Bagels

BAGELS in New York: Bagelworks

What was I doing ordering a plain bagel?? That is very out of character for me.

Don’t worry – I am not going vanilla in my old age. I chose it because when I asked my usual “Which is the hottest?” question, it was unfortunately the only answer I got.

Granted, I’m sure all the other bagels (everything, poppy, sesame, etc.) would have been warm enough at Bagelworks. This is clearly a legit local bagel shop on the Upper East Side – one of the true neighborhoods for a New York bagel experience. But for some reason, I decided to be ultra-scientific and order the hottest, freshest bagel possible.

Not surprisingly, the plain bagel lacked a bit of flavor. It was soft and chewy as expected, but with an overwhelming amount of cream cheese I couldn’t taste much but the tangy dairy spread.

Once the bagel cooled a bit, it developed a nice crunch so perhaps I jumped the gun.

I could tell that Bagelworks had their bagel game down. They better with a name like that in a neighborhood like this. But I probably don’t need to tell you to get a little seasoning on that bagel. Apologies to vanilla lovers out there.

Does Bagelworks have the best bagels in NY? 7out of 10 for a hot out of the oven bagel (even if it was plain) that developed a nice crunch. Verdict is still out on their more unique toppings, but this is a confident local spot that deserves a visit if in the area.
BAGELWORKS
229 First Avenue (between East 66th and East 67th Street),
Upper East Side
(212) 744-6444
uppereastbagels.com

AboutBrian Hoffman

Brian Hoffman is a classically trained actor who is now a full-time tour guide, blogger, and food obsessive. He leads food and drink tours around New York City, which not only introduce tour-goers to delicious food, but gives them a historical context. He has written food articles for Gothamist and Midtown Lunch in addition to overseeing this blog and a few food video series, including Eat This, Locals Know, and Around the World in One City. His latest series is an international cooking show with his son which can be found on this site.