Ah, Yom Kippur. The holiday that all Jews love to hate and hate to love. While the 25-hour fast may be excruciatingly brutal, every Jew loves a really good bagel—with some great accoutrements, of course—and Yom Kippur is just a great excuse to eat five bagels in one sitting and not get judged.
As a Jew celebrating Yom Kippur in New York City, it is so difficult to find the perfect place to get your bagel order from for your break fast celebration, evidently because there are so many bagel places.
But, stress no more, because here is a definitive list of the best bageleries in New York City, perfectly catered for Yom Kippur break fast.
1. Sadelle's
In my opinion, Sadelle's has the best bagels, not only in New York City, but in all the bagels I have ever tried. And, Grub Street agrees as well, for obvious reasons. Their bagels are hand-rolled and made fresh daily. And, while you may not be able to serve their staple "Sadelle's Tower" at your break fast, you can surely order all the items served, such as their incredible lox, whitefish salad, tuna, and egg salad.
Sadelle's is my family's go-to bagel spot, especially for our break fast order, and I can assure you that everything at Sadelle's, including their salads and freshly made pastries, will be enjoyed by all.
#SpoonTip: If you are in need of plans on Yom Kippur, Sadelle's is hosting their own breakfast from 4:30-11:30 pm. Make your reservation now before it's too late!
2. H and H
H and H is the go-to spot in NYC if you want traditional, OG bagels. H and H has been around since 1972, and although the original locations no longer exist and today's H and H has different owners, they still have the same great bagels (probably because the recipe remains the same).
Because of its fame throughout the country, H and H has received a fare amount of attention. It has appeared in various tv shows such as Seinfeld, How I Met Your Mother, and Friends, and Obama consistently ate at one of the original locations when he attended Columbia University. Hence, you know H and H's bagels are really good.
3. Tompkins Square Bagel
Tompkins Square Bagels is the hipster location of New York Bagels in regards to its creativity, which goes above and beyond. The bagels are "hand-rolled, kettle-boiled and oven-baked daily over wood planks" to perfection. They have a variety of unique bagels, in addition to the classic options you would expect, such as a french toast bagel (pictured above), a chocolate chip bagel, and a blueberry bagel.
Of course, I could never forget their cream cheese options which are seemingly endles—but among the 40 interesting options some standouts are their famous birthday cake cream cheese, pear cream cheese, and chipotle avocado cream cheese. They also have other eccentric options such as a mac and cheese bagel sandwich and pastrami lox, which combines every Jew's two favorite foods into one bagel topping
4. Black Seed Bagels
Black Seed Bagels is new to the NYC bagel game, opening the first location on Elizabeth St in 2014, but that doesn't make their bagels any less delicious. The bagels at Black Seed are actually quite unique in that they are a mix of NY style bagels and Montreal-style bagels. What this really means is that that Black Seed uses the classic NY-style yeast raised dough, but they are boiled in honey-sweetened water, which is typical to Montreal-style bagels.
Black Seed has around 15 different signature sandwich options, which the staff puts great care into preparing. Whether you like a more traditional breakfast sandwich, such as their cream cheese, lox, and onion option, or you're a bit more adventurous with your bagel, such as their ricotta, apple, and honey sandwich, there is truly something for everyone at Black Seed.
5. Russ and Daughters
Russ and Daughters is not only a delicious, aesthetically pleasing, Insta-worthy restaurant, it is also a four generational owned family gem. Beginning in 1914, Joseph Russ served staple Jewish foods such as bagels and lox, latkes, and matzo ball soup to Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side, and since then, it has transformed into a brunch sensation.
The original appetizing shop, located on the Lower East Side, remains 102 years later, however the family has opened two cafes, one a few blocks from the original and one in the Jewish Museum on the Upper East Side.
R&D serves spin offs of classic Jewish foods such as chopped liver with pickled red onion, a pastrami sandwich with lox cured pastrami, munster cheese, and sauerkraut on a pretzel roll, and a variety of unique, make-your-own bagel boards (pictured above).
#SpoonTip: For those not hailing from the New York Area, Russ and Daughters Ships Nationwide, so order soon for your Yom Kippur Order.