Absolute Bagels.

2788 Broadway at 107th Street. Take the 1 to 110th Street.

Absolute Bagels makes what I think is the best actual bagel (just the bread, no toppings) in New York City. They’re hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, and baked in a proper oven. The everything bagel here is perfect. Golden, crispy, covered in a generous layer of seeds that actually stays on instead of falling all over your shirt. The sesame is incredible too.

This place is cash only and the line can wrap around the block on Saturday mornings. It is absolutely, unquestionably worth it. I used to live on the Upper West Side and I went here at least three times a week. The egg and cheese on an everything bagel with a schmear of scallion cream cheese is my personal perfect breakfast.

Plenty of locals will tell you that Absolute is responsible for the best bagels in New York City. The hype around this place is hard to ignore. So much so, I was worried it wouldn’t live up to expectations when I first visited.

Steaming-hot straight from the oven, the bagels are unrivaled. If you ask for them toasted expect to garner eye rolls from the folks behind you, these bagels have nothing to hide.

The shoebox shop dons a line every day of the week, but weekends are something else (the wait can be an hour long). Try to swing by around 10am on a weekday for a better chance of avoiding a long wait. If you do get stuck in line, fret not, the aroma of freshly baked bagels will help keep you contented while you wait.