Everything To Know About the Best Bagel Spots in NYC
On our food tours, we get asked all the time for recommendations for the best bagel spots in NYC. Let’s face it: getting a “real” New York bagel is up there with visiting Times Square, seeing a Broadway show, and cruising out to the Statue of Liberty in terms of must-do’s on your NYC vacation. Bagels are abundant in the Big Apple, but choosing the best bagel spots in NYC is a multi-faceted task: do you want the trendy new bagels, or the most classic bagel? Looking to grab a quick “Everything with Lox” on the go, or luxuriate over the full bagel experience? Whether you’re seeking the eye-popping Instagram shot of a rainbow bagel or even a gluten-free bagel, here are our picks for the best bagel spots in NYC.
1. Orwasher’s
With locations on the Upper East & Upper West Sides (even Long Island!), Orwasher’s Bakery is our pick for the Best Classic Bagel Spot in NYC! Having first opened in 1916 by Hungarian immigrants in Yorkville, Orwasher’s specializes in Jewish baked goods and even boasts a buzz-worthy chocolate chip cookie. But if it’s bagels you seek, the “New York Breakfast” is the way to go! We recommend a toasted Everything bagel with dill cream cheese and lox for the aromatic, flavorful full ride. Fresh chives add a hit of tanginess to cut through the richness of cream cheese, my personal favorite detail. And while you’re there… definitely get that chocolate chip cookie for dessert.
2. Popup bagels
Are Rip-and-Dip Bagels the future? PopUp Bagels makes our pick for Best Trendy Bagel Spot in NYC. Bagel Gatekeepers may balk at the notion of taking your hot, fresh bagel and tearing it into pieces to dip into a tub of cream cheese or flavored butter, but the rapid expansion of PopUp Bagels shows that the general population are digging it as much as they love digging their hot, crusty bagel around in a tub of say, Caramel Apple Cream Cheese or Cosmopolitan Cranberry Lime Butter.
3. Zucker’s Bagels
With multiple locations across all neighborhoods in NYC, Zucker’s Bagels makes my pick for Best Convenient Bagel Spot in NYC. With a variety of bagel flavors including gluten free, and a vast menu of schmears including clever vegan options, this spot is guaranteed to be the crowd-pleaser for the crowd who can never agree on anything. For instance, while my husband enjoys The Max Zucker, a whitefish salad spread, on a toasted Everything bagel - I secretly prefer the Avocado Toast open-face style on a gluten-free bagel. With locations near all the major tourist sites, and a range of options for customization, this bagel spot is convenient and easy to check off on your whirlwind, action-packed NYC vacation.
4. Liberty Bagels
It’s bright. It’s colorful. It’s HIGHLY controversial. However, the Rainbow Bagel took NYC by storm for a reason: because as much as we cling to tradition, we are as easily wooed by innovation. Liberty Bagels makes my pick for Best Novelty Bagel Spot in NYC because not only do they offer the multi-colored scene-stealer, but they back up the bright Instagram-worthiness with an impressive spread of schmears. The go-to for the rainbow bagel seems to be their Birthday Cake cream cheese, but other sweet pairings include Oreo, Cinnamon Walnut Raisin, and Peanut Butter Nutella cream cheeses. Wow!
5. Sadelle’s
Sometimes, it’s about more than just the bagel: it’s about the experience. If you want to feel as glamorous as Holly Golightly eating your breakfast at Tiffany’s, you need to include a trip to Sadelle’s in your itinerary for our Best Experiential Bagel Spot in NYC. It truly doesn’t get fancier than their Bagel Tower, featuring salmon, tuna salad, and accompanying toppings for your fresh bagels. I mean, this place even has oysters and caviar! Have a cocktail or sparkling wine alongside your bagel and live it up! Or - if you need to cruise uptown to Tiffany’s - my hot tip is to order a bagel to go at their bar. They’ll wrap you up a more affordable and portable version of their freshly-made bagels in one of their iconic turquoise bags that’s almost as iconic as the Tiffany blue box.
6. Modern Bread & Bagel
Rapidly expanding into multiple locations across the city, Modern Bread and Bagel is our Best Gluten-Free Bagel Spot in NYC. YES! ALL of the bagels are gluten free here! While Zucker’s and Sadelle’s offer a couple flavors of gluten-free bagels alongside their gluteny variety, at MB&B, it’s ALL gluten-free - including their rotating selection of classic Jewish baked goods and desserts. I was thrilled to finally find a gluten-free version of my childhood go-to sesame bagel, and with the Jalapeño Cheddar cream cheese (which was pleasantly flavorful and not “too” spicy), it was a perfect handheld treat for walking around the city and running errands.
Now that you know your way “around” the best bagel spots in NYC, you’re ready to tear into the best Jewish baked goods in NYC and learn even more!
