I normally don't post something without a photo, but it's no trivial matter. I finally had a good bagel in Philly. My first good bagel in 5.5 years here in Philly. I found it at The Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen. A nicely sized plain bagel, lightly toasted with cream cheese. How hard is that to make? Apparently, very hard. I've had many a bagel in Philly, but this was the first bagel I've actually liked.
Thank you Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen.
Unfortunately, it was $2.50. I'd rather take the Chinatown bus up to NYC, see some friends, walk around my old stomping grounds and bring back a baker's dozen than pay $2.50 for a single bagel with cream cheese. Good bagels are the single thing I miss most about NY.
What, for me, makes a good bagel. Step one: it can't be a piece of bread with a hole in the middle. That knocks out 95% of the "bagels" in town in the running. Step two: it's gotta have a slightly crunchy/crusty exterior for the bite into the bagel; none of that soft/mushy stuff. Step three: it's gotta be nice and chewy inside; no dryness, no soft breadyness. Step four: it doesn't need to be covered in other stuff to make it taste good – plain, lightly toasted (or fresh out of the oven), with a nice schmear of cream cheese.
Does anybody out there have a suggestion for a good bagel in town? I tried many, many, many places in the first 1.5 years here to no avail and then I gave up and stopped trying. I recently tried Herschel's East Side Deli in Reading Terminal Market. I highly advise against ordering a bagel there. Before trying a bagel at Herschel's on the suggestion from a co-worker a couple months ago, I can't remember the last time I paid for a bagel in Philly because it's been so long since I gave one a chance.
[Note: Oddly, I was meeting 9 photogs for brunch at the deli and I didn't bother to take a photo of the whole brunch. Too busy talking and eating.]
Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen
700 S. Fourth St.
(215) 922.3274
Mon – Sat: 7:30am – 6pm
Sun: 7:30am – 4pm
Have you tried the bagel place on 3rd St. between South and Bainbridge?
Not exactly in the city, the best I've had is at Roling's in Elkins Park. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/184392
When I was in college, friends of mine from NY would bring back authentic NY bagels to sample, so I feel your pain.
The closest thing to a NY bagel in Philly, in my mind, is Philadelphia Bagel Co. It's right before getting onto 95 on Columbus: 1100 S Columbus Blvd. I haven't been there in years, but I remember when I came home from college, this was where I went for good bagels. I don't recall their bagels being too pricey.
I'm going to second South Street Bagels on 3rd just a few doors south of South St. Matt has ordered a dozen almost every week for the past four years. He loves them. And he's Jewish, if that counts for something!
Having grown up in this area, perfectly content with my frozen Lender's, I never knew what all the fuss about NY bagels was…until I had one. Now, I can't un-know how good they are. It's horrible.
The Market of Lafayette Hill, which boasts a large Jewish clientele, as well as Italian clientele. Used to be Top Shelf at 531 Germantown Pike, right outside of Chestnut Hill. Also good smoked fish products, but the other deli in the same plaza cuts smoked fish (especially lox) more to my taste.
[url]http://www.messyandpicky.com/[/url]
sorry, meant to say http://www.themarketoflafayettehill.com
I feel your pain. My dad's a North Jersey Jew and would never buy a bagel in this town. Every few months, we'd drive about 30 miles to some place in the suburbs that had great bagels. I have no idea what it was. Other than that, try Brooklyn.
But seriously, Pastrami & Things on 18th street has a passable bagel and is cheap. Don't get your hopes up too much, but you won't be completely disappointed.
A good bagel place in this city would make a killing.
Agreed that South Street Bagels is the best I have had so far. I know you don't go much above plain, but their French Toast Bagel is to die for.
I agree with the Pastrami & Things comment. They used to have a store at 15th and Locust with pretty darn good bagels, but it closed. I have tried the 18th and Sansom location, but the bagels, although passable, just don't seem quite as good. They also have a location on Market in the septa terminal somewhere. I don't know if that is any better. I will have to check out Famous 4th and South St.
The last world-class bagel I had was from a shop in a strip-mall in Great Neck, NY. People literally lined up out the door to get them. I live in Bucks County, a food wasteland if there ever was one, and the closest above-average bagel I can access is from Ben & Irv's in Huntingdon Valley. Smallish; crispy/blistered crust; the correct texture inside. I feel your pain.
when we really need a good bagel — we have to go to NE phila. the Casino deli on Welsh Rd (off the Blvd) is good-ish (they're cheap, like $6 a dozen) but we usually go to Steve Stein's Famous Deli on Krewstown Rd (off Grant) They have a whole choose yr own bread rack and they're good. I think around $6 Doz too. not like Delancy Street Bagels here on the fancy Main Line –which have raised their prices atronomically over the last year –a nd are now like $12 a doz.
i agree that the bagel place at Columbus Blvd and Washington Blvd are the best in the area.
if you are down the shore at all, hot bagels in margate are great as well.
[...] Messy and Picky finds a good but pricey bagel at the Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen. [Messy & Picky] [...]
Just go to Bucks county where the Bagel Junction Makes them from scratch and boils and bakes the old world way.Yummo!!
Thanks, but traveling to another county isn't part of the solution in my book.