Bring up bagels with a group of New Yorkers and you will get strong opinions, a few friendly arguments, and at least one person insisting their neighborhood spot beats everything else. The funny part is that some of the most loved bagels in the state are not only in Manhattan, but also in places like Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca, Albany, and Long Island.
This list rounds up seven shops that people keep naming when the question of the best bagel comes up, from tiny weekend-only counters to a busy Manhattan landmark. Save it for your next road trip, or send it to that friend who swears good bagels stop at the city line.
1. BAGELGROUNDS, Buffalo, NY
Plan carefully for this one, because BAGELGROUNDS only opens three days a week. The doors are open Friday from 7 AM to 1 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM to 1 PM, so a Tuesday craving will have to wait.
That short schedule has not slowed down its reputation. The shop describes itself simply as a bagel and coffee spot featuring fresh hand-rolled bagels, and that hand-rolled part is a big reason it gets compared to the classic New York style…