There is nothing better than a bagel. They are doughy and fresh, they fit in your hand perfectly for your morning commute convenience, and they start the day off on a perfect note. As a native New Yorker, I have grown up on my morning bagel, and I am very grateful to spend my days where the nearest bagel store is never more than a few blocks away. However, not all bagels are created equal— even in New York. I have tried a lot of bagels in my twenty years of living, but these five cannot be missed.
1. Pick A Bagel
While New York is the place to be for bagels, one establishment reigns supreme- Pick A Bagel. A chain bagel establishment with multiple stores across Manhattan, Pick A Bagel captures all that is right with breakfast food. The bagels are five star, the cream cheese is delicious and fresh, and there are a wide variety of add-ons that can easily allow this popular breakfast food to transition into a lunchtime sandwich. The ambiance is always right, and I enjoy spending my mornings in this rustic yet modern café area. To top it off, they serve the best hazelnut iced coffee that I have ever had, and I sometimes come here just for coffee. Luckily, I always seem to find myself near a Pick A Bagel (probably on purpose).
2. Best Bagel and Coffee
Best Bagel and Coffee is your typical hole in the wall, fast paced New York City establishment. It is also named correctly. Located in the heart of the Garment District (35th between 7th and 8th) this place is always packed! Liberty offers a wide variety of bagel flavors, including my favorite- the blueberry bagel! There is no seating, so it is definitely more of a “grab and go” type of place, but it’s perfect for a quick breakfast.
3. Utopia Bagels
This bagel was voted number one in New York in 2017, and for good reason. Their plain bagel stands on its own, but Utopia offers countless fun bagel options like the French toast bagel or the flagel (flat bagel). The only reason it comes in at number three is that it is pretty inaccessible to me on most days due to its Whitestone location, but I always stop by when I’m in the neighborhood. If you can handle the tourists, this one can’t be missed.
4. Tompkins Square Bagels
Tompkins Square has great bagels, but the real draw here is the cream cheese. There are over twenty-five flavors to choose from, ranging to sweet spreads like cookie dough to wasabi schmears. You’ve never had cream cheese like this before!
5. The Bagel Store
The Bagel Store is the small Brooklyn bagel store that became home to the Instagram famous rainbow bagel. Luckily, that fad has died down, so the lines are super short. This is the prettiest bagel for sure, and maybe the most impractical, but I think that the dessert bagel is just as important. The funfetti cream cheese and additional items, like cotton candy, make this place perfect for your next sugar rush.
Check out these places to spice up your morning, and keep your stomach smiling all day long!