It's on 2 of my lists. Each entry below is what I wrote about it there, with my verdict on that list, the fullest first.
- Cost$42 for two
- Address179 East Houston Street
- From my guide, updated June 2026.
179 East Houston Street, Lower East Side. Russ and Daughters has been selling smoked fish since 1914, and it’s not technically a deli in the pastrami sense. It’s an appetizing store, which is the traditional Jewish term for a shop that sells fish, cream cheese, and bagels (as opposed to a deli, which sells meat). Yes, there’s a distinction, and yes, it matters to people.
The Classic board ($42 for two) is the thing to get. It comes with Nova Scotia smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, tomatoes, onions, and bagels. Every component is perfect. The salmon is silky. The cream cheese is house-made. The bagels are from Shelsky’s and they’re excellent.
They also have a sit-down cafe around the corner at 127 Orchard Street (Russ and Daughters Cafe) if you want table service. Same food, more comfortable, slightly higher prices. Either way, you’re eating some of the best smoked fish in the world. This is not an overstatement.
179 East Houston Street. Take the F to 2nd Avenue.
I know. Putting Russ and Daughters at the top of a bagel list feels almost too predictable. But here’s the thing. They’ve been open since 1914 and they’re still the best, and that’s not nostalgia talking. Their lox is hand-sliced to order. Their cream cheese is made in-house. The bagels themselves come from Shelsky’s and they’re perfectly chewy with just enough crunch on the outside. The classic order is the bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon, and it’s one of the most perfect food experiences in this city.
Yes, there will be a line on weekends. Yes, it’s worth the wait. I’ve eaten here more times than I can count and it has never once disappointed me. The whitefish salad is also unreasonably good if you want to branch out.