Best Bagel with lox and cream cheese in New York City

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While famous as the last great bialy bakery, Kossar's also produces some of the most traditional, malty bagels in the city; it is a vital link to the Lower East Side's Jewish culinary history. — Lower East Side

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Morning.

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$

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A modern hybrid that blends NYC tradition with Montreal-style techniques; the bagels are boiled in honey-water and finished in a wood-fired oven, resulting in a smaller, denser, and slightly sweeter ring. — Nolita

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Mid-morning.

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$$

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A tiny, no-frills shop that is a favorite among purists for its smaller, denser, and incredibly chewy traditional bagels; they are one of the few places left that doesn't subscribe to the "massive bagel" trend. — Park Slope

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Morning.

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A classic Midtown destination known for its large, hand-rolled bagels and extensive selection of flavored schmears; it is the quintessential "big NYC bagel" experience with a bustling, high-energy atmosphere. — Midtown East

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Mid-morning; queues move fast but are always present.

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$$

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The world's most glamorous bagel experience; here, fresh bagels are brought out on wooden dowels and served as part of elaborate towers with some of the city's highest-quality smoked fish in a high-design, theatrical setting. — SoHo

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Breakfast/Brunch (reservations required weeks in advance).

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$$$

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Founded after the owners realized Harlem lacked a world-class bagel shop, Bo's has quickly become one of the city's top-tier makers, offering traditional, smaller-scale bagels with a perfect, chewy texture. — Harlem

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Weekday morning.

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A no-frills, cash-only institution widely cited by locals as the city's finest bagel; the hand-rolled rings are boiled and baked in small batches, resulting in a thin, crackling crust and a chewy, airy interior that needs no toasting. — Upper West Side

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Morning (expect a queue); weekday for shorter wait.

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A massive, modern Brooklyn institution that specializes in a high-volume, high-quality experience; they are famous for their dense, oversized bagels and an incredible array of fresh vegetable and fish spreads. — Park Slope

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Mid-morning.

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Consistently ranked as the best bagel in the five boroughs, this Queens staple uses a 1947-era recipe and a massive carousel oven to produce bagels with an unmatched malt-heavy crust and perfect density. — Whitestone (Queens)

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Weekend morning (worth the trek).

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$

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Operating since 1914, this is the definitive "appetizing" shop where lox and cream cheese are treated with religious reverence; the counter service is an art form, and their Gaspe Nova smoked salmon is the city’s undisputed gold standard. — Lower East Side

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Weekday morning to avoid the massive weekend tourist rush.

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$$$

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A reliable, high-quality chain that maintains traditional hand-rolling and kettle-boiling standards across its locations; it is one of the best "upscale" everyday bagel options in the city. — Midtown East

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Morning.

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While often sought out for the photogenic rainbow bagels, Liberty is a serious maker that uses old-fashioned kettle-boiling and stone-oven baking to produce high-quality, traditional NYC bagels. — Midtown

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Afternoon for the "Rainbow" bagel photo op.

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A Greenwich Village icon that for years famously refused to toast its bagels to preserve their integrity; while they have softened that rule, the quality of their hand-rolled, traditionally prepared rings remains elite. — Greenwich Village

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Morning.

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A neighborhood favorite known for its warm, welcoming vibe and its creative, high-quality spreads; the bagels are hand-rolled and boiled on-site, perfectly suited for a slow breakfast in the park across the street. — East Village

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Afternoon for a shorter wait.

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A rare bastion of tradition in the Financial District, providing the neighborhood with expertly hand-rolled bagels and high-quality smoked fish that rivals the best shops uptown. — Financial District

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Weekday morning before the market opens.

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A modern take on the traditional appetizing shop that brings elite-quality smoked fish and hand-rolled bagels to Brooklyn; they are known for sourcing unique varieties of fish and creative, high-end sandwiches. — Cobble Hill

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Lunchtime.

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$$$

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The go-to spot for Midtown workers, prized for its speed and its massive, fluffy bagels that are consistently fresh and perfectly seasoned; the queue often stretches down the block but moves with machine-like efficiency. — Midtown

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07:30 before the Midtown office rush.

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$

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