The Best Bagels in New York City

A quick way to start a fight? Take a stance on the best bagel in New York City. Bagels are easily one of NYC’s most iconic foods, but there’s little consensus amongst New Yorkers about the platonic ideal. Older-school bagel devotees often argue that a bagel must have a visible hole, be on the smaller side, and require a strong jaw to chew; others look for more modern pillowy rounds, reaching to sizes that can eclipse a human palm. There’s also a debate about proximity. While some New Yorkers are willing (dare we say, eager?) to cross the city and wait in a TikTok-induced line, others like Jewish cookbook author and my friend Jeffrey Yoskowitz (and, it seems, Tom Colicchio) argue that the best bagel in New York is the one that’s closest to your door on a weekend morning. Perhaps the only elements that we can all agree upon are that the bagel should be very freshly baked, and a selection of schmears must be available.

The options only grow greater with each passing year, it seems. And in the past year, bagel shops like Apollo and PopUp have expanded to corners of the city in serious need of more standout spots for a bite like FiDi and Penn Plaza. But bagels have been part of the city’s fabric since they arrived with Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the late 19th century, and for a time in the 20th century, the powerful union Local 338 controlled bagel baking in the city. Today, it’s more of a free for all: Bagels aren’t constrained by size, flavor, or even color—you can still get those bright rainbow bagels that went viral (for better or worse) nearly a decade ago now, while other shops have been baking their rounds the same way for decades.

We respect a range of bagel opinions—but, ultimately drew two lines when it came to assessing what are, truly, the best bagels in New York City: Bagels shouldn’t match the highlighter on your desk, nor should they be sweet (if you’re looking for a sugary round treat with a hole, might we recommend one of the city’s fabulous donut shops, like Fan Fan or Peter Pan?). We did include one bialy on here, a sibling of the bagel—but when you hear us out below, you’ll understand why. We’ve also considered geography in this guide, spotlighting standout bagels in a range of neighborhoods from the Lower East Side to Greenpoint. (For those cult-inspiring Long Island bagels, you’ll have to find another list—we’re keeping this to the city). And yes, we’ve tasted all of them; if you live here, we suggest making a point to do the same.

Whether you’re a local or visitor, these are the best bagels in New York City for when the craving hits.

Read our full New York City travel guide here, which includes:

• The Best Hotels in New York City
• The Best Things to Do in New York City
• The Best Weekend Getaways From New York City

PopUp Bagels

Midtown East, Penn Plaza, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Williamsburg, Greenwich Village

The name here is a bit of a misnomer. What started as a pop-up is now a brick and mortar chain with an ever expanding list of locations in the city and beyond. The team at PopUp operates a bit differently from most neighborhood bagel shops. There’s a strictly enforced minimum order of three bagels plus schmear. And even if you splurge on smoked fish, the team will not be assembling your sandwich—that’s on you. While that may annoy some, we’re grateful that this policy keeps long weekend lines moving.

Modern Bread and Bagel

Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Midtown East, Chelsea

Crafting a respectable gluten-free bagel is a tall order; gluten is a protein, which helps create a bagel’s signature chewy texture. Since the bagels at bi-coastal mini chain Modern Bread & Bagel are gluten free, they rank low on the chewiness index, but otherwise make a strong showing. They are served hot and fresh and look like a traditional bagel with a defined hole and the proper amount of seeding on an everything bagel. For those who don’t eat gluten, it’s worth knowing that everything sold at their bakeries is gluten free, so you can stock up on babka, black and white cookies, and cinnamon buns. A note: The bakery is kosher, so it’s closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays.

BO’s Bagels

Harlem, Washington Heights

Frustrated by the dearth of good bagels in Harlem, Andrew Martinez started baking them in the home he shared with Ashley Dikos nearly a decade ago, and in 2017, the duo opened their first BO’s on 116th Street (there’s also one farther uptown and another in Ann Arbor, Michigan). These are the type of bagels worth boarding a subway for: Keeping with a traditional style of New York bagel, the offerings at BO’s are petite and chewier than most. There are a few standing tables, but no real seating, so take your haul to go—Central Park isn’t far.

Apollo Bagels

East Village, West Village, FiDi, Williamsburg

Joey Scalabrino and Mike Fadem, who own Williamsburg pizza destination Leo, started Apollo as a pop-up and it quickly caught on. Today, the duo operates four locations in New York City—including two in the Village, one in FiDi, and another across the East River in Williamsburg. Their bagels have a tang, courtesy of a sourdough starter that’s used to make the dough, some air pockets in their crumb, and a nice crust. Options at Apollo are simple: there are plain, sesame, and everything bagels, and a few sandwiches to choose from including one with whitefish salad, pickled peppers, and dill. Be ready to line up on the weekends. There are a couple of bench seats outside the original East Village location, but nearby Tompkins Square Park is more pleasant for a bagel brunch.

Russ & Daughters

Lower East Side, Hudson Yards, Brooklyn Navy Yard

For more than a century, Russ & Daughters has been a New York staple. Joel Russ, a Jewish immigrant from Strzyzow, Poland, opened his “appetizing shop” on the Lower East Side in 1914 and the business is still owned by his descendants. Starting in 2015, the team began baking their own bagels in Brooklyn’s Navy Yard and more recently started rolling, boiling, and baking more at their Hudson Yards spot. No matter which location you go to, you can (and should) opt for lox or Nova to be draped over your bagel. If you’re looking for seating, head to their cafe on the Lower East Side or to the Hudson Yards location.

Bagel Hole

Park Slope

If you walked past Bagel Hole, you might not think much of this narrow old school shop on a quieter stretch of Park Slope’s 7th Avenue. Neighbors will fix that. Bagel Hole has a dedicated following who appreciate their small, chewy bagels that are baked just behind the counter. Traditionalists will tell you to stick with classic schmears here like scallion cream cheese. They may be right. There’s no seating or space to hang around. Thankfully, Prospect Park is just a couple of blocks away. And a note to the wise: Like many old school bagel shops, Bagel Hole is cash only.

Terrace Bagels

South Slope

Separated by just a 12 minute walk, Bagel Hole and Terrace Bagels offer a study in contrasts. The bagels at the former are smaller and chewier, while the latter are larger and a bit doughier. At Terrace, there’s also a lot of choice, including pumpernickel everything and garlic bagels, and a sprawling selection of schmears displayed in a gleaming glass case. Options range from classics like lox spread to the highly unconventional bubble gum-pink strawberry chocolate chip cream cheese, which might entice picky little ones. If you prefer to eat in, you can take your bagels to one of the tables—but Prospect Park is right there.

Shelsky’s of Brooklyn

Cobble Hill, Park Slope

Owned by born-and-bred New York Peter Shelsky and fish expert Lewis Spada, Shelsky’s is an appetizing shop for the 21st century—as they say “an old tradition that never really died.” The duo operates a dedicated bagel outpost near 4th Avenue-9th Street, on the cusp of Park Slope, but we’re partial to the shop in Cobble Hill, which sells the team’s thoughtfully made, chewy bagels alongside its superb fish selection including double cured Irish salmon, Ora King salmon, and Icelandic smoked salmon. All of the classic bagel finishes like poppy and sesame are on offer, along with their famed (and rather intense) cracked peppercorn and salt bagels, which the team calls “a bagel au poivre.”

Barney Greengrass

Upper West Side

You half expect Midge Maisel to walk into Barney Greengrass on the Upper West Side. The business has been open since 1908 and moved to its current location in 1929. You can order bagels, schmears, and fish at the counter to go, but Barney Greengrass is best enjoyed from a table in one of the two dining rooms. The menu is lengthy and includes Eastern European Jewish classics like latkes and blintzes, but you are here for the fish and bagels, which are made specially for the shop by All Natural Products. If you are having trouble deciding, ask for an open-face sandwich with your choice of two smoked fish—think: half salty sable, half glistening Nova. Make sure to stop at an ATM before, this spot has a very strong preference for cash and isn’t cheap.

Ess-A-Bagel

FiDi, Dumbo, Herald Square, Midtown East, StuyTown

Ess-A-Bagel first opened in 1976, and is the sort of place where you might run into Saturday morning regulars who have been picking up their usual here for 30 years. At the 1st Avenue location (there are three other locations in the city, plus one at Newark Airport), you can watch the team move dozens of well burnished bagels in and out of the large oven behind a glass wall while you wait to place your order. The bagels themselves have more flavor than most, and are puffy, but still have a nice texture when you bite down.

Utopia

Murray Hill, Whitestone (Queens)

Utopia Bagels opened in 1981, and until June 2024, fans who wanted to visit the iconic bakery had no choice but to make a pilgrimage to Whitestone, Queens. Thankfully, there’s now a sprawling location on the corner of 34th Street and Lexington Avenue in Murray Hill where bagels are baked on site. They strike an ideal balance between a crispy crust with tiny air bubbles and a solid, but not overwhelming, chewy interior.

Tal Bagels

Upper East Side, Sutton Place, Gramercy, Upper West Side

We’ll forgive you if you’re skeptical of a bagel chain with half a dozen locations in Manhattan, but don’t allow that to keep you away from Tal Bagels. The bagels here have crusts with lots of tiny bubbles that shatter at first bite. And while the team mostly sticks to the classics, the olive-rosemary bagel is a welcome offering.

Tompkins Square Bagels

East Village, Union Square, Upper East Side

The lines at the original location of this beloved bagel shop just off of Tompkins Square (there are two others in Manhattan) are legendary, but the friendly team moves through them efficiently. Fans come to Tompkins Square Bagels for oversized, puffy bagels (including one flavored like French toast), bagel sandwiches, and a wide selection of house whipped cream cheeses like lox dill, plus a slew of sweet options including ones dotted with fresh fruit. There’s some seating in a space that feels a bit like a 90s era coffee shop, but it’s best to escape the mobs by going to the namesake park.

Bake Shop

Bushwick

Let’s be clear about something: Bake Shop is not a bagel bakery. Greeted by a shelf of tall layer cakes and gluten-free brownies, you could easily miss that they bake bagels at all. That would be a mistake. The bagels here are small, chewy, and have a deeply flavored crumb that comes from molasses, which adds a good helping of character. The fillings here are limited to a handful of cream cheese options and veggies, which is good: You wouldn’t want to overpower this bagel with anything else. Consider following it up with one of the best coffees in the city at SEY, which is just a five minute walk away.

Bagel Pub

Park Slope, Sunset Park, Crown Heights, West Village, Chelsea, Garment District, Union Square

Good food near Times Square, the Empire State Building, and Penn Station isn’t always easy to find. But Bagel Pub, which opened in Park Slope in 2012, now operates outposts near all three—along with several more throughout the city. The bagels here aren’t quite destination worthy, but they are readily available, freshly made, and have a pleasing pillowy crumb and toasty crust. Look out for kitschy paintings on the walls like a bagel in military garb with a sash that says “captain poppy” or “general sesame.”

Knickerbocker Bagels

Bushwick

If you’re looking for a bagel to enjoy at Maria Hernandez Park, Knickerbocker is it. Just a few blocks away, this spacious neighborhood staple has more than enough space for everyone who shows up on a Saturday morning. The bagels are on the bulkier side, sport a nice chew, and have a crisp exterior. The team has a Zumex orange juicer behind the counter, so you can get a just-squeezed juice to go with your bagel.

Bagel Joint

Greenpoint

Bagel traditionalists (including this writer) are wary of updates to the classic bagel, but there are rare acceptable exceptions like those at Bagel Joint in Greenpoint. The updates don’t feel forced here, but rather authentic to the owners Will Sacks, who comes from a Jewish family, and Lanty Hou, who is Taiwanese. In addition to classic flavors, there are duck egg bagels and miso ones topped with nori and salt that pair particularly well with wasabi cream cheese. If you dine in, you can peruse books on baking and Jewish food while you munch on your bagel.

Elbow Bread

Lower East Side

Okay, we’re breaking protocol a bit here and adding a bialy, but hear us out: Baker Zoë Kanan and Court Street Grocer’s Lower East Side bakery is a Mecca for modern Jewish baked goods from personal-sized rich babka buns to potato sauerkraut knishes. While the bakery sadly doesn’t have the ventilation set up required to make bagels regularly, Kanan’s bialys deserve an honorable mention on this list. A cousin of bagels, bialys are an icon of Ashkenazi Jewish baking that is becoming harder to find in New York. Look no further. Kanan’s are hydrated with barley tea and made with a mix of sourdough and yeast. In addition to a classic one with onions in the center, there is also an everything bialy—but, opt for the one with peppers. The variety changes with the seasons. In summer, you may find Hatch chiles and in the fall, pickled hungarian peppers. No matter the pepper variety, the bialys are slathered with vegan butter and are a total standout.