but someone’s got to do it.

In October last year we went back to NYC, home of the modern bagel, for menu inspiration and a good time… we were not disappointed!

The Flatiron Building, NYC

If you find yourself in New York, you could check out any of these and be impressed-

1 – Black Seed Bagels, 170 Elizabeth St.  A Montreal inspired bagel bakery baking their bagels in a wood fired oven.  These guys have a delicious menu and the most original store design of all the bagel bars we visited.

2 – Essa Bagel, 3rd Avenue. Up in Midtown Manhattan, Essa Bagel is one of NYC’s more famous bagel bars. The bagels here are HUGE.  We had a Ruben that was basically two bagels in one.  The ingredients were good, service was typical NY style; fast and efficient.  Like lots of NYC bagel bars they make a big range of flavoured cream cheeses displayed like a gelato counter.

3 – Zaro Bakeries, various locations inc. the magnificent Grand Central Station.  Zaro bake lovely bagels, they also make amazing cakes and other Viennoiserie, coffees etc.

4 – Bagels on the Square, 7 Carmine St.  Somewhere on the edges of Soho, Nolita & East Village is Bagels On The Square (Just off Bleeker Street, worth a visit in itself for boutique shopping). This is a bustling store with a queue snaking round the shop apparently all day.  Another large range of cream cheeses, smoked meat and smoked fish galore.  They also bake on site and have a huge range.  A Cuban Sandwich on Pumpernickel Bagel jumped off the menu so we dived in.  It was epic.  The shop is on a quiet square with benches and a fountain, a bit of a refuge from all the bustle to enjoy your lunch! 

Let us know your favourite NYC bagel joints on twitter @bagelmanBTN or, next time you are there, Instagram us your bagel photos @bagelmanBTN

Flavoured Cream Cheese at Essa Bagel

Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese from Native Bean