Bagel Heaven: A Deep Dive into New York City's Most Iconic (and Obscure) Bagel Shops
🥯 First, Let's Get One Thing Straight: Real Bagels Are Kettle-Boiled and Hand-Rolled
Let’s start with a truth that’s non-negotiable in New York: if your bagel isn’t hand-rolled and kettle-boiled, it’s not a real bagel—it’s a roll with a hole. The classic New York bagel technique involves rolling dough by hand (no machines, no shortcuts), allowing it to proof, and then boiling it in a kettle before baking. This process creates the signature crusty exterior with that shiny finish, and a dense, chewy interior that has real bite. That’s the magic.
Mass-produced bagels skip the boil or steam them instead (sacrilege), which results in breadier, fluffier, forgettable imitations. A real New York bagel fights back a little when you bite it—just enough resistance to make it satisfying.
Now that we’ve set the ground rules, let’s carb-load our way through the legends and local secrets of New York City’s bagel universe.
🥯 Ess-a-Bagel – Midtown's Towering Titan
Opened: 1976
Founders: Florence & Gene Wilpon (siblings of Austrian Jewish heritage)
Known For: Massive, doughy bagels with a plush, chewy interior; a dizzying array of spreads and sandwich options
Ess-a-Bagel is beloved for its unapologetically huge bagels. It began on 1st Avenue and 21st Street in 1976, in the heart of Manhattan’s East Side, and quickly became a go-to for office workers, commuters, and locals looking for the “real deal.” Florence and Gene came from a family with baking roots, and they opened the shop with an old-world sensibility—using traditional techniques and recipes passed down from Vienna.
They didn’t chase trends. They didn’t change recipes. They made chewy, hearty bagels that you could live off for a week. By the 1990s, Ess-a had developed a cult following that continues today, especially at their mainstay Midtown shop.
Signature Offerings:
Pumpernickel bagel with whitefish salad
Scallion tofu spread (a vegan sleeper hit)
Breakfast sandwiches so stacked they require engineering degrees
Offbeat Detail: When their original shop closed in 2015 due to lease drama, it triggered a five-borough mourning period. Florence herself was still working the register well into her 80s.
Author’s Note: Never once have I received what I ordered, and every time I go I end up trying something new I never would have ordered on my own. Who freaking knew I’d actually like olive cream cheese? Well, I do. And I’ve ordered it again, many times, and I’m still hoping one of these days I’ll actually get it.
🥯 Murray’s Bagels – The No-Toast Purist
Opened: 1996
Founder: Adam Pomerantz (named after his dad, Murray)
Known For: Absolute bagel purism, no toasting before 3 PM, and traditional Jewish deli sandwiches done right
When Adam Pomerantz left Wall Street to pursue bagel perfection, New Yorkers didn’t know what hit them. Murray’s Bagels, in Greenwich Village, became a quiet revolution: no gimmicks, no rainbow bagels, no shortcuts. And for years—years—they didn’t even allow toasting. The belief? If a bagel is fresh and well-made, it doesn’t need to be toasted. It’s already perfect.
Murray’s also doubled down on Jewish deli culture, offering high-quality smoked fish, pastrami, and whitefish salads alongside the bagels. Their aesthetic feels like an old-school delicatessen reborn for the modern age, and their bagels reflect that balance of tradition and discipline.
Signature Offerings:
Nova lox and scallion cream cheese
Bialys with a perfectly crisp bottom
Egg bagels (dense, rich, golden—almost challah-like)
Offbeat Detail: After years of bagel anarchy, they now grudgingly toast bagels—but only after 3 PM and only if you beg politely.
🥯 Le Bagel Delight – Brooklyn's Workhorse
Opened: 1986 (Court Street OG)
Known For: No-frills, high-quality bagels with neighborhood soul. Secret weapon: the best bacon-egg-cheese in Brooklyn.
Le Bagel Delight doesn’t scream “Instagram me!” and that’s the point. For decades, it’s been a dependable staple in Downtown Brooklyn, long before the borough’s food scene exploded. This is where city workers, students, and neighborhood regulars go every day for bagels that are consistent, cheap, and filling.
Despite its humble storefronts, the quality has remained shockingly high. The dough is fresh, boiled, baked, and perfectly balanced—not too fat, not too flat. The spreads are homemade, and the staff knows their regulars by name.
Signature Offerings:
Bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel (Brooklyn royalty)
Tuna salad on a sesame bagel
Cinnamon raisin with walnut cream cheese (don’t knock it 'til you try it)
Offbeat Detail: No one knows why “Le” is in the name. There is zero French influence, and if you ask the staff, they’ll shrug and say, “It just sounds nice.”
Author’s Note: I used to legit travel from Bushwick to Court Street for the bacon, egg and cheese because - no lie - it’s freaking magical. Hungover? Get one, you’ll feel better. Can’t afford vacation this year? Get one, you’ll feel better. Ghosted for the 3,173rd time on a dating app? Get one, you’ll freaking feel better. (Don’t worry, I came to my senses and moved back to South Brooklyn)
🥯 Liberty Bagels – The Rainbow-Tinted Crowd-Pleaser
Opened: 2015
Known For: Rainbow bagels, sweet spreads, and lines of tourists and locals alike
Liberty Bagels is often accused of being gimmicky—and sure, the unicorn-colored dough and Oreo cream cheese are a little much—but don’t let the rainbows fool you. These bagels are the real deal: hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, and baked fresh all day long. Liberty balances tradition with innovation, and that’s why both tourists and New Yorkers keep showing up.
Founded by Ali Othman, Liberty is one of the rare modern shops to gain serious respect from the bagel old guard, largely because of its dedication to real technique. It’s a gateway bagel spot for out-of-towners and a guilty pleasure for locals who secretly love a rainbow bagel.
Signature Offerings:
Rainbow bagel with birthday cake cream cheese
Plain bagel with traditional lox spread
Jalapeño cheddar bagel with veggie spread
Offbeat Detail: Liberty’s rainbow bagel went viral on Instagram in 2016 and was briefly the most-photographed food item in Manhattan.
Author’s Note: I really wanted to hate these bagels, truly. Whenever someone gimmicks up a classic it’s usually absolute, unadulterated trash. But I gotta say, these slap.
🥯 H&H Bagels – The OG, Reborn
Opened: 1972 (original), Relaunched 2011
Known For: Seinfeld references, massive distribution, and classic Upper West Side vibes
Few bagel shops in NYC can claim true icon status. H&H Bagels is one of them. Originally founded by Puerto Rican immigrant Helmer Toro and Israel Sherman, H&H didn’t even slice or spread—it was a bakery, not a deli. That didn’t stop it from becoming the bagel of the city.
At its height, H&H was supplying bagels to the Concorde jet, airlines, and delis all over the U.S. But behind the success were some tax troubles, and the original UWS shop shuttered in 2011. Since then, new owners revived the brand with updated locations and the same classic process.
Signature Offerings:
Poppyseed or plain with schmear, no frills
Cinnamon raisin toasted with butter
The "bagel only" option, where you just let the bread shine
Offbeat Detail: Their West Side shop was immortalized in Seinfeld, and Kramer even gets fired from his fake job at H&H for eating too many bagels.
🥯 Bonus Round: Obscure Bagel Shrines Worth Hunting Down
These are for the seasoned bagel hunter—those who know that the best bagel might not be on a list, but behind a fogged-up window and a gruff cashier who calls you “boss.”
🥯 Absolute Bagels – 2788 Broadway (Morningside Heights)
Run by Thai immigrants who studied Jewish baking traditions, Absolute is a Columbia student favorite. Always fresh, always hot. Cash only, and worth every cent.
🥯 Bagel Hole – 400 7th Ave, Park Slope
Tiny shop, tiny bagels, maximum chew. These bagels are smaller and denser than most, which some purists argue makes them the best in the borough.
🥯 David’s Bagels – 273 1st Ave (East Village)
No frills, all flavor. This is the kind of place you stumble into with a hangover and walk out spiritually renewed. Bonus points for the rotating lineup of spicy spreads.
🥯 Bo’s Bagels – 235 W 116th St (Harlem)
New-school shop with old-school techniques, founded by a husband-and-wife duo after they couldn’t find a decent bagel in Harlem. They fixed that.
In Closing: The Bagel Is Sacred. Choose Wisely.
New York bagels aren’t just food—they’re an institution. And behind every good bagel is a story: immigrant hustle, family recipes, defiant traditions, and sometimes... rainbow food dye. Whether you're a purist or an adventurer, there's a bagel in this city with your name on it.
So next time you're in NYC, skip the doughy impostors. Go where the bagels fight back when you bite in. And if it’s not hand-rolled and kettle-boiled? Keep walking. And when you’re done book a nyc walking tour with Vibe Tours and burn off some of those calories!
