As a former Brooklyn resident, I thought I died and went to heaven when I tasted my first New York bagel. It was so warm and fresh, overloaded with cream cheese and with zero need to be toasted; truly a culinary triumph. I’ve been convinced ever since that no other city could serve up a bagel quite like NYC. Apparently, I was wrong.
Recently New York hosted the New York BagelFest 2025, where bagel makers from across the globe convened to celebrate their creations. According to the festival, more than 2,000 people attended, some competing for the highest honor of best bagel in the world.
“BagelFest feels like a party, but for the makers, it’s a high-stakes moment,” BagelFest founder Sam Silverman shared with Travel + Leisure in a statement. “Winning an award can propel a small regional shop into the national culinary conversation. Our 25 exhibitors were hand-selected because they are leading the bagel boom in their cities, and when they go head to head, the creativity and craftsmanship reach levels most people never imagined possible for a bagel.”…