The 11 Best Bagel Shops in New York City
Sam Silverman
Updated July 16, 2023
New York City is known for its delicious bagels, and with so many great shops to choose from, it can be tough to narrow down the best ones. That's why we've put together a list of the top 11 bagel shops in the city.
In New York, everything is the best of the best. If you’re walking into an establishment it's fair to assume that it’s beat out a lot of competition to even exist in this city, so you can safely bet on an enjoyable experience. This is doubly true of bagels, the patron breakfast of New York. Every shop is so storied, and there are seemingly infinite (ok, closer 450) options to choose from. How do you know which ones are great, let alone the best? What does “The Best '' even mean, and how do you decide that?
If you’re starting to sweat just thinking about it, fear not - because we’ve done it for you. We’ve set aside personal biases for our favorite shops to really evaluate the taste, the texture, and overall experience of eating each bagel.
This is the result: the definitive list of the 11 Best Bagel Shops in New York City. You’ll find that many of the bagel stores listed below have stories that are intricately interwoven with the history and culture of the city itself. All bagel shops have niches, and they each have their own unique claim to being “the best bagel in New York”. No bagel shop is the same, and they each have their place in the delicate balance of the New York bagel ecosystem.
Whether you're a New Yorker looking for a new spot to grab breakfast or a visitor looking to try the city's famous bagels, this list has you covered. Read on to discover the best bagel shops in New York City!
Location: Whitestone, Queens
A quintessential New York bagel shop off the beaten path for most, but well worth the pilgrimage. What makes Utopia Bagels elite is the attention to detail: every facet of the shop is built out to facilitate a top-notch bagel experience.
Utopia is Action Bronson’s go-to bagel-shop, and we could just end the review there, enough said. However, when it comes to Utopia, there is a lot more to say. They’ve been featured on BuzzFeed’s Worth It and Eater: The Secrets Behind One of New York’s Best Bagels. Although we are bagel experts, not film critics, we cannot recommend enough that you watch the cinematic masterpiece that is The Greatest Bagel on Earth. It’s about Utopia Bagels, with Action Bronson as our tour guide: truly a film after our own, bagel shaped hearts.
Besides its celebrity endorsement and the lovability of owner Scott Spellman…is the bagel really that great? Our answer is a resounding yes. Hand rolled, and treated with love at every step, the energy and pizzazz of Scott, the owner, shines through these bagels. With a crunch on the outside that belies the chewiness of the inside, these bagels have a tight crumb that gives the bagels a springy quality.
This shop has been called by some as the best bagel in the country- we find it hard to disagree, hence receiving the coveted top spot on our list.
Location: Greenwich Village
Get ready to have your bagel beliefs challenged by the new sensation in town - PopUp Bagels. Originally hailing from Westport, CT, they've stormed NYC's bagel scene with a bang. Crowned as the 'Best Bagel' two years running at BagelFest and featured in a New York Times article A New York Bagel From an Unexpected Borough: Connecticut, they're certainly turning heads. What started as a backyard pickup window has now expanded to various pop-up and permanent spots for you to snag your fresh bagel fix, including a brick-and-mortar in the heart of Greenwhich Village.
They may be on the smaller side, but what they lack in size, they make up for in freshness - no bagel in their shops is more than 45 minutes out of the oven. Sold by the 3, 6, or dozen with a side of schmear, these aren't just bagels, they're an experience. No need for fancy sandwiches here - just rip, dip, and savor every bite.
Locations: Stuyvesant Town, Midtown, Korea Town, Time Out Market
Lifelong New Yorkers, visitors, and those fresh to the city all agree that Ess-a-Bagel is the best that the city has to offer. No small feat for a bagel shop in NYC! It opened in 1976, winning the title of “Best Bagel in the Tri State Area” in just 2 short years, and has been defending that title ever since.
Ess-a-Bagel redefined what it meant to create a quality bagel, and continues to hold that standard high. Always busy, but worth the wait, Ess-a-Bagel has come to be a definitive experience for all bagel-lovers who pass through its doors. Fluffy, chewy, generously topped with seasonings and flavors, and never lacking in schmear, Ess-a-Bagel is a must-do for anyone who wants the true New York bagel experience.
Location: Upper West Side
Everyone has loyalty to their local bagel shop, and this holds especially true for Absolute Bagels. Upper West Siders maintain that it’s the best bagel in the city and, while it would be easy to assume that a little bit of neighborhood bias is peeping through… they’re spot on with this one. Their founder worked for Ess-a-Bagel for many years upon moving to New York, and his tutelage shows.
The bagels are on the smaller side, but they are always blisteringly fresh. It’s a joy to watch them grab your bagel right out of a steaming pile. Absolute is a bit a victim of their own success, and the line can get absolutely (ba-dum-cha) ridiculous at prime times, so try and go off-peak if possible.
Locations: East Village, Union Square
Tompkins Square Bagels is all about the beginning-to-end experience. Owner and operator Chris Pugliese has been in the bagel business since he was a teenager, and his life-long dedication to the bagel craft is what has launched this shop onto this list. The line is perpetually long (annoying, sure, but always a good sign) but as you wait in line you get to watch (and smell) the bagels being made. The bagels are always fresh and fluffy, and you have a nearly infinite menu of options for cream cheese and toppings, so this is the spot to get creative with your order.
Though some may turn their nose up at this establishment as “trendy” we personally love being able to participate in the fads, and Tompkins does options like dairy-free cream cheese like no other. After you receive your deliciously inviting and piping hot bagel, it’s a short walk to Tompkins Square Park, to be enjoyed in the sunshine.
Locations: Financial District, Midtown West, Midtown East, Jackson Heights
Liberty Bagels is one of the best spots to get a colorful rainbow bagel. While colorful bagels don't necessarily have superior taste or texture… they sure are fun! While the line is always long (yes, this is a theme amongst the shops on this list… fair to say if the line is long, the bagel is good) Liberty has won loyalty through their packed-on cream cheese, of which there are many flavors to choose from, and their warm and chewy bagels that need no toasting.
Although many of the more classic flavors have a spotlight on this list, Liberty’s crowd favorite is the jalapeño everything bagel, for those who like to start their morning off with a little kick. The whole restaurant has a charged atmosphere, and while your order may not be the exact same every time, it is always mouthwatering.
Liberty Bagels is always the starting point on our Manhattan Bagel Tour. Book a spot on the tour to skip the line and try several of Liberty’s amazing bagels.
Locations: Park Slope, Crown Heights, Sunset Park, Chelsea, West Village
Spanning across multiple neighborhoods in both Brooklyn and Manhattan, Bagel Pub provides a dizzying range of choices in both flavor of bagel and cream cheese. In addition to bagels, they offer the breakfast version of a 3 course meal, with an extensive menu of deli sandwiches, fresh juices and of course, coffee. Their interiors are bright and clean, but aren’t overly trendy. True bagel enthusiasts can identify Bagel Pub from their simply by their signature mountains of cream cheese.
Location: Park Slope
Bagel Hole, as the name might suggest, is a quintessential, no frills New York Bagel experience. These bagels aren’t one of the fluffy megaliths that other shops boast of. Bagel Hole bagels are punchier: a bit smaller with a nice crunch to them. Be forewarned though: this isn’t the spot to get an instagram. Sticking to their “hole in the wall” nature, employees will immediately remind you as soon as a phone comes out, “no pictures allowed!”
Former New York City mayor Bill Deblasio sparked a controversy when he tweeted that his go-to bagel was a Bagel Hole “whole wheat with extra cream cheese. Toasted.” The issue? Bage Hole doesn’t have a toaster (more on why you never have to toast a fresh bagel). After a public uproar, Deblasio deleted the tweet and reposted it without the word “toasted”.
Bagel Hole supplies several deli’s throughout the city, so while odds are you’ve unknowingly already had a Bagel Hole bagel, nothing beats one directly from the source!
Locations: Cobble Hill, Park Slope
For Shelsky’s, Bagel-making is an art. Every ingredient, every seed, every topping is meticulously selected. This attention to detail is what puts Shelsky’s in its own class. Somewhat small and dense, flavorful but not overpowering, these bagels look nothing like the fluffy jumbo-sized bagels so often seen today. Shelsky's has unique options worth trying out, like Pepper & Salt, and Sichuan Peppercorn.
While at some shops a wild flavor might be a risk, at Shelsky’s, everything is so thoughtfully created that you can make a safe bet that any bagel will be delicious. Even the classics, like sesame, egg, and whole-wheat, have subtle differences that elevate the bagel-eating experience. Aside from their bagels, their fish is also top tier quality: throwing some lox on your bagel, while a little pricey, will be worth it.
Location: Harlem, Washington Heights
Bo’s is Harlem’s best bagel shop by a country mile. Their bagels have a perfect crust, density and doughiness, and are some of the best-seasoned on this list. The crust is seriously worth rehashing: crackly, crunchy and just the right amount of singed. Double-sided toppings balance a creamy and perfectly proportioned schmear. Bo’s earned a spot on Food & Wine’s Best Bagels In America - we don’t disagree!
Location: Prospect Heights
Olde though it may be, old fashioned it is not! Olde Brooklyn Bagel Shoppe stands out in a sea of bagels due to their signature za’atar bagel, a zesty and novel bagel flavor that we recommend everyone try at least once.
Za’atar is the name of the game at OBBS: they pioneered the za'atar bagel, and also offer a za’atar cream cheese. The signature sandwiches, which both incorporate za’atar, bring a whole new flavor profile to the table.
Don’t worry though, there are tons of other flavor options for those feeling adventurous, but not inclined towards za’atar, such as the salmon dill cream cheese. They knock your more classic flavors out of the park as well.
Book an nyc bagel tour
Join us on a journey through the bustling streets of New York City, sampling some of the best bagels the city has to offer. Your guide, Sam Silverman, will lead you to hidden gems and beloved local spots, giving you the inside scoop on the history and culture of the bagel in New York City.
