Apollo Bagels

"We’ve got a new-age space race brewing between Pop-Up Bagels and Apollo Bagels, which are each opening locations at an astonishing pace. Just five months after their initial East Village launch, Apollo has a second location across town in the West Village. Expect long lines for their bubbly sourdough bagels." - will hartman

"Run by Joey Scalabrino and Mike Fadem, known for their sourdough starter bagels with a tangy flavor. Offers plain, sesame, and everything bagels."

"Bagels "I love Apollo Bagels and get them nearly every weekend. There is something really special about a good sourdough bagel. I like to bring a couple extra home to freeze for the week in case I have a spontaneous Wednesday bagel craving and don’t have time to run out and get one. I like to bring a sesame bagel back to my apartment, toast it, and eat half with peanut butter, honey, cinnamon, banana and flaky salt, and the other with a vegan cream cheese, smashed avocado, sliced tomatoes, EVOO, lemon zest, and za’atar." - brennan carley

"Apollo Bagels is a minimalist bagel shop. There’s nowhere to sit and only three kinds of bagels available (plain, sesame, and everything). One thing about running a bagel shop that way? It takes a great product. The bagels are sour and bubbly, with a nice, crunchy exterior. The options for toppings include tomato, cream cheese, and peanut butter and jam — so if you’re looking for a bacon, egg, and cheese, you’ll have to try Tompkins Square Bagels a block away." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff

"Apollo in the East Village is a bagel shop with the look of a clean industrial kitchen. You won’t find crates of bagels cooling in a display case up front, or an entirely separate and (hopefully) refrigerated case of schmears and smoked fish salads. But you will find bagels served hot out of the oven that make a sound like popping bubble wrap as you tear into them, burning your fingers in the process. Apollo started as a pop-up from the sourdough pizza experts at Leo, and their bagels are tangy, chewy, and structurally sound enough to hold up their loaded whitefish and lox sandwiches—though we'd recommend ordering your bagel with a separate tub of cream cheese. Remember to breathe while having a primal bread moment on the sidewalk." - willa moore, neha talreja, hannah albertine, will hartman