"For a bagel with as much puff as it has history, head to Ess-a-Bagel’s original location on 1st Ave. and 19th Street. Now at a few Manhattan outposts, this family-owned business has been churning out highly consistent, quarter plate-sized bagels since 1976. Slightly sweet, these are crisp and chewy in all the right places, and take scallion cream cheese like champions. Their everything looks like it’s frolicked in a meadow full of seasoning, with not a bald spot in sight, and you should eat one in nearby Stuyvesant Square for a perfect start to a New York day. In our taste test, these were the top crowd-pleasers, scoring high on chew and flavor. " - bryan kim, will hartman, willa moore, neha talreja, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah
Kate Previte
