Really excellent bagels in the Greater Boston (MA) area

Regional Dining Discussions Boston, New England
21

I gave up on local bagels and learned to make them at home. Though I think the Bagelsaurus variety can be good, they are ridiculously expensive for something made with flour, water, yeast, and malt syrup, plus they are HUGE.

My cousin came from NYCity today, bringing me the best bagels in his neighborhood and you know, they are okay, but lack interest. They are too “white.” and lack the character of a great bagel.

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22

Is there a good recipe you are willing to share? I’ve made bialys are home but the boiling always intimidates me.

23

I use the formula from Bread Baker’s Apprentice, which is under copyright. I suspect someone on the great webs has posted it however.

24

From the pic on the Rosenfeld’s web site, the everything looks to be topped mainly with poppy and sesame seed. What’s your take?

25

Hands down Brooklyn Water Bagels in Framingham are the best
. Their “half moons” are the real deal too!

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26

I’m not the biggest fan of the everything there. Also the salt bagel is REALLY salty. I go more for the sesame, mostly.

27

My apologies MaxEntropy. I came on a little too strong although I do firmly believe that D&D bagels are awful. I must’ve been in a bad mood when I read that and responded.

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28

No worries…I certainly agree that today D&D bagels are awful.

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29

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!

30

The Katz pizza bagel is totally fine and I do love the place itself, but I’d say the bagels there are merely good and not great. Worth going to if you’re in Chelsea, but maybe not a destination.

31

The everything also has onions/garlic/poppy…everything!!!

32

If you are getting your bagels in Newton, hit Rosenfeld’s in Newton Center. They are the real deal!

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33

OK…this Sunday morning then!

34

I compared 6 local (to me) bagels over the last few days: Bagelsauraus (Mass Av, Cambridge), Forge Baking Company (in Somerville, bagel picked up at Diesel Cafe in Davis Sq.), Iggy’s (bagel picked up at Darwin’s on Cambridge St. in Cambridge), Mamaleh’s (Kendall Sq.), Mariposa (Central Sq.) and Somerville Bread Company (Somerville). Some notes:

  1. Prices: The Iggy's, Mariposa and Somerville bagels were $2 each (although Iggy's is cheaper at the source, I think), Mamaleh's was $2.15, and Bagelsaurus and Forge were $2.50.
  2. All were plain, except for Somerville, which only had salt and seeded. I got a salt bagel, then scraped off the salt.
First the vital stats:

Next, the mugshots. All bagels were placed on a 6 1/2" square napkin, so the relative sizes are fairly accurate:

5d6410081d786d5872258cb2371f98e78dc74276.JPG750×500 327 KB

Finally cut-outs. The lighting was different at different times and the angles differed, so the colors are misleading, especially the yellow look of the Mariposa bagel, as are the relative sizes, but you get a feeling for the crumb.

0124dbecafcaf23880335588bc4bd8eefbef615a.JPG749×371 255 KB

Observations:

  1. The Bagelsaurus bagel is neither as overly-expensive nor as big/hefty as it's been accused of being. It's slightly bigger than the others, but is not the weight champion.
  2. Both it and the Forge (even more so) had a sourdough taste and crackly crust. Although the two bagels looked different, they were similar in weight and taste.
  3. The Somerville bagel was very dense, and bready with a moist crumb. It was the heaviest.
  4. The Mariposa bagel has, as I've observed above, a pretzel-like taste, possibly from being boiled in water that's heavily dosed with baking soda, not lightly dosed with lye.
  5. Iggy's had the least distinctive taste.
  6. Mamaleh's probably comes closest to a "traditional NY bagel," but opinions on what that even is diverge.
  7. Somerville (strongly), Mariposa and Mamaleh's (possibly) gave evidence of having been formed traditionally from a rope of dough formed into a circle with the ends lightly twisted together. Iggy's looks as if it was cut into a ring by a machine.
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35

Too bready. See my longer post on 6 local bagels in this thread.

36

this is a great post. thank you.

37

I just love the ridiculous level of detail. Hats off to you!

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38

Awesome post. Did I miss it when you said if you had a strong preference for one or two?

39

Dabbler, this is awesome, and we should start an online database so people can upload observations from further afield. But we didn’t get your subjective opinion. What did you like and why?

40

@fooddabbler, I don’t think I have ever said fun and analytical in the same sentence but now I am. Amazing post!

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