Exclusive | NYC’s best bagels not as good as those in Texas, experts claim

Wait — what the hole?

Brace yourselves, New York — according to the experts, the best bagels are no longer boiled and baked in the Big Apple, but in Texas.

The shock schmear on Gotham’s reputation as a leading carb capital came courtesy of a panel of judges at the 2025 BagelFest, held at CitiField in Queens over the weekend — where Starship Bagels, an upstart from Fort Worth, took top honors over dozens of local greats.

Oren Salomon, owner of Starship Bagels in Fort Worth, was all smiles this weekend after taking home the “Best Bagel” award at NYC’s 2025 BagelFest. @starshipbagel/Instagram

More humiliating still, the People’s Choice award at the edible event — attended by thousands of New Yorkers — went to Baltik’s Bagel in Richmond, Va., a five-hour drive away from the nearest of the five boroughs.

Brooklynite Sam Silverman, who founded the festival six years ago, told The Post he stands by the astonishing verdict — and that it’s time for rest-on-their-laurels NYC shops to raise their game and prove the pros and fest attendees wrong.

“I think [New York bagel makers] need to be more competitive,” said Silverman, 33, noting that too many local joints think they don’t even need to attend the event to defend their honor. “Bagel shops from around the city, Long Island and New Jersey need to step it up and put their product to the test. Let’s duke it out!”

“I think a lot of them look at it like they have more to lose than to gain — in the sense that if you’re a New York bagel shop and you win the Best Bagel award, you’re expected to,” Silverman explained. “But if you don’t, it’s like what’s the deal, why didn’t you win?’”

He hastened to point out that one of his local favorites, the Whitestone, Queens-based Utopia Bagels, managed to snag the top prize last year.

A bagel with lox, cream cheese, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and capers is a top seller at Starship Bagels in Fort Worth, Tex. — named “best” by a panel of judges at a New York City bagel event. @starshipbagel/Instagram

The surprising slight comes amid a recent shift in the New York scene, where brash new entrants like Apollo Bagel are able to draw lengthy lines for their lighter, sourdough bagels, a style popularized in recent years in cities like Los Angeles.

BagelFest began in 2019 as a semi-small gathering in Bushwick, New York, though Silverman said he first baked up the idea in 2017 when he realized New York City had never hosted a festival of this kind before.

Approximately 300 fans of the breakfast staple got together that first year to celebrate their mouthwatering love and appreciation for bagels of all kinds, courtesy of the work of Silverman, his then-fiancé and friends.

Attendees at this year’s Big Apple-based BagelFest also chose another out-of-town shop, this time in Richmond, Va., for the People’s Choice award. @starshipbagel/Instagram

Since then, the meet-up has ballooned into a comprehensive trade and consumer show. This year, around 2,000 attendees joined together to participate in the making, judging and eating of their favorite carb creation.

Recipes ranging from traditional favorites to new spins on classics are swapped at the event during live demos and tastings. Bagel-making classes, panel discussions with top industry leaders and networking opportunities are also included.

Additionally, Silverman said, the gathering propels the expansion and funding of both established and up-and-coming bagel shops that are awarded each year with some of BagelFest’s most significant achievements. 

The carby carpetbaggers took home their prize at a time when New York’s own bagel scene is undergoing a major shift, with new spots like Apollo Bagel drawing massive lines for their social media-ready sourdough bagels. Stefano Giovannini

“[In 2021] was the first time we held a Best Bagels competition,” the Greenpointer explained. “To everyone’s surprise, a small upstart from Westport, Conn. beat out all these really established shops. It was PopUp Bagels.”

PopUp, another shop that has dispensed with tradition and brought a new type of bagel experience to the city of late, has since gone on to build a cult following and has expanded to scores of locations nationwide.

Mike Varley, a longtime judge for the competition and creator of EverythingisEverything.NYC, a website where he’s managed to log more than 200 local bagel shop reviews — Utopia is one his favorites, as well — shared that he feels the growing presence of non-local bagels at BagelFest is a good thing for the NYC bagel scene.

Varley told The Post that the outsiders are of a particular mindset: “I’m not trying to be a New York bagel. I’m trying to add to the conversation.”

“I think moving forward, it’s actually great for New York City, because it’s not just about, ‘Oh, I have this one style’,” Varley continued. “The thing about New York City is, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere — for anything. The bagels are no exception.”

5 best traditional bagel shops in NYC that deserve your dough 

Owner Ashley Dikos shows off the bagels at Bo’s, a newer Uptown staple that’s become one of NYC’s best in a relatively short time. Matthew McDermott

You don’t have to go all the way to Texas for a great bagel — here are five of the best NYC bagelries to visit (or revisit!) right now: 

1) Bo’s Bagels – Uptown newbie that’s overtaken much of the classic competition.

2) Utopia Bagels — Once a Whitestone favorite strictly for those-in-the-know, the winner of last year’s BagelFest has become a local biggie, with shops in Manhattan and Long Island City. Order Utopia Bagels on Goldbelly.

Scott Spellman, owner of Utopia Bagels in Whitestone, Queens, took home the top prize in a previous year. Utopia now has multiple NYC locations. BRIGITTE STELZER

3) Tompkins Square Bagel — A trendy downtown favorite that respects respect local tradition. Was around well before the recent bagel craze kicked off. Order Tompkins Square Bagels on Goldbelly.

4) Broad Nosh — Another relatively new add that manages to keep the classic feel; four Manhattan locations kept busy by locals and visitors alike.

5) Ess-A-Bagel — Too often hit or miss, but when they’re on, there’s few better than this Midtown staple with multiple locations now. Top NYC winner at this year’s BagelFest. Order Ess-A-Bagel on Goldbelly.

additional reporting by David Landsel