Outside of Absolute Bagels in the Upper West Side

Absolute Bagels

Rating: 4.9
4.9/5
Price: $$
Bagels Made On-site? Yes
Features: Tourist Trap, Hand-made bagels, Locally owned & operated
Dining Options: Indoor seating
Vegan Friendly? Yes
Gluten-free Bagels? No

summary

Bagel preferences are highly regional, which is why any New Yorker from the UWS will swear that Absolute Bagels is the best bagel shop in the city.

They have a leg to stand on.

The bagels are a bit on the smaller side, but they are always blisteringly fresh. It’s a joy to watch them grab your bagel right out of a steaming pile and spread a generous schmear of cream cheese. This is one of the few shops in the city you’re guaranteed to enjoy even with no spreads or toppings.

This place is as no-frills, old-school as it gets. As far as we can tell they have zero online presence. You can’t get them delivered – not even through a third party app!

Absolute is a bit a victim of their own success. The line can get absolutely (ba-dum-cha) ridiculous at prime times. Here’s a video of the line at one of our recent attempts to visit:

If you’re interested in trying the best bagels in New York City, Absolute Bagels has to be on your list. But if you try to go on a weekend morning – we tried to warn you!

Loaded lox sandwich on a fresh everything bagel from Absolute Bagels
Loaded lox sandwich on a fresh everything bagel from Absolute Bagels