2025 Update: The 9 Best Bagels in the Upper East Side NYC
On the hunt for the best bagels in the Upper East Side? To help I've asked our food tour guides for their top recommendations on where to find the best bagel spots in the Upper East Side.
Tasty Tours NYC | September 6, 2023
If you're in the Upper East Side you might ask yourself where are the best bagel places near me, with bagel restaurants nearly on every block it can be hard to know where to go, so we asked our tour guides where are the best bagels UES has to offer.
First on the list is H&H Bagels. This popular bagel spot is one of the top bagel shops Upper East Side has to offer and has been serving up freshly baked bagels for over 50 years. H&H Bagels are known for handcrafting traditional New York-style bagels, which are hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, and baked throughout the day. H&H Bagels has more than just bagels offering everything from rugelach, bialy, and babka. Our personal favorite is their everything bagels with their homemade smoked salmon lox spread. Bonus, if you keep a kosher diet, H&H Bagels also has a selection of kosher bagels.
Location: 1551 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10075
What to order: Everything bagels with lox spread
Sitting on the corner of 3rd Avenue and 93rd Street, the aptly named "Bagel Shop" stands as a fan favorite in the heart of the Upper East Side. They are one of the best bagels spots that Upper East Side has to offer and bagel lovers flock to this establishment every day to grab one of their freshly baked bagels. Our personal favorite is their rainbow bagels with some strawberry cream cheese.
Location: 1659 3rd Avenue, NY 10128
What to order:
Rainbow bagel with strawberry cream cheese schmear
Orwashers Bakery is a renowned name in the world of artisanal bread and pastries, but it's also a hidden gem for bagel enthusiasts on the Upper East Side. Orwashers has been in business in the Upper East Side for over 100 years serving up some of the best bagels you can find in the neighborhood. This little bagel shop offer a small selection of bagels and cream cheese, but we recommend trying their everything bagels with a healthy schmear of their tofu vegan cream cheese.
Location: 308 E 78th St, New York, NY 10075
What to order:
Everything bagels with tofu cream cheese and a cold brew latte
B&B Bagels has perfected the art of crafting the quintessential New York bagel. They follow traditional methods like kettle boiling and in-house baking, ensuring that every bite is a testament to their commitment to quality. What truly sets B&B Bagels apart is its wide array of bagel flavors. We recommend trying their cinnamon raisin bagel paired with walnut raisin cream cheese.
Location: 1370 1st Ave., New York, NY 10021
What to order:
Cinnamon raisin bagel and walnut raisin cream cheese
Bagel Express 2
Nestled on the Upper East Side, Bagel Express II is a local bagels restaurant on 2nd Avenue. They have a lot to choose from but we really enjoy their poppyseed bagel egg sandwiches. Each bite of their tasty breakfast sandwiches offer a satisfying crunch of poppy seeds, combined with a fluffy, savory egg center, and the option to add cheese or bacon.
Location: 1228 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10065
What to order:
Poppyseed bagel egg sandwich
Popup Bagel
Bagels are one of the most iconic foods in NYC and Popup Bagel is arguably one of the best spots to try this classic Jewish American cuisine. Popup Bagel is a relatively new addition to the Upper East Side having opened midway through 2024, but they have become wildly popular. Their bagels are hand-rolled, boiled, and baked fresh every 15-30 minutes and they often feature limited-time flavors and spreads. One of the best bagels I’ve had here was their seasonal pumpkin spice bagel with maple cream cheese. It’s a perfect fall treat that feels like a warm hug in bagel form.
Location: 1457 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10028
What to order: Salt bagel with plain cream cheese
Bagel Bob's has been serving up fresh bagels for more than 30 years and they know how to make a fantastic bagel. What sets them apart from your run-of-the-mill bagel store is their assortment of different cream cheese spreads. We love their sundried tomato cream cheese on their sesame seed bagel. If you're looking for something a little different, we'd also recommend trying out their white fish salad on a bagel.
Location: 1641 York Ave, New York, NY 10028
What to order: Mini everything bagel with sundried tomato cream cheese
Tal Bagels
You can't have a conversation about the best bagels around without mentioning Tal Bagels. With multiple locations around New York City, they have cracked the code on what it takes to consistently make great bagels. As well as having some of the best bagels in the UES we'd also say they have some of the best bagels near Central Park. Pop into any of their locations, grab yourself a salt bagel with jalapeno cream cheese, and eat it in the park in the sunshine!
Location: 1228 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10028
What to order:
Salt bagel with jalapeno cream cheese
Tal Bagels
You can't have a conversation about the best bagels around without mentioning Tal Bagels. With multiple locations around New York City, they have cracked the code on what it takes to consistently make great bagels. As well as having some of the best bagels in the UES we'd also say they have some of the best bagels near Central Park. Pop into any of their locations, grab yourself a salt bagel with jalapeno cream cheese, and eat it in the park in the sunshine!
Location: 1228 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10028
What to order:
Salt bagel with jalapeno cream cheese
Conclusion: the best bagels in the Upper East Side
So if you're wondering where the best fresh bagels near me are, be sure to check out any of the great locations above, we promise yo won't be disappointed. If you're a foodie looking for an authentic NYC bagel experience and want to discover other hidden food spots, you should join us on one of our Upper East Side Food Tours. It's your ticket to savoring the city's culinary wonders and exploring its diverse food culture.
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