THE CURRENT BEST OF THE BEST
APOLLO BAGELS – the new king with crisp sourdough taste and restrained toppings
BEST BAGEL AND COFFEE – chewy, crisp bagels with a hint of sweetness
BROOKLYN BAGEL & COFFEE – always perfectly browned, crispy, and chewy
ESS-A-BAGEL – the longtime expert of a classic NYC bagel
LIBERTY BAGELS – despite the rainbow bagel, this is a great example of true NYC bagels
SHELSKY’S BROOKLYN BAGELS – one of Brooklyn’s masters at the classic technique
TOMPKINS SQUARE BAGEL – walks the line between traditional and modern
OLD SCHOOL FAVORITES
BAGEL HOLE – legendary old-school spot making smaller bagels the way everybody used to
BAGEL OASIS – on the way to Long Island, a longtime classic
BAGELWORKS – an Upper East Side stalwart with fresh airy bagels
DAVID’S BAGELS – giant, messy bagels near Stuy Town
DYKER PARK BAGELS – far flung neighborhood favorite with a sweet airy bite
LEO’S BAGELS – long lines in the FiDi and the best bagels in the neighborhood
MURRAY’S BAGELS – cranky, old-school and very New York
IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
BAGEL BOY – not worth a trip to Bay Ridge, but if you’re there already, these will do
BAGEL PUB – with a few locations but an overwhelming number of cream cheese options
NY JUMBO BAGELS – large and crisp neighborhood standby
TAL BAGELS – large crunchy uptown bagels
TERRACE BAGELS – a long-time neighborhood favorite with large bagels perfect for sandwiches
BAGELS GONE WILD
BLACK SEED BAGELS – Montreal style bagels in a world of their own
MOONRISE BAGELS – stuffed bagels that are more like a pretzel
MODERN BREAD & BAGEL (GLUTEN FREE) – gluten free specimens that actually work
POPUP BAGELS – private equity owned hotspot with too many rules
NOT WORTH THE CARBS
COURT STREET BAGELS – overly firm and crumbly bagels
DAVIDOVICH BAGELS – sometimes stale and not made on premises
KOSSAR’S BIALYS – stick to the bialys here
MONTAGUE BAGELS – inconsistent bagels that can be dry and cold
PICK-A-BAGEL – local chain with passable bagels
ROLEN BAGELS – my bagels was a bit sour
ZUCKER’S BAGELS & SMOKED FISH – dense and large bagels that don’t do much for me
NOW CLOSED
ABSOLUTE BAGELS (ORIGINAL)
BROWNS BAGELS
H & H BAGELS
HOT BIALYS & BAGELS
LONG ISLAND BAGEL CAFE
MOCHA BAGELS
VIC’S BAGEL BAR