🇺🇸 NYC Bagel Roundup — My Top Picks 🥯

I’ve tried a handful of New York’s famous bagel spots — here’s the real talk on each: 📍 Scoop Bagels 7 E 53rd St, NY 10022 A Korean-run bagel and smoothie spot. Went for their pumpkin bagel (sadly not available anymore), but tried matcha strawberry + pumpkin cream cheese instead. More of a healthy café vibe — also has fresh juices, smoothies, and fruit sandwiches. Service was friendly! 🎃🍓 📍 Apollo Bagels A friend’s recommendation. On weekends, the line stretches outside — I finally went on a weekday. Unlike most shops, Apollo keeps it simple with limited toppings and no fancy cream cheese choices. But wow — their jam and peanut butter bagel was incredible. Crisp, fragrant, perfectly chewy — sometimes simple is best. 💯 📍 Leon's Bagels Probably the most hyped bagel spot in NYC. Weekends are a madhouse, so I went at 7 AM on a weekday — and there was already a small crowd! Verdict: Totally worth it. Their cheddar cheese bagel is a must-try. Also loved their omelette and cream cheese bagels. No photos — I ate them too fast! 🥯🔥 📍 Ess-a-Bagel Famous for their massive smoked salmon bagel. I’m usually a sweet bagel person, but everyone raves about it — so I ordered salmon + blueberry cream cheese (yes, sweet and salty!). The cashier looked shocked and asked twice if I was sure 😂 She said another customer did the same weeks ago — kindred spirit! They served the spreads separately for me to mix. Huge, fresh, and surprisingly delicious. 📍 Liberty Bagels The Instagram-famous spot. Tried their Dubai chocolate cream cheese on a warm blueberry bagel — not too sweet, just fragrant and cozy. Honestly, most NYC bagels hit the spot for me (coming from Europe, where real bagels are rare!). Chewy, crispy, loaded with cream cheese — my kind of comfort food. ✨ Whether you like them classic, loaded, sweet, or savory — NYC knows how to do bagels right. #NYC #NYCBagels #NYCEats #FoodGuide #BagelLove #NYCBreakfast #NYCFoodie #BestBagels #NYCEatsTour #ComfortFoodNYC