BAGEL REVIEW in New York: Shelsky’s Brooklyn Bagels

I’ve resisted reviewing Shelsky’s Brooklyn Bagels because there is a potential conflict of interest here. I’ve been praising their freshly made bagels for years now since their other location on Court Street is a stop on one of the Brooklyn food tours I lead.

I’ve known Peter Shelsky and his business partner Lewis for a long time and so I know these bagels and love them. But amazingly, I had never actually been to where the bagels are made – a few neighborhoods over in Park Slope.

So considering my relationship, take my praise with a grain of everything seasoning.

But putting all that aside, there’s no denying these guys are immersed in New York Jewish food history and know how to make a proper bagel.

The Park Slope location is designed a bit differently from the original store and may actually have a smaller front area. The offerings seem mostly the same, including their pretty special Szechuan peppercorn bagel.

For this review, I kept things somewhat simple. But instead of a plain or everything bagel, I had a craving and so went with pumpernickel.

The dark brown bagel was soft and fresh but not quite hot, which is ok. There were subtle caraway notes and it was thankfully not too sweet. I also applaud the restrained amount of cream cheese added.

As expected, the bagel had that crisp exterior and soft chew. Really, the only thing that would have made it better is if it was hot out of the oven. But we can’t have everything, although they do make a great everything bagel.

So while I already had a sense that Shelsky’s bagels were great, it was nice to try them at the source.

Are Shelsky’s Brooklyn Bagels the best bagels in NY? If you get a hot bagel, there would be nothing better. Their pumpernickel is not too sweet, but soft and fresh. I’ve paired many a smoked fish sandwich with a Shelsky’s bagel, so I know they deserve at least an 8.5 out of 10.