All New Yorkers know that our city has the absolute best, most brag-worthy bagel shops around.
Be it a tiny hole-in-the-wall joint near your apartment or favorite bar, or a full service cafe, the boiled pieces of dough this city has to offer are always swoon-worthy.
Even in the mecca of bagels, not all bagel shops are created equal. And we take our bagels very seriously.
Here is our definitive ranking of the top 11 bagel shops in New York City...
You know, because sometimes all you need is the slow, sweet agony of chewing on a massive New York bagel.
1. Bagelworks (1229 1st Avenue)
corey.rosenholtz Feels good to be home and have a proper New York bagel from my favorite spot. #NewYork #NY #foodie #breakfast #home #bagels #bagelworks #baked #fresh
This hole-in-the-wall joint is the unacknowledged holy grail of NYC bagel shops. With one cramped location in the UES, Bagelworks serves up the absolute best bagels in the city.
Their sourdough offers up a religious experience, and their lox compliments their many spreads perfectly.
They make their own bagels fresh in the shop and are more than worth waiting in a line, pressed up against their cream cheese case, to experience to unadulterated joy their bagels bring.
2. Hot Jumbo Bagels (1070 2nd Avenue)
A 24/7 establishment on 2nd Avenue in the UES, Hot Jumbo delivers New Yorkers with a traditional, delicious bagel without fanfare.
Their bagels taste just as great in the wee hours of the night after you’ve had a few drinks, as they pull them out perfectly piping hot.
3. Murray’s Bagels (various NYC locations)
A famous fixture in both Chelsea and Greenwich Village, Murray’s never toasts their bagels, and instead offers up their signature bagels soft and fresh.
With endearing cafe seating and a nostalgic striped awning, Murray’s serves up bagels that are both raw and rich.
4. Bagel Hole (400 7th Avenue)
This Park Slope shop has the perfect ratio of crust to soft center in their bagels.
It might be a tight squeeze to fit in the old-fashioned deli-sized location, but the delicious, always hot bagels are more than worth it.
5. Tal Bagels (various NYC locations)
With locations in Midtown and the UES, Tal Bagels is best known for their fresh fish and sandwiches as well as their savory bagels.
With a quiet atmosphere and great food to match, this eatery is not to be missed.
6. Terrace Bagels (222 Prospect Park West)
This bagel establishment, located on Prospect Park West, is home to bagels that combine the perfect balance of crispiness and chewiness.
Definitely worth the workout your teeth will be getting.
,7. Beygl (291 5th Avenue)
Beygl defines itself by its traditional approach to NYC’s favorite breakfast food using “genuine kettle boiling.”
Located on 5th Avenue in Park Slope, this bagel shop doesn’t mess around with fancy coffees and sticks to bagels and baked treats.
8. Absolute Bagels (2788 Broadway)
Advertising itself as a “bare-bones” shop, Absolute lives close to Columbia University and is home to hand-rolled bagels that are loyal to the basics.
With a wide array of tasty spreads and a no-nonsense feel, Absolute presents a classic taste that is worth the trek.
9. H&H Midtown Bagels East (1551 2nd Avenue)
A neighborhood staple in the Upper East Side, this eatery boasts soft bagels with a variety of impressive spreads.
Often busy with eager customers, H&H is luckily open 24 hours day to bring you a great bagel in the off hours as well.
10. David’s Bagels (273 1st Avenue)
Originally hailing from the East Village, David’s had since expanded and developed a menu full of delectable breakfast food, sandwiches, meats, and cheeses.
Toting a commitment to healthy eating, they also carry some intense salads, and yes- even salad sandwiches.
11. Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company (various NYC locations)
With a fuller menu offering salads, soups, and assorted coffees in a well-lit and pleasant cafe, Brooklyn Bagel has always had its fair share of admirers.
Locations sprawl across the city, and the cafe is particularly famous for the ridiculous size of its bagels.
Even, arguably, presenting hungry customers with quantity over quality.
12. Tompkins Square Bagels (165 Avenue A)
Hand-rolled bagels, sandwiches, pastries & coffee offered in a hip, brick-walled space with seating.
A true East Village gem where native New Yorkers, transplants, and tourists all come together for one common good: to enjoy a quintessential NYC bagel.
Check out the Here's Why NYC Bagels Are the Only Food You'll Ever Need to Survive.
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