Ess-a-Bagel

Address: 359 1st Ave.
Zipcode: 10010
Phone Number: 212-260-2252

Ess-a-Bagel is one of those places where atmosphere means nothing if the food tastes good enough. Ess-a-Bagel has about as much visual appeal as your mother in a pair of skivvies. There are no quirky vintage tablecloths, kitschy pieces of art, or perky servers. The store is no-nonsense and happens to be the answer to many a New Yorker’s lifelong question: Where do you find the city’s best bagels? These breakfast breads are close to perfection. Bagels happen to be an art in New York, and Ess-a-Bagel is the deli Picasso. They’re boiled first in water, and the texture is crusty and chewy with just the right pull. Not to mention, they’re about the size of a baby’s head. Slather that baby with a mound of cream cheese and Kosher smoked lox and you have the quintessential New York breakfast of champions.