New York bagels are still worth the line, but the map changed. Absolute Bagels, the Upper West Side hand-rolled favorite, closed at the end of 2024 (a new, unrelated shop at the same address later had to rename), so cross it off. What’s left is deep. For the classic overstuffed deli bagel, Ess-a-Bagel. For bagels-and-lox as an event, Russ & Daughters on the Lower East Side. For hand-rolled with a creative streak, Tompkins Square in the East Village. And for small-batch craft uptown, Bo’s in Harlem. Below are eight shops worth crossing a borough for.
Ess-a-Bagel — Midtown East & Gramercy
The big, glossy, overstuffed deli bagel, done at scale. Ess-a-Bagel has run since 1976, and the bagels are enormous — soft, chewy, with a signature sheen — which is either the point or the problem depending on your camp. The Verdict: come for the lox sandwich, piled thick with silky nova, capers, tomato and red onion; one napkin won’t cut it. The Honest Caveat: there’s no East Village location — the old 1st Ave shop closed in 2015 — so the downtown spot is on First Ave in Gramercy/StuyTown, and the flagship is on 3rd Ave in Midtown East. Open daily ~6am–6pm (weekends to 5pm). Heads up: the 3rd Ave flagship is slated to move to the Buchanan later in 2026, so confirm before a special trip.
Russ & Daughters — Lower East Side
Not just a bagel — a hundred-plus years of New York appetizing. Russ & Daughters has held down Houston Street since 1914, and the classic bagel with nova and cream cheese is the reference standard for what lox is supposed to taste like. The Verdict: this is the one to send an out-of-towner to, or yourself, when you want the real thing. The Local Move: the counter shop is tight and mobbed — for a seat, the nearby Cafe serves the same fish with table service. The Honest Caveat: appetizing prices, not corner-deli prices, and worth it. Open 7 days, 8am–4pm (the old “closed Monday” rule no longer applies).
Tompkins Square Bagels — East Village
Hand-rolled classics with a creative streak. The bagels are traditional — kettle-boiled, properly chewy — but the schmears are where this shop has fun: bacon scallion, birthday cake, jalapeño. The Verdict: a serious bagel under a playful spread, and the lox sandwiches are generous. Worth It if you want craft without the reverence. The Honest Caveat: it gets slammed on weekend mornings, so go early or wait. Open daily 7am–5pm.
Black Seed Bagels — Nolita (+ locations citywide)
The Montreal–New York hybrid, and the design-forward outlier here. Black Seed hand-rolls, boils in honey water and finishes in a wood-fired oven — the result is smaller, denser and a touch sweeter than the deli giants. The Verdict: the sandwiches earn it, especially the beet-cured lox and the tobiko cream cheese. Go Here Instead if the classic deli bagel feels too big and bready. The Honest Caveat: it’s the priciest bagel on this list and the rooms are small, but there are locations all over Manhattan and Williamsburg, so grab the nearest. Hours vary by spot, generally ~7am–4pm.
Bagel Hole — Park Slope
The anti-fluff bagel and Brooklyn’s purist pick. Bagel Hole makes them small, dense and old-school — the opposite of the big airy Midtown style — with a serious chew and a thin, crisp crust. The Verdict: if a real bagel to you is compact and chewy, not the size of a hubcap, this is your shop. The Local Move: plain with cream cheese, fresh out of the oven, no distractions. The Honest Caveat: no-frills, and the weekend line is long but moves. Open daily 7am–4pm.
Bo’s Bagels — Harlem
The craft spot that earned its rep uptown. Bo’s hand-rolls in small batches, and the range runs past the classics — pumpernickel, marble rye, a jalapeño cheddar with real heat. The Verdict: the best bagel in Harlem and a reason to get off the train uptown, chewy-crisp and made with obvious care; the breakfast sandwiches deliver too. The Honest Caveat: it’s a small operation at 235 W 116th St, so hours can shift — generally daily ~7am–5pm; confirm before a long trip.
Leo’s Bagels — Financial District
The downtown workhorse that actually delivers. Leo’s hand-rolls, boils and bakes throughout the day, so a FiDi bagel here is fresher than it has any right to be. The Verdict: the sandwich game is the draw — the “Lower East Sider” (nova, scallion cream cheese, tomato, onion) is the order. The Local Move: it’s a Wall Street lunch spot, so go off-peak to skip the suit rush. The Honest Caveat: downtown hours — weekdays 6am–4pm, weekends 7am–5pm.
Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company — Chelsea (+ more)
Don’t let the name fool you — the reliable Manhattan grab-and-go. Despite the “Brooklyn,” the locations that matter for most people are in Chelsea and the Village, and the bagels are large, fluffy and glossy with inventive cream cheeses (jalapeño asiago, walnut raisin) next to the classics. The Verdict: not a pilgrimage, but a dependable, quick, quality bagel on the way to somewhere. The Honest Caveat: it leans big-and-soft over dense-and-chewy, so purists will shrug. Open daily, roughly 6:30am–3pm.
Gluten-free bagels in NYC
A genuinely gluten-free bagel is hard to find — most of these shops boil and bake in shared spaces, so cross-contamination is a real concern for celiacs. If a gluten-free breakfast is the priority, start with our best gluten-free restaurants in NYC guide instead.
Best Bagels NYC: FAQ
What is the best bagel in NYC?
No single winner, but the safe bets in 2026 are Ess-a-Bagel for the classic overstuffed deli bagel, Russ & Daughters for bagels and lox, Tompkins Square for hand-rolled with creative schmears, and Bo’s in Harlem for small-batch craft. Note that Absolute Bagels, long a top pick, closed at the end of 2024.
Which NYC bagel shops are cash-only?
Fewer than there used to be. Bagel Hole and some smaller shops still lean cash-first, so carry a few bills for the old-school spots; the bigger operations — Ess-a-Bagel, Russ & Daughters, Black Seed — take cards.
Where’s the best bagel and lox in NYC?
Russ & Daughters on the Lower East Side is the standard, a century of appetizing behind the nova. Ess-a-Bagel’s overstuffed lox sandwich is the maximalist alternative, and Leo’s “Lower East Sider” is the downtown pick.
Are there gluten-free bagels in NYC?
Options are limited — most top shops boil and bake in shared spaces, so cross-contamination is a real risk for celiacs. For a genuinely gluten-free breakfast, see our best gluten-free restaurants in NYC guide.
What does “hand-rolled” mean for a bagel?
The dough is shaped by hand and kettle-boiled before baking — the traditional method that gives a NYC bagel its chew and thin, crisp crust, as opposed to machine-formed, steamed supermarket bagels. Tompkins Square, Bo’s, Leo’s and Bagel Hole all hand-roll.
Last updated: July 2026. Hours and locations change — confirm with the shop before you go.
Go To: Bagel Hole, Black Seed Bagels, Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company, Ess-a-Bagel, Leo’s Bagels, Murray’s Bagels, Russ & Daughters, Tompkins Square Bagels
For the hyped one, Apollo Bagels hand-rolls and kettle-boils its bagels in the East Village — no happy hour, just go early before the good stuff sells out.
PopUp Bagels turned a Connecticut pop-up into a South Village cult hit, serving them warm with the schmear on the side.
