As a native Midwesterner, I definitely didn’t grow up with the best New York-style bagels. We were frozen Lender’s bagel Family (and when I researched this article, I learned that this is the case with many other families too). Then, as I started traveling and learning more about what makes a good bagel, I started to understand the hype.
To be clear: I am not a bagel snob. I still buy my bagels at the supermarket. But I’m wondering which brand is best, especially given the options on the bread aisle. I asked four bakers for their opinions on the best store-bought bagel.
The bagel-loving panel of experts
- Becca Blackelari: Production manager and baker Blacker’s Bakeshop in Newton, Massachusetts
- Janette Zepeda: Culinary producer at The Kitchn and former baker at Baker & Banker and pastry chef for the Tracy De Jardin restaurant group in San Francisco
- Rachel Appelbaum: native New Yorker and former executive chef Honeycomb Bakery in Hamilton, Massachusetts
- Ruben Torano: Director of Bread and Pastry at Headington Companies and The Commissioner in Dallas
Simply Recipes / Whole Foods Market
The best store-bought bagel, according to experts
For shoppers who don’t live near an independent bagel shop (which is most of us), Appelbaum recommends skipping the bread aisle. “When I’m looking for a supermarket bagel, I’m more likely to buy something in the bakery section of the supermarket than pre-packaged bagels in the bread aisle,” she says.
Overall, the chefs favored this Bakery bagels at Whole Foods. To be clear, this means fresh bagels in the bakery case, not the packaged bagels from 365 By Whole Foods Market.
According to Zepeda, who currently lives in New York City, “A real bagel should have a shiny, slightly bubbly crust that pops just as you bite into it. The inside should be chewy, but not so much that you have to use your jaw for minutes. It should have some weight in the hand without ever feeling like a brick.”
“It’s all about balance,” she adds. “I think the NYC water makes a difference, but it’s the baking technique that really sets the great bagels apart.”
Appelbaum agrees: “When cooked, a bagel should have a thick and crispy outside and be slightly chewy, not too bready or fluffy.”
Surprisingly, Whole Foods bagels deliver just that. While they may not have the crispiest, bubbly crust and are chewier than the best baking bagels, they still have a nice bounce with a contrast between the exterior and the fluffy interior. Blackelari likes that “they retain their fluffiness when toasted without turning into a hockey puck.”
The competitors, which arrive prepackaged in the bread aisle, are often soggy and rubbery and almost always need to be toasted. But Whole Foods’ bakery bagels, which cost about $5.99 for six people, retain their texture whether toasted or not. Given the quality, it’s “a great price,” says Toraño.
2 brands you should spend a lot of effort on
Zepeda often shops in New York City New York bagels. Toraño says he has a newfound love for frozen bagels Ray’s New York. While both are excellent options, they are only available online if you are shopping outside of New York.
If you’re like me and prefer to stock up on your bagels (either at the grocery store or online), keep them in your freezer. Like other types of bread, they freeze well. Remember to cut them in half before storing – you’ll thank me later.
