Bagels are not my passion but I do like the occasional toasted everything with cream cheese or egg salad. Freshness is key and I prefer a good crust and chew over large and fluffy. (I may be a heretic since I also like Montreal bagels when I can get them fresh. )
My partner likes Katz Bagel Bakery in Chelsea. I think they’re fine but not close by so we don’t get there a lot. They’ve also cut back their Friday & Saturday late hours to 10 PM instead of 1or 2 AM the next morning (they bake a lot for the weekend market). The “pizza bagel” is their gimmick but I’ve never had one.
Partner is also fond of black & whites so Brooklyn Water Bagels sounds worth checking out next time we’re in that area. Thanks for the tip, sunnyday!