Best Bagels in NYC — Ranked

The oversized Midtown institution — these are the biggest, densest bagels in New York, the kind you can't fit in a toaster. The everything bagel with scallion cream cheese is the correct order

Open since 1914 on the Lower East Side — get a bagel with Nova lox, cream cheese, capers, and red onion. Not the cheapest but the full experience: smoked fish counter, herring, babka, and four generations of the same family

The Greenwich Village staple — properly chewy, not too big, with a strong schmear-to-bagel ratio. The lox spread and the everything bagel are the benchmarks. No toasting allowed and they're right about that

The East Village's own obsession — an enormous flavour selection including seasonal and unexpected varieties, all made properly. The rainbow bagel is Instagram bait but the plain sesame is what the regulars order

The best argument for the newer wave — wood-fired, Montreal-influenced, slightly sweeter and chewier than the NY standard. The smoked salmon sandwich here is the reason people wait 20 minutes on a Sunday

The Park Slope answer to the Manhattan bagel wars — smaller than average, dense, blistered crust, and almost no toppings needed. A Brooklyn institution that Park Slope locals are aggressively protective of