The Best Bagels in New York City

New Yorkers take their bagels very seriously. To most New Yorkers the bagel is a way of life not just "a hard bread roll made of yeast dough twisted into a small doughnut like shape, cooked in simmering water, then baked" as defined by Webster's. Most New Yorkers will agree that a fresh bagel should never be toasted, but some love the large, doughy bagels, while others prefer chewier, denser bagels. Some residents of the Big Apple will go blocks out of the way to get the perfect bagel with their favorite topping. So to prevent you from walking around the entire city here is a list of the best bagels in New York.

1) Ess-a-Bagel located at 359 1st Avenue. The bagels are big with a fluff interior and good hard exterior. The bagels here are big enough to be a meal by themselves. They offer such essentials as chicken salad, chopped herring salad, eggplant salad and a whole range of cream cheeses and smoked salmon.

2) Murray's Bagels located 500 Avenue of the Americas between 12th and 13th Streets. Fresh soft bagels made on site. If you get there early you'll get one that is still hot. They offer a wide variety to choose from, including onion, poppy, cinnamon-raisin and pumpernickel. They also offer a very impressive selection of smoked fish.

3) H & H Bagels located at 2239 Broadway. Just about all the bagels are served hot due to the high turnover. This is strictly a take out place and if you want cream cheese or butter you have to put it on yourself. The bagels themselves have a spongy interior. This place is considered New York's most famous bagel shop.

4) Tal Bagel located at 333 East 86th Street (Between 1st and 2nd Avenues). Tal offers dense and chewy bagels. This place gets very busy on weekend mornings. Tal offers all of the usual suspects, including spreads, schmears, cold cuts, smoked fish and extra-chunky egg salad

5) Absolute Bagels located at 2788 Broadway. This place is popular among Columbia students. The bagels are large and light

6) David Bagel located at 229 1st Avenue. The bagels here are big and chewy. They also offer a wide variety of spreads.

7) Daniel's Bagels located at 569 Third Avenue between 37th and 38th Streets. They offer small chewy, dense bagels. If you want your bagel toasted, skip this place. They do not toast their bagels.

8) Kossar's located at 367 Grand Street between Essex and Norfolk Streets. This place is known more for its bialys, but they still serve deliciously dense hand rolled, kettle boiled malt bagels.

Here are a few places that are located in the outer boroughs that also offer great bagels

1) Bergen Bagels located at 473 Bergen Street in Brooklyn.
2) Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Co located 3505 Broadway in Astoria, Queens
3) Bagel Oasis located at 183-12 Horace Harding Expressway in Flushing, Queens
4) Bagel Hole located at 400 Seventh Ave. between 12th and 13th Streets in Park Slope, Brooklyn