The Sweet List: Where to Get a Great Bagel in NYC!

While the best bagel in NYC can be (and is) disputed depending on who you’re talking to, to me, what makes a great bagel is one that is crusty on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and still hot, coming right out the oven if possible. Below is a list of my favorite places to grab a piece of that doughy goodness.

Ess-a-Bagel
359 1st Avenue (21st St)
Tel: (212) 260-2252

Other location:
831 3rd Avenue (51st/52nd Sts)
Tel: (212) 980-4315

Without a doubt, Ess-a-bagel is my favorite in all of NYC. Why? Consider what the perfect bagel is: crusty on the outside and hot and chewy on the inside. Not only do these people have the formula down to a science, they also make their own cream cheeses on premises and have a variety of smoked salmon. The bagels are so fresh, if you ask to get yours toasted, they’ll look at you like you’re crazy! Go to the one on 1st Avenue, the bagels are better and the place has more charm and characters.

H&H Bagels
2239 Broadway (at 80th Street)
Tel: (212) 595-8003
Fax: (212) 799-6765

Other Location:
639 West 46th Street
Tel: (212) 595-8000
Fax: (212) 765-7391

Founded in 1972, H&H is one of the older bagel shops in NYC that hasn’t succumbed to high rents. It’s been featured on “Seinfeld,” in movies and on television shows and has garnered a very good reputation. While I’m not going to claim these as my favorite, the bagels are always hot and great tasting, but taste more like a soft pretzel than the real deal bagel. I’d advise you to try their original location at Broadway and 80th Street and judge for yourself what makes this place great.

Murray’s Bagels
500 6th Avenue (12th/13th Streets)
Tel: (212) 462-2830

Other location:
242 8th Avenue (22nd/23rd Streets)
Tel: (646) 638-1335

With a nice neighborhood feel to this small bagel shop, Murray’s serves up great tasting bagels that are a little smaller than the giant bagels you may be used to from the cart on the corner in the morning, but are delicious and eclectic. For instance they offer spinach and multi-grain bagels along with a variety of cream cheeses and tofu cream cheese spreads.

Kossar’s
367 Grand Street (Essex and Norfolk Sts)
Tel: (877) 4-BIALYS
Fax: (212) 253-2146
Info@kossarsbialys.com

The joy of going to Kossar’s is the fact that the place is also a bakery and there’s always trays and carts of fresh dough just out and ready to go into the oven. The bagels are phenomenal and the bialys are even better. Don’t forget to try the bulka’s, pretzels, and sesame sticks to taste the art of authentic jewish baking.

The Bagel Hole
400 7TH Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11215-5058
Tel: (718) 788-4014

Located in Park Slope, on the outside, you might pass by this place thinking it’s a hole-in-the-wall, but inside, the bagels are fantastic and truly authentic to what real New York bagels were, back in the day. Plus, a new batch of bagels is made every ten minutes.