Bagels in Mid-town East
 

We will be in staying in NYC this weekend and are looking for some great places to fruit, bagels, etc in the morning. We use to visit H&H when it was on the Upper West Side but have found out that it is no longer around. We won't be visiting the Upper East Side to go to H&H so we need something close to our hotel. Any recommendations would be great.

Thanks in advance!!

Ess-a-bagel

http://www.ess-a-bagel.com/

The one of First Ave lost their lease and is searching for a new home.

We're fans of Tal Bagels on 1st between 53rd and 54th.

http://www.talbagels.info

Try both.

Tal's is opening a branch next to the vacated Ess-A on First Ave.

Thanks! I always like to have a plan with kids!!

For what it's worth, I also like Tal, but it may or may not be close to your hotel.

If you are further south, Daniel's (Third Avenue between 37th and 38th) is also good. And if your hotel is in Murray Hill rather than strictly midtown, Bagel Cafe (Third and 30th) is very good ... best in the neighborhood by far for me.

Bagels 101

Bagels should be boiled before being baked.
They should be made of high gluten flour in order to give them the right texture.
If you get a pumpernickel bagel and it has streaks in it, they did not use pumpernickel flour but either molasses or some food coloring.
If possible get them hand rolled, they taste better.
If they have pimples on the bottom, it means they have been steamed not boiled.
There are some places in NYC that will not toast bagels as they are served fresh and should be eaten as such, among them Murray's.

Some US and almost all Canadian bagels are made with sugar to give it a sweeter taste. Ess-A for example tastes more yeasty.

Well that's a shame. We loved Ess-A when we stayed at The Kimberley last year.

ESS-A on 3rd Ave is still open.

The Ess-a-Bagel on 3rd is the one near the Kimberley.