A fresh baked bagel is a beautiful thing, but not all bagels are created equal. Over the past few years, I’ve tried 40+ bagels in search of the city’s best. This personal list shines a light on New York City bagels worth a detour, let’s dive in!
Authors Note: If you feel like one of the best bagels in NYC is missing from this list please drop me a comment below and I’ll check it out ASAP!
Best Bagels in New York City
(Table of Contents)
New York City Bagels (Table of Contents)
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Frankel’s Deli
Frankel’s Delicatessen is an endearing Greenpoint haunt dishing up some of the best bagel sandwiches in New York City. Offering all the standard fixings of a traditional Jewish deli, you’ll find breakfast sandwiches, smoked fish, bagels, hot pastrami and other delicacies.
But between you and me, it’s the velvety lox that sets Frankel’s apart from the competition. Sure, you can grab a standard bagel with schmear and find yourself perfectly content, but that misses the point. The restaurant’s pièce de résistance is the sandwich menu.
There’s seven “specialty sandwiches” on the menu, but a personal favorite is the Frankel’s #1 Bagel. Made with pastrami lox, scallion cream cheese and cucumber salad, I’d gladly commute an hour to get my hands on this bad boy (and do!).
Website: Frankel’s Deli
Neighborhood: Greenpoint
Address: 631 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY
Bo’s Bagels
When Andrew Martinez and his wife Ashley Dikos Bagel found themselves in a bagel desert in their Harlem neighborhood, they decided to do something about it by opening Bo’s in 2017.
Relying on traditional time-tested baking methods, the duo churns out some of the best bagels in New York City. Slightly smaller than standard NYC bagels, these are refrigerated overnight to slow the fermentation process and boiled for two minutes before being baked, which results in a crusty exterior and chewy interior.
The couple’s ardent refusal to use cheap ingredients and commitment to the painstaking baking process has earned them the loyalty of locals. Don’t just take my word for it, within five years, Bo’s opened a second location in Washington Heights. The salt bagel is where it’s at!
Website: Bo’s Bagels
Neighborhood: Harlem
Address: 235 W 116th St, New York, NY
Absolute Bagels
Plenty of locals will tell you that Absolute is responsible for the best bagels in New York City. The hype around this place is hard to ignore. So much so, I was worried it wouldn’t live up to expectations when I first visited.
Steaming-hot straight from the oven, the bagels are unrivaled. If you ask for them toasted expect to garner eye rolls from the folks behind you, these bagels have nothing to hide.
The shoebox shop dons a line every day of the week, but weekends are something else (the wait can be an hour long). Try to swing by around 10am on a weekday for a better chance of avoiding a long wait. If you do get stuck in line, fret not — the aroma of freshly baked bagels will help keep you contented while you wait.
Note: Absolute Bagels is CASH ONLY. Bagel + schmear will run you around $5, a bagel sandwich clocks in at $15.
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Address: 2788 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
PopUp Bagels
Untethered by tradition, this New York City bagel joint disrupts the traditional bagel order. Here’s how it works: the minimum order is three bagels (mix-and-match) and one tub of schmear (choose from a handful of options) for $12.
The bagels are meant to be ripped and dunked in spreads — not cut, toasted or slathered with schmear. Some love it, some hate it. So goes the world. Bagels are served piping-hot within 30 minutes of emerging from the oven.
No frills, just the freshest bagels in New York City with crispy crusts and soft centers. These bagels are on the smaller side so there’s no need to split between two people. Also worth noting, Popup Bagels is Kosher.
Website: Popup Bagels
Russ & Daughters
Russ & Daughters is a beloved Jewish Deli that dates back to 1914. A family-run business spanning four generations, this place embodies the age-old story of resilience and the immigrant experience for Jewish Americans.
Know for high-quality lox, herring, and other delicacies, this deli typically has a line that wraps the block. It’s not uncommon for folks to wait more than an hour for the best bagels and lox in NYC.
It seems that Russ & Daughters attracts mostly tourists these days (the lines are too long for locals), but not without reason. This iconic New York City bagel shop is worth a detour. If you feel like splurging, add caviar to your bagel or opt for the caviar spread.
Local’s Tip: Russ & Daughters has expanded over the years but I suggest visiting the original store on the Lower East Side for the quintessential New York experience.
Website: Russ & Daughters
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Address: 179 E Houston St, New York, NY
Featured in: 10 Iconic New York City Restaurants Every Local Needs to Try
Black Seed Bagels
To the untrained eye, Black Seed Bagels has two strikes against them: They’re the newish kids on the block (opened in 2014) and they serve Montreal-style bagels (hand-rolled and poached), which are thinner than traditional New York bagels.
But between you and me, overlooking this neighborhood haunt would be a mistake because these are some of the best bagels in NYC. The shop’s signature recipe was meticulously perfected by James Beard-nominated executive chef Dianna Daoheung. And dang, she knows her stuff.
Better still, the house-made spreads alone are worth the detour, especially the dill and lox spread (my favorite on the menu). What I love most about Black Seed is the balanced bagel-to-spread ratio, not too much and not too little.
Website: Black Seed Bagels | Locations
Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company
Based on the name, I assumed this bagel shop hailed from Brooklyn, but – surprise, surprise – they only have locations in Manhattan and Queens. Kettle boiled, the bagels are airy on the inside and crusty on the outside.
Of all the New York City bagels we’ve tried over the years, these are some of the largest and most delicious. In fact, this is our go-to spot for birthday bagels (a tradition in our home).
The impressive spread selection is half the draw. Our favorite flavor is kalamata olive and feta (holy cow, the best spread in NYC!) which we haven’t seen anywhere else. Can’t recommend these bagels highly enough!
Website: Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company
Neighborhoods: Greenwich Village & Chelsea
Address: 286 8th Avenue & 63 E 8th Street
Bagel Bob’s
In business for more than 21 years, Bagel Bob’s is a New York City staple for NYU students (the university is near the West Village location). Hand rolled and kettle boiled, Bob’s uses a trademark mix of high-gluten flour that makes their bagels extra chewy.
Offering 14 varieties of Kosher bagels at both locations (West Village & the Upper East Side), this cash-only establishment churns out some of the softest bagels in New York City.
Website: Bagel Bob’s
Neighborhoods: West Village & Upper East Side
Address: 51 University Place & 1641 York Avenue
Tompkins Square Bagels
Tompkins Square Bagels is a stone’s throw from its namesake park. Baked fresh daily until 1pm, this is the place to go if you get a hankering for bagel sandwiches during lunch. Opened in 2011, Tompkins Square Bagels made a significant mark on the city’s bagel culture in a little over a decade, becoming a favorite among locals in short time. These traditional NYC bagels are large, airy and downright irresistible.
Website: Tompkins Square Bagels
Neighborhood: East Village & Union Square
Addresses: 165 Avenue A, 184 2nd Avenue & 23 East 17th St.
Best Bagels & Coffee
Let’s get real, how often does a place billing itself as “the best” meet expectations? It’s like asking for respect, you either have it or you don’t. No need for self promotion, right? Well, Best Bagels has proved me wrong. This aptly-named bagel shop serves up some of the best bagels in New York City.
Bagels the size of softballs with chewy interiors and perfectly toasted shells, matched only by chilled spreads with a variety that spans the gamut. Popping into Best Bagels always feels like a treat.
Website: Best Bagels & Coffee
Neighborhood: Midtown
Address: 225 W 35th St A, New York, NY
Ess-a-Bagel
Ess-a-Bagel is the bagel that inspired this entire list. My husband and I were randomly wandering down 3rd Avenue and couldn’t resist popping in (the smell was intoxicating). Within one bite, we looked at each other and nodded in agreement, these are easily the best bagels in New York City.
In my opinion, Ess-a-Bagel sets the standard for all NYC bagels. The interior is delightfully chewy while the exterior satisfies with a crunchy texture few bagel shops emulate this well. The long lines are warranted, arriving around opening or after 2pm to avoid the longest wait times.
Website: Ess-a-Bagel
Neighborhood: Midtown
Address: 831 3rd Ave, New York, NY
Kossar’s
At Kossar’s the line wrapping the block says it all. These popular New York City bagels are consistently hot and fresh, the ideal canvas for the plethora of spreads on offer. My friend, a lifelong local, considers Kossar’s the best bagel in the city.
Kossar’s flagship on the Lower East Side dates back to 1936, claiming to be the oldest operating Bialy shop in the country. Not keen to rest on their laurels, the shop still cranks out an absolutely delicious bagel worth traveling for.
Website: Kossar’s
New York City Best Bagels (Post Summary)
In sum, these are the best bagel spots in New York City:
- Ess-a-Bagel
- Absolute Bagels
- Bo’s Bagels
- Tompkins Square Bagel
- Russ & Daughters
- Black Seed Bagels
- Bagel Bob’s
- Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company
- Best Bagels & Coffee
- Frankel’s Deli
- Kossar’s
- Popup Bagels
Map of the Best Bagels in NYC
NYC Bagels FAQ
(FAQ: New York City Bagels)
The award for most popular bagel in NYC goes to Ess-a-Bagel in Midtown. In my opinion, Ess-a-Bagel sets the standard for all NYC bagels. The interior is perfectly airy and chewy while the exterior satisfies with a crunchy texture few bagel shops have mastered to this level of perfection.
The million dollar question: What exactly makes New York bagels so damn good? I can regale you with all the conspiracies theories I’ve heard over the years, but — simply put — I think it’s the water (and that’s the hill I’m ready to die on). The water in NYC has a low mineral content (like calcium and magnesium), making it “soft.” Since water is a key ingredient in bagels, the soft water affects the gluten in the dough, creating a chewier, and fluffier bagel than anywhere else. The math checks out to me but hell, what do I know. Look, I’m not a scientist, merely a hungry local.
A New York–style bagel must always be boiled in water that has had barley malt added to it, which gives a bagel its signature texture and glossy skin.
More Delicious NYC Bagel Content
- Bagels & Lox: 5+ Best Bagels & Lox in New York City (Hungry Local’s Guide)
- Brooklyn Bagels: The 10 Best Bagels in Brooklyn (The Local Foodie)
- UES Bagels: 5 Best Bagels on the Upper East Side
- UWS Bagels: 5 Best Bagels on the Upper West Side
And there you have it- a quick roundup of the best bagels in New York City. I hope you enjoyed the post!
Cheers!
Try Bagel Talk on Amsterdam between 77 and 78 (corner 78 and Amsterdam.
Hi Carol, I’ve had Bagel Talk before (I live 2 blocks away). It’s a good bagel, but doesn’t grace the list of best bagels in NYC. Great neighborhood staple though!
I TOTally agree with you about Best Bagels and Coffee. I moved out of the area and boy do I miss it. I also miss H&H from the West Side. Oh well.
Hey Steve, Best Bagels & Coffee is so good, love that place! Believe it or not, I think H&H reopened on the Upper West Side!