INTRODUCTION TO THE BAGELVERSE
Life is a complex web of happenings and experiences. In order to enjoy life's potential it is pertinent to fuel up with a proper breakfast, and there is no better breakfast fuel than a bagel sandwich. Biking down the street and smelling the fresh baked bagel seeping through the cracks of a shop and out onto the street is magical.
No matter where I am traveling or living I am constantly sniffing out the best bagel shops around to feed the fire. Over time I have tasted many bagels from many shops and eventually started keeping note of which bagel shops I have visited. In autumn of 2022 I traveled by bike to the epicenter of the bagelverse, New York City.
I know of many others that have started bagel blogs and attempted to rank and review bagel shops. The closest I have seen to perfection is Everything is Everything and bagel boy is it good. It ranks 202 NYC bagel shops based on an everything bagel with scallion cream cheese. But here's the thing; I don't really like cream cheese. There's just something about it. So I tend to gravitate towards the bagel sandwiches. This particular guide focuses on what I personally look for and admire in a bagel shop.
ABOUT THE BAGEL BOY
My name is Tyler Tegtmeier. I was raised far from the bagelverse epicenter in a town called Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Growing up I did not eat many bagels. The occasional store bought circular monstrosity was enough to keep me from forming an addiction. I also tended to steer clear of bagels because my younger brother liked bagels and it would be sacrilege to like the same things as each other.
I eventually got a job at a Bruegger's Bagels in the Twin Cities while attending the University of Minnesota. The best way to become addicted to something is to get it for free every shift you work. I would show up to work at 6am and pound three asiago bagels straight out of the oven. I would eat bagels for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I would bring home bagels for my roommates and make sandwiches at home on days I didn't work. It only took about two years to go from uninterested to fascinated with bagels. I went from a lowly line employee to a shift supervisor to a baker.
Even though it was a nationwide chain, Bruegger's taught me a good bit about what I value and despise in a bagel shop. Now I work for Butte Bagels in Crested Butte, Colorado in the winters. I used to work the line at Butte Bagels but now just bake two days a week. Needless to say, it is very nice working right along side the business owners and not working for the MAN.
I have tried bagels all over the west and some in the midwest too. In autumn of 2022 my ex and I biked from the bagelverse hub of Montreal to Washington D.C. and ate our weight in bagels along the way, I'm sure of it. In this trip alone we visited 52 bagel shops, 16 of them in NYC.
Bagels are not the only thing I think about but they sure are a passion of mine, which is why I've started this little side project documenting my travels through the bagelverse.
NOT JUST ANOTHER BAGEL BLOG
Well, actually, it is just another bagel blog. Nothing I'm doing here is revolutionary or special. I just have fun compiling all I know about bagels into one place. If you want to review my bagel review site you can send your findings here: tyler.tegt@gmail.com
All photos associated with shops were taken by me or friends I visited shops with. All shop logos were found on business' website.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD BAGEL SHOP
This guide focuses on what I look for in a bagel shop. Here are some of the things I value in a bagel shop: boiled bagels, hand rolled bagels, fresh bagels, baked on premises, bagels on display, fair pricing, friendly staff, a welcoming and non-pretentious atmosphere, a place to sit and eat, egg breakfast sandwiches, fresh fried egg, unique out-of-the-box flavor combos, cool building/location, locally owned and operated, vegetarian and vegan friendly options, NY style bagels (not a huge fan of Montreal style bagels), good energy and community vibes.
If you're looking for shops that specialize in criteria outside of those listed above, I recommend finding another bagel blog.
SCORING BREAKDOWN
Total Package Score
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10
1- I would rather get a bagel from Einstein's
5- Average shop- quality product but nothing that sets them apart OR not what I'm looking for in a bagel shop
10- I would consider moving just to be close to this shop
Bagel Score
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10
1- I would rather eat a grocery store bagel
5- Average bagel- I would eat these each day if it was my best option
10- I would ride my bike 10 miles uphill both ways in the snow every day to get these fresh bagels
BAGEL VOCAB AND DESCRIPTORS
Boiled - Proper bagels are boiled, usually in a large kettle, prior to getting seed-topped and baked
Hand Rolled - When a bagel is shaped by hand and not a machine (for more info, visit: The Art of Hand Rolled Bagels)
Machine Rolled - When a bagel is shaped by a machine, usually using a drier dough so it's not as sticky
Fresh - Still warm from the oven, should NOT need to be toasted
Raw Dog - A bagel eaten without any topping or slice, best enjoyed fresh
Bagel Size
Average size- The size of a brand name grocery-store-bought bagel
NY size- Big. Up to 2x the size of an average bagel. Usually without much of a defined hole