Where to find the best bagels in London
It’s time to put down the sarnies and pick up the bagels
In a sandwich-obsessed city (the latest evidence: the queues at the new London outpost of Sandwich Sandwich), one circular form of things between bread is having its moment in the spotlight. Yes, bagels have got Londoners in a spin, largely thanks to an influx of proper New York-style bagels. All bagels are made of yeasted dough that’s boiled before being baked but big bagel cities each have their own style. In NYC, they’re crustier and crunchier on the outside, fluffier on the inside, and larger in size (hole and all), compared to the thinner, sweeter (the boiling water has honey in it), breadier bagels of Montreal and the chewier, softer, almost hole-less beigels found in London’s Jewish bakeries.
Bagels are nothing new to London. The eastern European bread has been sold in the city since the 19th century, and longstanding bakeries like Rinkoffs and Beigel Bake have been operating for decades but the arrival of places like It’s Bagels and their aesthetically pleasing bagel cross-sections have put the humble holed bread back in the spotlight. And here’s where you can get your hands on the best bagels in London.
It’s Bagels
Co-founded by photographer and New Yorker Dan Martensen and baker Jack Ponting in response to the lack of good bagels in the city, It’s Bagels caused huge queues to snake down Regent’s Park Road when it opened last autumn. And now a second site is on the way to Notting Hill, so there’ll be more fresh baked bagels, schmears, smoked fish and deli salads to go around.
Rye Lane Bagels
This Peckham shop is all about classic bagels with interesting fillings – we’re talking cucumber and olive, lamb shoulder, cheese and kimchi, butter chicken, and smoked brisket melts. The bagels are all super affordable and it’s open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Paulie’s Bagels
Whether you get your Paulie’s fix from the shop on Well Street or the stall at Netil Market, you’re in for a treat. Hand-rolled sourdough bagels, NY-style (co-founder Jordan originally hails from Long Island), are the name of the game. Have napkins on hand for The BEC (that’s bacon, egg and cheese) and follow up with another US classic, a black & white cookie.
Banook Bagels
Ashley and Dave, founders of Banook Bagels, are the creators of ‘the original south London’ bagel – the perfect blend of NYC size and fluffiness and Montreal crispness and density. All Banook Bagels (plain, sesame, everything, poppy seed, cinnamon raisin and jalapeno cheddar) are rolled, boiled and baked by hand. You can order direct from them or find them at south London spots like Lulu’s and Nola.
Papo’s Bagels
Papo’s Bagels, tucked down a Dalston alleyway is Papo’s Bagels, is doing proper NY-style bagels in east London. Fillings include lox, tuna salad and cold cuts but the classic – smoked salmon, tomato, onion, capers and cream cheese – on an everything bagel takes some beating.
Kleinsky’s
Newly opened in Mayfair, Kleinsky’s is a New York-style deli, by way of Cape Town. The bagel offering includes all the classics, like smoked salmon & cream cheese, hot pastrami, and tuna melt, along with some more unusual fillings like lamb bacon with lettuce & tomato and chicken schnitzel with Asian slaw, kewpie mayo & tonkotsu sauce.
Beigel Bake
You can’t call yourself a proper Londoner unless you’ve had a bagel from Brick Lane’s Beigel Bake – the white one, not to be confused with the yellow-fronted Beigel Shop a door down. Open 24/7, it’s quite simply a London institution and home of the best salt beef bagel in town.
Happening Bagel Bakery
This Finsbury Park bakery has been supplying the people of north London with fresh bagels and challah since 1994. It opens at 5am, so it’s perfect for early risers, and it doesn’t shut until midnight so you can pick up a smoked salmon bagel after a night out at Rowans.
Rinkoffs
Baking the East End since 1911, Rinkoffs is probably now best known for its crodough (that’s a croissant-doughnut hybrid) but they also do a fine line in bagels, including these bright rainbow ones.
