Slice & Schmear — Restaurant in Philadelphia

EDIT: Now that Korshak has added Toast Tab, I am now fully happy. Thanks, Korshak team!

I eat Korshak on a weekly basis and they are hands down the best bagels I have ever had; HOWEVER, it is truly maddening about how inefficient their customer service is. Unlike most bagel joints, the way Korshak works (at least during the pandemic) is that a staff member will beckon you in and they will guide you through the store – bagels, schmears, then register. They are always so friendly and informative, but I for one do not need such accommodations, especially when the line stretches down the block. Many people in the line I talk to want to get in, get their outrageously good bagels, and get home with enough time to eat one before work at 9:00. Most Wednesday mornings when I come before the store opens around 7:45, it will take the better part of AN HOUR to get home and throw one in the toaster. A couple of times I have seen people shake their heads and walk back home. I have also backed out as well.

Perhaps this system is by design – weeding out those not zealous enough for such a wait. But if Korshak is interested in cutting down wait times and making customers like me happy, I hope he and his team will reconsider how they operate. Personally, I would like to see an "assembly line" approach: one server behind the bagel shelf filling you a bag, then one grabbing you schmears, and then one or two people on the registers. No leaving the counter and holding your hand through the store. If you put labels on the bagel baskets and schmear shelves, most people can intuit what they want.

If there is a plausible explanation for the current approach, please let me know. But if the current format is purely for the sake of providing an intimate bagel shopping experience, this bagel-lover begs you to reconsider. Once Philly starts returning to the office, and customers like me have to factor in a morning commute, getting your bagels will be untenable entirely. My mornings would be considerably...

Be ready to wait in line!

Also, these bagels are amazingly delicious and fresh every day.

Here’s the deal: I HATE standing in lines. However, there are ways around this. My favorite for this place is going on a weekday during times many are at work. They may also have an order ahead option, b/c they do have a service window where you can pickup without going into the shop. Highly recommend utilizing the Too Good to Go app to get a nice selection of bagels without having to wait in line.

For this bagel shop, you must have the experience at least once of getting the tour, because here is what happens: you’ll be introduced to one of the staff, who will make themselves familiar with you by also asking your name (we also have had some that shared their pronouns with us, so 🫰! ) your name is also important because they write it in the bag your order will go in they walk you through all of the bagel choices of the day they walk you through the schmear choices of the day they are patient and help you make decisions and answer questions about the bagels and schmears you’ll also be offered coffee, with room if you need it for cream once your decision is made, you can wander further back to look at the vinyl collection (Jethro Tull was playing once when I was in there, though the owner offered that I could change it if I liked) you will also see the bagels being made by the lovely mongers

Be mindful that they are offering this level of service to every customer, and be grateful that you are able to receive that level of service when you do. It’s a gift, really, and creates some warmth and community. And, again, if you know what you want and don’t need to be given a tour, you can simply ask for it at the window or even...

So first and foremost, the bagels are great. Really, really, really great. In Philly they are by far, like MILES, the best bagels in the city. They are good enough that I'd place them in the top standard deviation in NY, but for Philly, they are super good. And the service was so nice! The owner came out and did a little performance for us people waiting in line first thing in the morning, and the woman taking our order was so helpful! A couple heads up, one: it is expensive. You're paying for the best ingredients and the love. To put it in context, we got two bagels with schmear, six bagels to take home, and a tub of schmear for them and it was $50 with tip. Which is a lot. Like, A LOT. So for us, it's not an every week thing. But for a special occasion, 100% worth it. Also, get there early! We got there at 7:45 and were first in line. By the time they opened, the line was 10 people long. So def get there early! But yeah, I mean, easily best bagels we've had in Philly. Not even close to...