The NYC Bagel Experience

I don't know about you, but the first thing that comes to my mind when I hear New York City is one of their famous bagels!

The first bagel shop I found while walking around Broadway was called Board Nosh Bagels and I have to say I was slightly disappointed. I ordered a salt bagel with their sun-dried tomato basil cream cheese. The bagel itself was somewhat fluffy but the size was much smaller than I was expecting. I am an enormous sun-dried tomato fan that had high expectations, but this cream cheese flavor seemed off. It tasted more sour than tangy or sweet. I was also hoping for actual sun-dried tomato pieces which I did not get. The salt bagel tasted more like a regular bagel I could get anywhere.

The next morning, I tried Liberty Bagels at their Midtown Manhattan location. Now this bagel was a magical experience. The bagel was bigger than my head, wonderfully cloud-like, and with a crispy layer making for a glorious bite. I also liked that the cream cheese was not loaded to a ridiculous amount but just the perfect amount of schmear to still indulge. Pictured below is their dill cream cheese with fresh dill garnished on top of the schmear. This made the flavor standout compared to most other cream cheeses. I could taste the freshness from their use of only high-quality ingredients. And their sesame seed bagel was a delicious pairing to the dill. The execution of their hand-rolled and kettle boiled bagels was perfection. No wonder Liberty Bagels is rated the #1 spot for bagels in New York City by Trip Advisor.

Liberty Bagels is first on my list to revisit during my next trip to NYC.

Board Nosh Bagel