Ess-A-Bagel--New York Delicious

As adventurers in the quest for that perfect Boston bagel, the Palateers believe we have some expertise when it comes to bagels. That being said, we were blown away by the quality and selection of the Ess-A-Bagel.

Expecting a small bagel shop, we sauntered into Ess-A-Bagel, and quickly realized we weren’t in Boston anymore. Joining a line that snaked around the store beneath chandeliers identical to those in Grandma’s apartment, we waited for our turn to select our bagels. But wait, should we try the vegetable cream cheese on pumpernickel, or the 9-grain with lox and cream cheese, or a whole wheat everything with lox spread, or dare for an onion with tuna? Usually decisive in our food selections, we found ourselves unable to make a decision. And the line inched forward.

Forced to choose as we finally reached the bustling lunch counter, we selected a simple nine-grain bagel with veggie cream cheese, and a plain bagel with tuna spread. And two iced coffees of course. We maneuvered past the regulars slowly sipping their coffees, the young professionals arguing about a business decision, and the families rocking strollers back and forth, to find a small seat in the back of the store.

With the first munch, we knew we had hit gold. Ess-A-Bagel is everything one would expect in a New York bagel – thick bread, smothered in cream cheese, perfectly shaped, with a burst of flavor. It made us long to find that perfect bagel in Boston…and we haven’t given up…The iced coffees were no Au Bon Pain, but rest assured that you can find whatever breakfast treat your heart desires at Ess-A-Bagel in Manhattan.

Ess-A-Bagel
831 3rd Ave # 1
New York, NY 10022
(212) 980-1010