The Best Bagels Outside Of New York

Bagels are a delight to eat — chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside, with an array of different, delicious flavors, toppings, schmears, and fillings to choose from. Simply put, almost everyone loves a good bagel, emphasis on good.

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A real bagel is a true delicacy — a perfect vehicle for both savory and sweet, delicious on the weekend or during the week. The best bagels are, undeniably, those that are hand-rolled and boiled before being baked in a wood-fired oven; skip any of those steps and you will surely be faced with a sad, doughy ball with a forgettable flavor and no crust to speak of. Don't even mention those giant lumps of bread that just happen to be round and hole-y that one finds upon supermarket shelves (even the best supermarkets in America) in bags of six! Stay away! It's not worth it! Buy a proper bagel instead!

"But how?" you might be asking. "I don't live in the Tri-State area, and after all, the best bagels are only to be found in New York City, right?" Wrong. We scoured the internet, voraciously read reviews and reached out to locals in various states to come up with a concise list of some of  the best bagels outside of New York City — hurrah!

Alexandra E. Petri contributed to this story.