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The Most Popular Bagel Shops In America To Try

Nothing beats a crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside bagel. The doughy, yeasty treats make a perfect breakfast or a fantastic snack.

Bagels with sesame and poppyseed topping

Covered in cream cheese or topped with bacon and eggs, bagels are possibly the ideal food.

New York and Montreal dominate the market for well-crafted bagels. These cities perfected the art of preparing the carby delights. However, as bagel love spreads, so does the art of baking the ideal bread. 

From Georgia to Vermont, we’ve collected the best bagels in America. We take a look at the can’t-miss bakeries creating our favorite bagels-we promise they’re worth the carbs! 

We’ll be taking a look at these superior bagel bakeries.


Absolute Bagels, Manhattan, New York

Absolute Bagels is everything you want a New York City bagelry to be. The shop has no frills, just great bread. 

Prepare to wait because Absolute Bagels is not a well-kept secret. Locals and tourists alike stand in line to order the freshly made treats.

The bagels and spreads are the stars at Absolute Bagels. While the store has lunch meats and makes some breakfast sandwiches, the majority of the menu is dedicated to the bread and its accessories.

Absolute Bagels makes flavors like:

  • Plain
  • Poppy
  • Cinnamon Raisin
  • Oatbran
  • Sesame
  • Pumpernickel Raisin
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Everything

The store offers an incredible array of cream cheese beyond simply plain and even has vegan options, like Tofutti. 


BB’s Bagels, Alpharetta, GA

BB’s Bagels began life in New Jersey in 1996. The family-owned company moved to Atlanta in 2007.

BB’s now has two successful stores in Georgia and was voted best bagels in Atlanta in 2010.

The store’s owner, Eddie, applied his 30 years of east coast baking experience to crafting the perfect bagels. The breads are made fresh, in-house daily. 

BB’s also makes soups, salads, sandwiches, and coffee drinks. The shop sells a wide range of breakfast and lunch sandwich options, including egg and cheese on a bagel.

BB’s bagel options include:

  • French toast
  • Chocolate chip
  • Cinnamon raisin
  • Cranberry
  • Marble rye
  • Cheddar

The store offers a wide range of flavored cream cheeses.


Myer’s Bagels, Burlington, VT

Myer’s Bagels is all about the recipe. The shop makes wood-fired, Montreal-style bagels using the method Myer Lefkowitz taught Lloyd Squires in 1981.

Squires was 15 years old, and Lefkowitz was an Auschwitz survivor. The unlikely pair created one of Vermont’s favorite bagel shops.

Epicurious dubbed Myer’s Bagels one of the best bagel shops in America, which is no surprise given the bakery’s impressive menu. 

Myer’s offers a wide array of bagel sandwiches all day. The Cowboy Dan, a scrambled egg, pork sausage, cheddar, grilled peppers, and onions sandwich, makes the perfect, protein-packed breakfast.

The Intervale, made from lettuce, tomato, red onion, cucumber, carrots, and sprouts, is an ideal lunch on the go. Myer’s has a sandwich for every taste at any meal.

Of course, the bagels are the stars of the show. Myers makes all of your favorite bagels flavors:

  • Sesame Sunflower
  • Plain
  • Sesame
  • Poppy
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Montreal Spice
  • Everything
  • Rosemary Sea Salt
  • Cinnamon Raisin
  • Whole Wheat

Myer’s even has a rotating beer tap. The shop pours brews from Frost Beer Works, a beloved Vermont brewery. 


Bagel Oasis, Queens, New York

The name Bagel Oasis suggests a beautiful, carbohydrate island in the middle of a vast desert.

While this impression isn’t entirely accurate, the establishment has been delighting New Yorkers since opening its doors in 1961.

Bagel Oasis bakes its bread with premium ingredients. The shop meticulously crafts its bagels 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you never need to deny yourself.

The store makes its own cream cheese and a dynamite chicken salad made from fresh chicken, delivered daily by a local butcher. 

The menu includes an impressive array of sandwiches, ranging from deli classics to specialties like the chipotle chicken club.

However, a store named Bagel Oasis makes certain bread promises, and the shop fulfills them with flavors like:

  • Plain
  • Poppy
  • Sesame
  • Everything
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon Raisin
  • Blueberry
  • Pumpernickel

Bagel Oasis tops these treats with a wide array of classic and specialty cream cheeses along with other bagel toppings


The Bagel Factory, St. Louis, Missouri

Bagel enthusiasts know the best version of the carbs comes from little neighborhood shops.

These storied institutions don’t bother with frills; they simply make great bagels and see you on your way. The Bagel Factory in Saint Louis, Missouri, is the platonic ideal of such a shop.

Even east coasters rave about the quality of the bread. The shop keeps very particular hours, so arrive early. The Bagel Factory opens at 6 am and closes at 1:30 pm every Tuesday through Friday. 

The shop is open between 7 am and 1 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. However, the store closes as soon as the bagels sell out. The shop doesn’t accept debit or credit cards, so remember cash.


New York Bagel & Bialy, Lincolnwood, Illinois

New York Bagel & Bialy is a somewhat deceptive name, but the baked goods are top-notch. The shop began making New York-style bagels in 1965. 

New York Bagel & Bialy offers customers a comprehensive menu. Visitors can get breakfast, but the store also sells sandwiches, ideal for lunch on the run.

The shop makes its sandwiches deli style, allowing you to pick your meat, condiments, and extras.

You can get a breakfast sandwich made with lox or the truly astonishing Belly Buster, filled with ¾ of a pound of meat. 

New York Bagel & Bialy offers an impressive range of bagel flavors, including:

  • Plain
  • Cinnamon Raisin
  • Egg
  • Garlic
  • Mish Mosh
  • Onion
  • Poppy
  • Pumpernickel-Rye
  • Salt & Poppy
  • Blueberry 
  • Cheddar
  • Jalapeno
  • Wheat Raisin

The store also sells bialys, breads, and an assortment of flavored cream cheeses.


Wholy Bagel, Austin, TX

Austin is one of Texas’s most culturally rich cities, with a great food community.

Wholy Bagels indicates with its name that it’s the perfect Austin bakery, one committed to making excellent bread without taking itself too seriously.

The store has two locations in the city. Wholy Bagel makes its wares daily, offering customers only the freshest bagels. 

The store sells a wide assortment of bagels, including:

  • Plain
  • Whole Wheat
  • Egg
  • Blueberry
  • Cinnamon Raisin
  • Rye
  • Sesame Seed
  • Poppy Seed
  • Salt
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Everything
  • Jalapeno Cheddar

Wholy Bagels makes breakfast and lunch sandwiches featuring a wide array of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments. 


Rosenberg’s Bagels, Denver, Colorado

Joshua Pollack applied the bagel tricks he learned in his native New Jersey to the west coast baking scene in 2014.

Rosenberg’s makes authentic, New York-style bagels, as well as sandwiches, coffees, and salads.

Rosenberg’s has one of the most extensive menus on this list. The shop is closer to a full-service restaurant than simply a deli and has a day and night menu.

The evening options are all pizza, and who could complain about that?

However, we’re here to talk about bagels, and Rosenberg’s has plenty, including:

  • Plain
  • Poppy 
  • Salt
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Egg
  • Pumpernickel
  • Cinnamon Raisin
  • Sesame
  • Everything
  • Whole Wheat

Rosenberg’s uses these bagels to make breakfast sandwiches like the Heart Attack, made of bacon, sausage, ham, fried eggs, and cheddar, and American cheeses.

The shop also makes a mean deli sandwich, like the Don’t Tell Ya Mother, featuring ham, melted swiss cheese, mayonnaise, and honey mustard.   


Kupel’s Bakery, Brookline, Massachusetts

Allan and Diane Kupelnick opened Kupel’s Bakery in 1978. The couple initially planned to make donuts but were lured in by the yeasty call of the bagel.

The pair eventually sold their shop to the store’s manager, who committed to maintaining the quality the Kupelnicks became known for. 

Everything Kupel’s makes is kosher, and the store makes quite a bit. Kupel’s isn’t limited to bagels; the bakery also produces pastries, breads, and cakes. 

The store allows you to customize your bagel experience; you pick the bagel, whether you want it toasted, and which toppings you prefer.

Keep it simple with just a schmear of cream cheese, or craft a masterpiece with smoked salmon, hummus, lettuce, and tomato. 

Kupel’s offers a wide variety of bagels:

  • Plain
  • Everything
  • Sesame Seed
  • Poppyseed
  • Cinnamon Raisin
  • Garlic
  • Egg 
  • Salt
  • Onion
  • Jalapeno
  • Tomato Basil
  • Many More 

Don’t worry about toppings. Kuppel’s cream cheese array is award-worthy, ranging from regular cream cheese to tofu veggie cream cheese. 


Kaufman’s Bagel & Delicatessen, Skokie, IL

Kaufman’s Bagel & Delicatessen makes excellent, straightforward food. The simple, unassuming bakery follows the tradition of excellent Jewish delicatessens the world over. 

The family-run establishment uses all-natural, high-quality ingredients. Kaufman’s specializes in Eastern European recipes, crafting artisan bread and pastries. 

Kaufman’s makes an impressive array of classic deli sandwiches, including a can’t-miss corned beef.

The deli allows you to cobble together your own creation, choosing from a wide variety of bread, meats, cheese, and condiments. 

The shop fresh-bakes its bagels to perfection, comparable to New York’s best. 


Rise Bagel Co. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Rise Bagel Co. had its humble beginning in 2014 at the Fulton’s Farmers Market.

The bagel upstart’s philosophy is simple; make delicious, traditional bread using only organic ingredients. 

Rise’s founders studied in every major bagel mecca. The bakers crafted their recipes honoring Montreal and New York standards.

Rise keeps its menu simple; the bagels are the stars. However, the shop sells all-day brunch, featuring classic egg sandwiches and smoked salmon.

The store’s bagels are naturally vegan and come in the following flavors:

  • Plain
  • Salt
  • Poppy
  • Sesame
  • Rosemary
  • Onion
  • Everything

Rise offers a variety of organic spreads, ranging from rosemary butter to salted maple cream cheese. 


Eltana Wood-Fired Bagel Cafe, Seattle, WA

Woodfire isn’t just for pizzas! Eltana Wood-Fired Bagel Cafe sells handmade, artisan bagels to locals and tourists alike.

The shop is a homey, cozy environment where visitors can enjoy a delicious breakfast while reading a book.

In addition to its bagels, Eltana provides a breakfast and lunch menu. The breakfast options include simple but delicious egg sandwiches.

The lunch, menu-served all day, offers four sandwiches; saffron chicken shawarma, Yemenite egg salad, Kharcho tuna salad, and smoked steelhead trout salad. 

Eltana sells a variety of coffees and teas, but of course, the bagels feature the most flavors, including:

  • Plain
  • Everything
  • Poppy
  • Salt
  • Sesame
  • Cinnamon Raisin
  • Wheat
  • Rainbow
  • Gluten-free

The shop offers a wide array of add-ons, including spreads, flavored cream cheeses, and lox


Yeastie Boys Bagels, Los Angeles, California

Yeastie Boys Bagels follows the punk-rock ethos promised by its name. The popular LA bagelry sells its wares from six food trucks throughout the city.

Customers can pre-order their food through the website and pick it up from the trucks.

Yeastie Boys sells a variety of sandwiches, including the Reubenstein, the company’s version of a Reuben on steroids. 

The trucks carry a range of bagels, including:

  • Plain
  • Everything
  • Sesame 
  • Cheddar
  • Poppy
  • Egg
  • Blueberry

Yeastie boys sell a range of cream cheeses and smears. The trucks even sell mini-bagels for visitors with smaller appetites. 


Proper Bagel, Nashville, Tennessee

Proper bagel brings New York City cool to Nashville. The family-run bagelry bakes its wares in the shop daily, so every purchase is fresh.

The Proper Bagel menu is impressive, featuring a vast array of breakfast and lunch options.

The store features breakfast sandwiches, smoked fish sandwiches, salad sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, salads, and toasts.

In addition to its set menu, Proper Bagel allows visitors to customize sandwiches to their pleasure.

The shop offers an impressive assortment of bagels; in addition to the flavors we’ve come to expect, Proper Bagel makes these unique bread:

  • Spinach everything
  • Egg onion
  • Cinnamon crunch
  • Pumpkin

Wash down all those carbs with one of Proper’s delicious coffee drinks. The shop offers a variety of syrups for those who like their beverages a little sweeter. 


Forage Market, Lewiston, Maine

Forage Market is a true community endeavor. The shop sources its ingredients from local farmers and growers.

Forage’s bakers make new bread and pastries daily, canceling out any need for preservatives.

The store’s bagels are all organic and made from fresh, healthy ingredients. Forage offers simple breakfast and lunch menus.

Egg sandwiches comprise the majority of the breakfast menu, though Forage also offers lox and whitefish.

Choosing from the lunch menu is pretty simple; it’s only one item long. However, visitors can choose between a classic B.L.T. or a vegan version.

In fact, most of Forage’s offerings can be made vegan. 

The shop’s bagel menu is limited but classic, including:

  • Plain
  • Sesame
  • Poppy
  • Everything
  • Sea Salt
  • Garlic

Forage serves breakfast all day, so don’t worry about missing your daily bagel. 


Lenore’s Handmade Bagel Co. Dallas, Texas

Lenore’s Handmade Bagel Co. is the perfect bagelry for introverts. The store exists only in the cyber-space, devoid of a brick-and-mortar storefront.

Proprietors Jessica and Seth Brammer use Texas wheat to make their products.

Though Lenore’s sells its bagels in select coffee shops, ordering them for pickup requires diligence and an appreciation for mystery.

Text alerts let you know which days the store accepts orders, so fans should be sure to sign up for these notifications.

Lenore’s makes five kinds of bagels:

  • Poppy seed
  • Sesame
  • Plain
  • Everything
  • Salt

The shop offers a wide variety of gourmet cream cheeses, ranging from balsamic onion to roasted tomato and caper. 

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Written by Brian Nagele

Brian attended West Virginia University, then started his career in the IT industry before following his passion for marketing and hospitality. He has over 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar industry.

As a former restaurant owner, he knows about running a food business and loves to eat and enjoy cocktails on a regular basis. He constantly travels to new cities tasting and reviewing the most popular spots.

Follow him on LinkedIn, Instagram, Quora, Google Guide and Facebook.