Too many bagel shops and only one breakfast? If you want the best bagels in NYC, look for a crisp crust and a chewy middle. Ess-a-Bagel, Bo’s and 2788 Bagels are dependable places to start.
This page sits inside the wider guide to new york restaurants, so you can keep exploring once breakfast is sorted.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Ess-a-Bagel, original 1st Ave. shop: making bagels since | 1976 |
| Bagel shops in The Infatuation’s guide (dated June 12, 2026) | 22 shops |
| Absolute Bagels closed without warning on | December 11, 2024 |
| Card service charge at 2788 Bagels | 4% of the bill |
| Utopia Bagels: crowds arrive every day from | 5am |
These figures come from The Infatuation’s New York bagel guide and 2foodtrippers’ bagel guide. Shop details, fees and hours can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
What makes the best bagels in NYC stand out?
A true NYC bagel, according to 2foodtrippers, is rolled and baked properly. It has a crisp crust with a slight crunch, a crumb that isn’t too airy, and a slight yeasty flavor and sweetness.
Method matters as much as the shape. Untapped Cities, drawing on a Smithsonian article, says most New York shops let the dough sit in a refrigerator before rolling. They then boil the bagel in water and baking soda, which forms the shiny, crisp outside and doughy inside.
The same Untapped piece explains the famous water theory. The Smithsonian article it cites argues that New York’s water has a perfect ratio of calcium to magnesium. Treat that as a theory that may hold some truth, not a guarantee that every local bagel is great.
A short history that explains today’s bagel
Most food historians place the bagel’s origins in Poland, and Untapped Cities traces its New York story through a handful of dates.
- Bagels are believed to have reached New York with Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the late 1800s.
- By 1900, 70 bakeries existed on the Lower East Side.
- In 1907, the International Beigel Bakers’ Union was created.
- In the 1960s, bagel consumption in the city skyrocketed after innovations in packaging and distribution.
- By the 1980s, the size of bagels had nearly doubled.
That last point is why you will meet two styles today. Some shops make the big, puffy bagel, while others lean toward the smaller, denser kind. The Infatuation describes Bo’s Bagels as closer to the smaller, denser bagels the city was known for before the 1960s.
Classic shops worth knowing
These are good first stops if you want a bagel that tastes like the New York you picture. Each one is described in the sources named below, so check the current details before you go.
- Ess-a-Bagel (Gramercy): The Infatuation says this family-owned business has made highly consistent, slightly sweet, quarter plate-sized bagels since 1976. Head to the original location on 1st Ave. and 19th Street.
- 2788 Bagels (Upper West Side): The Infatuation calls it the second coming of Absolute Bagels, and its bagels are smaller and denser than the puffy, pillowy kind, still craggy and a little sweet. It sits at 2788 Broadway.
- Bo’s Bagels (Harlem): Tasting Table reports that the founders opened on 116th Street in 2017 and added a Washington Heights shop in 2023. Look for hand-rolled bagels and flavors such as za’atar and pumpernickel cranberry.
- Utopia Bagels (Whitestone, Queens): 2foodtrippers says it has been open since 1981 and draws crowds every day starting at 5am.
- Bagel Hole (Park Slope): After 30 years on 7th Avenue, Tasting Table says, it sticks to classics like plain, sesame and everything, hand-rolled and old-style.
The story behind 2788 Bagels matters. 2foodtrippers reports that Absolute Bagels closed without warning on December 11, 2024, and that a new shop with many familiar faces now runs the space.
Newer takes and divisive picks
Not every well-regarded bagel follows the old rules. Apollo Bagels in the East Village serves bagels The Infatuation says are almost closer to a sourdough roll, which makes them divisive among bagel purists.
In Greenpoint, Bagel Joint mixes unusual ingredients into its dough. As of The Infatuation’s June 2026 guide, its writers said that, as far as they knew, it was the only place to mix gochujang into the dough.
Near Penn Station, Liberty Bagels keeps a bouncer at the door to manage the line, even on weekday mornings, according to The Infatuation. Plan to take your food to go.
If you are building a bigger food day, the guide to the best pizza in nyc is a natural next stop.
How to order once you get there
A few habits save time and avoid awkward moments at the counter.
- Decide your order before you reach the front. Tasting Table warns of a long but relatively fast-moving line at Best Bagel and Coffee in Midtown.
- Carry cash. 2foodtrippers advises that 2788 Bagels adds a 4% credit card service charge.
- Do not ask Bagel Hole to toast your bagel, because Tasting Table says they will not, under any circumstances, do it.
- Order a sandwich at the Rollin’ Bagels cart on Center Boulevard in Long Island City. The Infatuation says the bagels are perfectly sized for sandwiches, which is the best way to order there.
If the bagel run turns into a long, sit-down meal, the guide to the best brunch in nyc picks up from there.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single best bagel shop in New York?
Show answer
There is no single answer. The Infatuation’s guide, dated June 12, 2026, lists 22 shops across the boroughs, so the better question is which style you prefer: big and puffy, or small and dense.
Why are New York bagels said to be so chewy?
Show answer
Two things are usually credited: dough that rests in a refrigerator before rolling, and a boil in water and baking soda before baking. The soft-water theory is also popular, though Untapped Cities presents it as something that may hold some truth.
Should I bring cash to a bagel shop?
Show answer
It is a good idea. 2foodtrippers says 2788 Bagels charges 4% on credit cards, and policies can change, so check at the counter.
Do bagels need to have a hole?
Show answer
Not always. 2foodtrippers notes that some of the best bagels do not have a definable hole, and the writers are fine with that.
