BEST BAGELS IN NYC

Best bagels in NYC #1: Ess-a Bagel

Smell the Doughy Paradise! 

• Must Try: Everything Bagel with Scallion
• Neighborhood: Midtown East Side

If your list of best bagels in NYC includes a New York classic, look no further than Ess-a Bagel. Bagels here may not have a hole in the middle, but the oversized balls of dough smell like paradise. Best of all, it’s a homely spot for an everything bagel smeared with scallion. Just remember not to ask them to toast a fresh bagel, and keep in mind this wouldn’t be the best place for those on the hunt for a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich.

In case you need help convincing yourself you can find some of the best bagels in NYC here, they now deliver all over NYC, including some spots in Connecticut and New Jersey. This Austrian-run family business has been around since 1976, and had acquired its first #1 bagel in the Tri-State area within two years. So, yeah, it’s that good.

Photo Courtesy New York Times 

Best Bagels in NYC #3: Frankel’s

Dip Your Bagels in Some Matzo Ball Soup! 

• Must Try: Matzo Ball Soup
• Neighborhood: Greenpoint

A list with the best bagels in NYC wouldn’t be complete without including Greenpoint’s bagel mecca: Frankel’s. Frankel’s takes on a more modern approach to their bagel-making craft. Those of you interested in bagel sandwiches should look no further. Plus, while you’re waiting in line, you might even see a famous face or two. Pro tip: Never sleep on their matzo ball soup and half sour pickles. Ever.

Frankel’s has been pumping out some of the best bagels in NYC since 2016. It’s owned and operated by brothers Zach and Alex, whose native New York background shows in the product. Their focus on deli sandwiches and small batch cooking push this closer to a restaurant than a bagel shop, but you won’t find us complaining about that.

Photo Courtesy Google My Business 

Best Bagels in NYC #5: Shelsky’s

Bite Into the Best Whitefish Spread! 

• Must Try: The Whitefish Spread
• Neighborhood: Downtown Brooklyn

Fine, we’ll say it: Downtown Brooklyn desperately needed Shelsky’s. We’re not mad about it, either, because this is a classic appetizing store that definitely features some of the best bagels in NYC. Like our recommendation at Russ and Daughters, we say take some of that incredible whitefish spread home and build your own lox sandwich.

Owner Peter Shelsky found his inspiration growing up on two other spots found on our best bagels in NYC list: Kossar’s and Zabar’s. He’s certainly turned his inspiration into a dream come true. Together with Lewis Spada, of Cobble Hill’s Fish Tales notoriety, these two have pumped out an expansive menu since 2011. This is another prime location to take advantage of nationwide shipping and catering options.

Best Bagels in NYC #7: Tompkins Square Bagels

Taste the seasons! 

• Must Try: One of Their Seasonal Specialties
• Neighborhood: East Village

It’s always a good idea to have some cash on hand when you’re visiting shops with the best bagels in NYC. That would certainly come in handy if you stopped in at Tompkins Square Bagels, that accepts nothing else. “Cash only” doesn’t prevent the lines, especially on rough mornings following fun nights. Their doughy approach always proves worth the wait, and we’re also prone to getting a sandwich every so often, too.

If we’re looking for some sugar in our search for the best bagels in NYC, we know we’re going to grab ourselves one of the blueberry chocolate chip bagels while we’re here. Better yet, maybe we’ll take advantage of one of their seasonal offerings. French toast bagel? You got it, we’ll take it. But, if we’re looking for something savory, we’re totally here for the mac and cheese on a bagel thing, too.

Photo Courtesy of Murray’s

Best Bagels in NYC #9: Sadelle’s

The Fanciest bagels around! 

• Must Try: A bagel with an Aperol Spritz
• Neighborhood: SoHo

We get that your budget probably isn’t huge when you’re looking for the best bagels in NYC. However, some people like some high-end dining experiences, and we’re here for that, too. If you are on the lookout for a bagel and lox sandwich that’s actually luxurious, Sadelle’s is your spot. Just remember to dress for the occasion.

Besides, who doesn’t want to enjoy some of the best bagels in NYC alongside a nice Bellini or Aperol Spritz? Their little cocktail bar here definitely makes it a good brunch spot. They even landed themselves a spot on Cosmopolitan’s Best Brunch Spots in NYC list back in 2017. If it’s the Sunday after payday, we’re always down to give it a go.

Photo Courtesy of Google My Business 

Best Bagel in NYC #11: Absolute Bagels

Freshest and Warmest Bagels Around Town! 

• Must Try: The bagels straight out of the oven
• Neighborhood: Upper West Side

A nice stroll above 96th street on the west side would land you on Absolute Bagels. If your idea of the perfect bagel consists of nothing but good ol’ cream cheese, the cream cheese selection found here will make you feel like you slipped into a dream. We might even dare to say, should you get these at their hottest and freshest… they may just be the best bagels in NYC.

We know it’s hard to say that with all the options for the best bagels in NYC. A scroll through their Facebook page, however, shows we’re not alone in whisper-making that claim. With round-the-block lines and eager crowds, jealous onlookers always live vicariously through the pictures others post of their experiences.

Photo Courtesy of Google My Business 

Best Bagel in NYC #13: Kossar’s

Give a Bagel’s Cousin a Try! 

• Must Try: Bialys
• Neighborhood: Lower East Side

We know that you’re looking for the best bagels in NYC, but if you’re willing to branch out and try their incredible cousin, bialys, hear us out for a minute. First of all, come to Kossar’s. Second of all, we get that you probably have no idea what bialys are. You won’t find a better spot to try them out in the Lower East Side. They’re comparably healthier with a completely different texture, and they’re awesome. 

Another 80-year stable like Zabar’s, Kossar’s has maintained a solid work ethic throughout their run and has also now survived two depressions. Besides their bialy selection, their actual bagels are also some of the best bagels in NYC, as well. With their nationwide shipping option, feel free to try them out for yourself anywhere you are.

Photo Courtesy of Google My Business 

Best Bagels in NYC #15: Leo’s

The Perfect Grab and Go Bagel! 

• Must Try: Anything Gluten Free
• Neighborhood: Financial District

Last up on our list of best bagels in NYC lands us at none other than Leo’s. We know the Financial District isn’t exactly known for their list of food options, and as such, there’s usually always quite the line here. A lot of gluten free bagels come out of here, and while it’s not the only spot on the list that offers such, it may be the best for that.

This shop started out in 2007, and at the time, it was the only shop that served the best bagels in NYC on the weekends for FIDI locals. The owner, Adam Pomerantz, left his job as a Merrill Lynch VP and trained with an Egyptian bagel maker in New Jersey to hone in on his craft. His passion for bagel making certainly shows, and if we ever see an opening with a short line, we’re totally taking it.