Hey HOs,
My sister and her family are coming for a visit and want to get an authentic, quality NYC bagel. What are your recommendations for 2022? I haven’t had a bagel in years (probably since H&H on the UWS closed) so I am totally out of the loop. Would appreciate your guidance. They will probably be spending most of their time in the theater district and below, if that helps narrow things down. Thanks, HOs!
Essa Bagel, Tal, Davidovitch were all pretty good last I had them.
Hands down, my favorite bagel place is Absolute Bagels, on Broadway at 108th Street (just below Columbia). That may seem out of your way, but it truly is worth the detour. If you are staying in midtown, take the Number 1 train to 110th Street. I live on the West Coast these days, but whenever I go to New York, I bring home three dozen bagels from Absolute. And of course, I make a stop at Zabar’s as well.
we just moved from the UWS, absolute was our favorite in the area and one of our favorites in nyc but be prepared to queue up 10-20 minutes. Turns out a lot of people in the area prefer lenny’s bagels on 98th, no lines, fast service and great bagels. And while I love absolute, I worked midtown west for five years, and I’d be hard pressed to say their bagels are better than ess-a-bagel…
In any case, if you are making the trip to absolute, worth hitting mama’s too for one of NYC’s best (and different) slices.
+1 for ess-a-bagel and absolute, two of my favorites in NYC. a little closer to the theater district is Best Bagel, not a place to sit down but a short walk from the theater district and one can walk the meal over to bryant park. It was my go to when I worked in the area.
This is perfect - they are seeing a matinee on Sunday so a walk around the area and a pre-show bagel will fit the bill! Absolute sounds great but is definitely too far off the path for them - unlike HOs, they aren’t the type to go way out of their way for #1 if #2 is just around the corner. 
Absolute or Russ & Daughters
well, if they don’t mind carb loading, NYC Pizza Suprema, a short walk from Best Bagels, is in the conversation for best NYC slice. I love their grandma slice. If nothing else, they could ask the pie guy to cut a slice in half to get a sense of the pizza.
best,
St. Viateur Montréal styled bagels. They’ve partnered with Goldbelly.
Just a thought you could order some as a welcome basket along with other goodies for your sister and family.
They may appreciate that if they are staying in a Hotel.
If they are staying with you, then a quick breakfast bar set up might be handy.
Only thinking outside the box as to how to make your sister and family’s trip more memorable.
visit nyc and order bagels shipped from montreal? that is definitely outside the box thinking.
LOL, my sister NEVER turns down a carb. You should see the rest of their dining itinerary - Milk Bar, Junior’s cheesecake and the Ice Cream Museum are all on the menu!
If someone tried to give me a Montreal bagel, in a city justifiably renowned for its bagels, I would not be pleased. I’ve had them, they’re too sweet, and I don’t want them again. Russ & Daughters (among many others) delivers locally - no need to have bagels shipped in from another country.
Montréal bagels are dipped in honey so I completely understand that.
Like I said, just a suggestion no one has to act on it.
I know people from NY who actually prefer them that is why I recommend St-Viateur.
I’d be happy to speak to them and tell them why they’re wrong. No one’s shipping poutine to Montreal, you know!
Everybody’s tastes are different and that is what makes us unique.
Many places in the States make great Poutine where I’d be happy to pull up a chair and Dine.
Of course they are. But that’s not really the point. If I’m visiting a city that does a particular food very well, I would probably want to have an excellent and representative version of that food. And I doubt I’m alone here. If I were homesick after spending months in Tokyo, I might try to find a New York slice. But if I’m taking a quick trip there, I’m getting soba or sushi or ramen or like that.
I thought it might be nice to experience both.
This was not an either or scenario.
Liberty is very close to Best and is good, too.
NY Pizza Supreme wasn’t great the one time I tried it, FWIW. Too sweet from what I recall.
Funny you should mention Liberty - my sister asked about rainbow bagels and when I did a search, they popped up as a place that does them. Given my nieces’ obsession with rainbows, I’m 99% sure that’s where they’ll end up whether the bagels are good or not!
Montreal bagels aren’t dipped in honey. The water they are boiled in before baking is sweetened with honey.
