THE SPOT: Unregular is the name of the bakery (and nearby pizzeria) but it is something they really put into practice whether they mean to or not. I really like the pizza and the previous pastries I got here. And now they are trying their hand at bagels. It’s hard to miss the sign advertising them as you wander down 4th Avenue from Union Square to the East Village.
The bagels are on display like the other pastries in the bakery. This is a bit unusual for bagels in this city which are usually way behind the counter and only in reach for the employees adding the schmear. Here you can almost touch what you want, although I don’t recommend that.
And it makes sense these are on fully display because these plump sourdough bagels look pretty appetizing.
THE CHEW: I was a bit disappointed that they were out of some of the spreads that sounded the most unique to me – pistachio pesto and paprika cream cheese. I was trying to keep things unregular.
But it was probably for the best that I had limited options and so stuck with a more classic Chives Cream Cheese.
These bagels were very chewy with a fresh crisp edge. They didn’t have that airy pull that I expect from a classic New York bagel, but then again, these are unregular and sort of their own thing. They were satisfying for sure and in the world of a classic bagel.
I did find the cream cheese a bit strange. While it tasted good, the chives were not actually mixed into the cream cheese. So there were big chunks of green onions in the center while other bites were mostly plain cream cheese. It created a bit of a gritty experience in certain bites.
On its own, it’s a good bread in the shape of a bagel and worth trying at an unexpected, unregular location.
| UNREGULAR BAKERY |
| 124 4th Avenue (between East 12th and East 13th Street), Union Square (646) 422-7262 |
| unregularbakery.com |
