One night, before heading to a Broadway show, Steve and I stopped by See No Evil, a tiny pizza restaurant tucked away below street level, inside the 50th Street subway …
BIG SALE - Up to 50% off food & beverage items - Free shipping on orders over $65
NYC: The Bagels I Love
When it comes to bagels, I don’t think there’s a better place in the world than NYC. It often gets a bit hectic inside the bagel stores, so come prepared and know what you’re after, because a bagel isn’t just a bagel. Do you want a plain bagel? An onion bagel? Or maybe an everything bagel?
Some places would offer you to toast it, but most New Yorkers would tell you that you never toast a fresh bagel. There’s usually a bunch of different spreads to choose among, as well as different kinds of meat and fish. If in doubt, a plain bagel with Nova (salmon from Nova Scotia) is always right.
Russ & Daughters
My all-time bagel favorite in NYC. I love the amazing selection of smoked salmon and, well, everything else on the menu. It doesn’t matter whether I stop by the deli on Houston or the café on Orchard Street, there’s always a line, but I promise you, it will be all worth the wait.
Russ & Daughters (the deli), 179 E Houston Street, Lower East Side, New York
Murray’s Bagels Chelsea
I stumbled upon Murray’s Bagels by coincidence more than 10 years ago when I was walking around in Chelsea, and I’ve been back many times since then, because their bagels are amazing. It gets busy in the morning and at lunch time but if you avoid peak hours, you might be able to walk right in and even get a seat and one of the tables near the window.
Murray’s Bagels Chelsea, 242 8th Avenue, Chelsea, New York
Kossar’s
Kossar’s might be better known for their bialys than their bagels, but that doesn’t mean that their bagels are bad. Not at all. The Classic Sandwich comes with nova, tomato and everything cream cheese and trust me, this is what you want, what you really, really want.
Kossar’s, 367 Grand Street, Lower East Side, New York
Barney Greengrass
When I want a lox & cream cheese bagel the two first places that pop up are Barney Greengrass and Russ & Daughters. The selection of salmon might be slightly better at Russ & Daughters, while Barney Greengrass is mostly known for sturgeon (Barney’s also goes under the nickname The Sturgeon King). Compared to Russ & Daughters, Barney Greengrass is usually more quiet, probably because less tourists make their way up to the Upper West Side Location.
Barney Greengrass, 541 Amsterdam Avenue, Upper West Side, New York
Ess-a-Bagel
The bagels at Ess-a-Bagel are a little denser than most other bagels I’ve tried in NYC, but I like them a lot. The selection of different spreads (both savory and sweet) are deliciously overwhelming and makes you want to come back and try the rest. When I was at Ess-a-Bagel’s old location a couple of years back, I was lucky to meet their “mascot” which you can read more about in my blog post on Ess-a-Bagel
Ess-a-Bagel, 831 3rd Ave, Midtown East, New York (there’s also a location on 1st Ave)
Book your hotel in New York City
There’s nothing like starting your day in New York City, with endless adventures waiting just outside your door. To get the best rates and the widest selection of hotels, I recommend booking well in advance of your stay.
Find the perfect place to call home while you're here:
I earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Welcome to Mitzie Mee - My blog about food, travel, and everything New York City.
New York City Blog
-
-
I was invited to the Grand Opening of the Ess-a-Bagel FiDi location as a guest. All opinions are my own (and Steve’s, for this particular post) If you ever wondered …
-
Last weekend, the weather was absolutely amazing in New York City, so we ended up going for a picnic in Central Park both Friday and Saturday. When you’re planning a …
-
Dirt Candy is one of the most interesting vegetarian restaurants I’ve been to. The food isn’t just plant-based—it’s beautiful, creative, and genuinely delicious. I had been for brunch back when …
-
For years, I’ve been complaining about the lack of good Danish casual restaurants in NYC. Yes, there are a few places serving Nordic food, but they tend to lean more …
-
(Disclaimer: I was invited to try some of the desserts at Matcha Cafe Maiko, but as always, opinions are my own.) Matcha Cafe Maiko is a cafe chain specializing in …
-
Disclaimer: I was invited to try Kajiken in New York City, but as always, all opinions in this post are my own. If you love ramen but haven’t tried abura …
-
Ras Plant Based is an Ethiopian restaurant in West Village, serving plant-based dishes rooted in traditional flavors with a modern twist. We started with the Injera Nachos—crispy injera chips topped …
-
The Orchid Show is an annual event at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) located in the Bronx. Spanning approximately 250 acres, it’s one of the largest and most renowned …
-
North Dumpling has been among my favorite places for cheap dumplings for years. It was my friend Alex, who introduced me to the tiny shop on Essex St. on our …
-
Woorijip is a Korean food spot located on 32nd street, right in the heart of Koreatown. It’s a great place for grab-and-go Korean comfort food with shelves filled with pre-packed …
-
I usually fly out of JFK late at night, squeezing every last minute out of my time in the city. But a morning flight to Phoenix last year meant that …
-
If you’re flying out of JFK’s Terminal 4, there’s a good chance you’ll find me relaxing at the Delta Sky Club near Gate B31. It’s not the flashiest lounge out …
-
Steve and I were both feeling a little under the weather, so I started browsing for some comforting stew or soup options for home delivery. After having tofu stew at …
-
Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to Seoul Bap for this blog post. While the food was complimentary, all opinions expressed are my own and reflect my honest experience. …
-
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York City is one of the most iconic holiday symbols in the world, and each year, it draws millions of visitors. There’s a …
-
Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to Ambo for this review. While the food was complimentary, all opinions expressed are my own and reflect my honest experience. Ambo is …
-
Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to R Slice for this review. While the pizza was complimentary, all opinions expressed are my own and reflect my honest experience. Roberta’s …
Travel Blog
Mitzie Mee©
hello@mitziemee.com