Utopia opened in 1981 and until June 2024, fans who wanted to visit the iconic bakery had no choice but to make a pilgrimage to Whitestone, Queens. Thankfully, there’s now a sprawling location on the corner of 34th Street and Lexington Avenue in Murray Hill where bagels are baked on site. They strike an ideal balance between a crispy crust with tiny air bubbles and a solid, but not overwhelming, chewy interior.
Tal Bagels
357 1st Ave., New York, NY 10010
We’ll forgive you if you’re skeptical of a bagel chain with five locations in Manhattan, but don’t allow that to keep you away from Tal Bagels. The bagels here have crusts with lots of tiny bubbles that shatter at first bite. And while the team mostly sticks to the classics, the olive-rosemary bagel is a welcome offering.
Absolute Bagels
2788 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
Absolute is an icon in New York’s bagel scene. Sam Thongkrieng, who moved from Bangkok to New York and then worked at Ess-A-Bagel in the 1980s, opened the shop near Columbia University in 1990. On weekends, lines here are virtually unavoidable, with students, neighbors, and bagel hunters waiting for the slightly doughy bagels with a nice crust that are as big as a hand. If a full size bagel feels like too much, opt for one of the more modestly sized mini-bagels and wash it down with Thai iced tea. Be sure to bring cash.
Robert K. Chin/Alamy
Tompkins Square Bagels
165 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009
The lines at the original location of this beloved bagel shop just off of Tompkins Square (there are two others in Manhattan) are legendary, but the friendly team moves through them efficiently. Fans come to Tompkins Square Bagels for oversized, puffy bagels (including one flavored like French toast), bagel sandwiches, and a wide selection of house whipped cream cheeses like lox dill, plus a slew of sweet options including ones dotted with fresh fruit. There’s some seating in a space that feels a bit like a 90s era coffee shop, but it’s best to escape the mobs by going to the namesake park.
