The bagel: New York’s iconic round bread

What is a bagel?

• A bagel is an instantly recognizable bread roll: a round loaf about 10 cm (4 inches) across with a hole through the center.
• The bagel originated in Eastern Europe. According to historians, the word “bagel” first appears in a 1610 book about the Jewish community of Kraków. The author, Leo Rosten, notes that bagels were given to women after childbirth.
• Bagels arrived in the United States with the first Jewish immigrants in the late 19th century. New York embraced them immediately. By 1907, an international bagel makers’ union was founded in New York to regulate production. From there, bagels spread rapidly through the city’s streets.

How do you eat a bagel?

• Like bread, bagels come in many varieties: plain, topped with poppy seeds or sesame seeds, studded with onions, and more.
• You can eat a plain bagel on its own, but bagels really shine as the base for countless sandwich combinations.
• The classic is the famous Bagel with Cream Cheese. The bagel is sliced in half and lightly toasted, then topped with Philadelphia Cream Cheese. It’s an ideal breakfast or snack.
• You can also try more elaborate versions, like bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon—my favorite! The possibilities are endless.

Where to find good bagels in New York?

• Street vendors throughout New York sell bagels for $1, but freshness and quality vary depending on what’s been delivered that day. This may not be the best way to try your first bagel.
• Instead, head to a specialized bagel bakery. Bagel Boss, founded in the 1950s, now has 13 locations across New York. You’ll find one at 544 3rd Avenue, between 36th and 37th Streets.
• Other well-known spots include Ess-a-Bagel, with a shop at 831 3rd Avenue in Midtown, and Murray’s Bagels, at 500 6th Avenue in Greenwich Village.