagel Hole has a dedicated following who appreciate their small, chewy bagels baked just behind the counter. Traditionalists will tell you to decline the offer of chicken salad, which the team hawks via a piece of paper taped to the counter, and stick with a more classic schmear like scallion cream cheese. They may be right. There’s no seating or space to hang around. Thankfully, Prospect Park is just a couple of blocks away. And a note to the wise: Like many old school bagel shops, Bagel Hole is cash only.
Address: 400 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Website: instagram.com
Terrace Bagels
Separated by just a 12 minute walk, Bagel Hole and Terrace Bagels offer a study in contrasts. The bagels at the former are smaller and chewier, while the latter are larger and a bit doughier. At Terrace, there’s also a lot of choice, including pumpernickel everything and garlic bagels and a sprawling selection of schmears displayed in a gleaming glass case. Options range from classics like lox spread to the highly unconventional bubble gum-pink strawberry chocolate chip cream cheese, which might entice picky little ones. If you prefer to eat in, you can take your bagels to one of the tables – but Prospect Park is right there.
Address: 222 &, 222A Prospect Park W, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Website: terracebagels.com
Shelsky’s of Brooklyn
Shelsky’s of Brooklyn
Owned by born-and-bred New York Peter Shelsky and fish expert Lewis Spada, Shelsky’s is an appetising shop for the 21st century – as they say, “an old tradition that never really died.” The duo operates a dedicated bagel outpost near 4th Avenue-9th Street, on the cusp of Park Slope. Still, we’re partial to the appetising shop in Cobble Hill, which sells the team’s thoughtfully made, chewy bagels alongside its superb fish selection, including double-cured Irish salmon, Ora King salmon, and Icelandic smoked salmon. All of the classic bagel finishes like poppy and sesame are on offer, along with their famed (and rather intense) cracked peppercorn and salt bagels, which the team calls “a bagel au poivre.”
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Address: 141 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Website: shelskys.com
Barney Greengrass
541 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024
You half expect Midge Maisel to walk into Barney Greengrass on the Upper West Side. The business has been open since 1908 and moved to its current location in 1929. You can order bagels, schmears, and fish at the counter to go, but Barney Greengrass is best enjoyed from a table in one of the two dining rooms. The menu is lengthy and includes Eastern European Jewish classics like latkes and blintzes, but you are here for the fish and bagels made specially for the shop by All Natural Products. If you are having trouble deciding, ask for an open-face sandwich with your choice of two smoked fish – think half salty sable, half glistening Nova. Make sure to stop at an ATM before; this spot is cash only and isn’t cheap.
Address: 541 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10024
Website: barneygreengrass.com
Ess-A-Bagel
Ess-A-Bagel first opened in 1976, and is the sort of place where you might run into Saturday morning regulars who have been picking up their usual here for 30 years. At the 1st Avenue location (there are three other locations), you can watch the team move dozens of well-burnished bagels in and out of the large oven behind a glass wall while you wait to place your order. The bagels have more flavour than most and are puffy but still have a nice texture when you bite down.
Address: 324 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10009
Website: ess-a-bagel.com
Tim Stypulkowski/Utopia Bagels
Utopia
Utopia opened in 1981, and until June 2024, fans who wanted to visit the iconic bakery had no choice but to pilgrimage to Whitestone, Queens. Thankfully, there’s now a sprawling location on the corner of 34th Street and Lexington Avenue in Murray Hill where bagels are baked on-site. They strike an ideal balance between a crispy crust with tiny air bubbles and a solid, but not overwhelming, chewy interior.
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Address: 1909 Utopia Pkwy, Whitestone, NY 11357
Website: utopiabagelsny.com
Tal Bagels
We’ll forgive you if you’re sceptical of a bagel chain with five locations in Manhattan, but don’t let that keep you away from Tal Bagels. The bagels here have crusts with lots of tiny bubbles that shatter at first bite. While the team mostly sticks to the classics, the olive-rosemary bagel is a welcome offering.
Address: 357 1st Ave., New York, NY 10010
Website: ordertalbagels.com
Absolute Bagels
Absolute is an icon in New York’s bagel scene. Sam Thongkrieng, who moved from Bangkok to New York and then worked at Ess-A-Bagel in the 1980s, opened the shop near Columbia University in 1990. On weekends, lines here are virtually unavoidable, with students, neighbours, and bagel hunters waiting for the slightly doughy bagels with a nice crust as big as a hand. If a full-size bagel feels too much, opt for one of the more modestly sized mini-bagels and wash it down with Thai iced tea. Be sure to bring cash.
Address: 2788 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
Website: absolute-bagels.res-menu.com
Robert K. Chin/Alamy
Tompkins Square Bagels
The lines at the original location of this beloved bagel shop just off of Tompkins Square (there are two others in Manhattan) are legendary, but the friendly team moves through them efficiently. Fans come toTompkins Square Bagelsfor oversized, puffy bagels (including one flavoured like French toast), bagel sandwiches, and a wide selection of house whipped cream cheeses like lox dill, plus a slew of sweet options, including ones dotted with fresh fruit. There’s some seating in a space that feels a bit like a 90s-era coffee shop, but it’s best to escape the mobs by going to the namesake park.
Address: 23 E 17th St, New York, NY 10003
Website: tompkinssquarebagels.com
This article was first published on Condé Nast Traveler.
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