Battle of the Bagels

Of all the foods NYC is most known for, bagels rank near the top - in Brooklyn perhaps most of all. I have lived in the borough for just over three years, and moved to the Park Slope neighborhood about six months ago. Recently the February school vacation meant that my roommate Nairi and I had overlapping days off, and what better way to spend it than a comprehensive bagel taste test?

To help us with this endeavor, we enlisted Nairi’s cousin Taline who was staying with us for a few days (Taline is part of our bubble). Together we compiled a list of five independent bagel shops within a reasonable walking distance. Here they are, listed by relative proximity:

Bagel pub

Shelsky’s Brooklyn Bagels

Bagel House (also known as Bagel Factory on Google Maps)

Bagels & Wraps

Bagel World

We took a walk and gathered up one plain bagel from each - not toasted. We aimed to control for the most variables possible, as all scientific studies must do. Once home, each bag was labeled with its respective location and given to Taline. She made sure each bagel was cut evenly and placed on a paper plate labeled with a number.

It was previously agreed upon by all parties that the bagels would be eaten completely plain, as to focus solely on the bagel itself without performance enhancers such as butter or cream cheese. The tasting commenced, each of us making notes and compiling our rankings. Once all bagels had been tested and we had ranked our favorites from best to worst, it was time to share those rankings. At this time, the origin of each bagel was still unknown.

Immediately, a pattern became clear - bagels 2 and 3 were squarely at the bottom, with 1, 4, and 5 occupying various positions in the top three.

Now came the big reveal. Here is my personal ranking - listed from best to worst, along with their assigned numbers.

1) Bagel World

4) Bagel Pub

5) Bagel House

2) Bagels & Wraps

3) Shelsky’s Brooklyn Bagels

That’s right - Bagel World came out on top, at least for me. This was not a huge surprise as we had considered it one of the best shops around. However, it was slightly disappointing as it is the farthest location from our apartment. Still, Bagel Pub ran a very close second, and actually came in first for Nairi. This one is right across the street, perhaps giving it the overall edge when proximity is factored in.

Our notes and rankings

We didn’t have high hopes for Bagels & Wraps, and it certainly did not deliver. In fact, both Nairi and Taline ranked it dead last. But Shelsky’s poor performance was a let down, especially since it is right at the end of the block.

It was Bagel House that pulled off the biggest underdog success. This was particularly true for Taline who ranked it first and Nairi who ranked it second - higher than Bagel World, which was previously thought to be her favorite.

Once the official tasting was done, time for toppings!

So, will this change Nairi’s eating habits? Not so fast, she says. Bagel Pub’s proximity and high ranking means it will still be the go-to, although Bagel House will sometimes get her order more than Bagel World unless she is nearby.

I also plan to frequently Bagel Pub the most, despite its second place finish. However, more of an effort will be made to get Bagel World when the circumstances allow.

Still, this is not the end of the saga. Bagels are of course rarely eaten plain, and a store is only ever as good as its sandwiches. The top three contenders - Bagel Pub, Bagel World and Bagel House, will now move on to Level 2: best bagel sandwich. Who will come out on top? We’ll have to wait and see.