Brooklyn: Di Fara's is a masterpiece, as is Totonno's. Joe's in Park Slope is atrocious.
Spumoni Gardens somewhere in the middle.
UWS: I like V & T Pizzeria near Columbia University on Amsterdam Ave. Also Sal & Carmine walking distance from Symphony Space on Broadway.
re Tabatchnik's in Union, N.J.: I could write a sonnet each about their deli and their appetizing. They smoked their stuff on site...the smokehouse was in back. I heard they were no longer what they had been when the closed, but still good.
I remember a good deli on Norwood Ave. in Deal, NJ in the old days. Any good delis on the Jersey shore these days?
Bagel Hole in on 7th Ave. in Park Slope makes a nice version of the old-fashioned chewy dense bagel that must be eaten that day. Terrace Bagel in Windsor Terrace makes very good slightly larger slightly softer bagels and good bialies. I had some good bagels from a place on Coney Island Ave. in Midwood, as well. Kosar's seems to have changed recipes withing the past year or two. Their classic bialies are no more, in my humble opinion, although the onion board (pletzl) is still tops.
H&H always was second rate. The place near Columbia is great (Absolute). Columbia Hot Bagel used to be great too.
Anyone remember the great New Jersey bagel places of yesteryear? I remember one on Chancellor Ave. in Irvington, and another on West End Ave. in Jersey City. Both were great places, basically wholesalers with small service counters. My dad would take us late Saturday night to get the early edition of the Sunday paper and hot bagels. Wiggler's in Union, NJ was great also.
I'd love to hear about other great bagels which are no more...
I have to disagree about Artie's. I've only eaten there once and the fries, hot dogs, and pastrami were all mediocre. It's nice to know the place is up on the UWS if necessary, but I'm definitely not putting it in the same category as Ben's Best, Sarge's, or Katz's. \
attmans: i concur w/ teh guy above; really, really good, but i do like arties better. (i've owned a house in balto since '97).
alas, been here 4.5 yrs, and have yet to get to Katz... sacrilege, i know.
Thanks for the tip, Decca. I've never heard of the Bagel Store. I will check them out next time I'm in Williamsburg.
If you're ever in Williamsburgh, my vote - hands down - is:
Bagel Store
(718) 218-7244
247 Bedford Ave
Bagel Store
(718) 782-5856
754 Metropolitan Ave
They have a nice crust on the bottom and they are chewy. To me, they are the real deal.
If you ever happen to be in Toledo Ohio be sure to visit PJ's Deli. It's another great one! I've included the link to a description. http://toledoareafood.blogspot.com/
I didn't even know about La Bagel. I will check it out. Sounds promising. I agree with you about Ess A Bagel. Its bagels are too big and too sweet.
I don't know why Essa Bagel gets such good marks. I think their bagels are too large and too soft and have little flavor. But about a block away is La Bagel. The best I've had. Of course, I haven't sampled every bagel in the New York tri-state area, but La Bagel is my idea of what a begel should be. It's at 263 1st Ave.
As a transplanted Los Angeleno, I share the sentiments about both Langer's and Brent's. When my father died a year ago, we ordered platters from Brent's...nothing to discuss. He would have preferred Brent's to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse any day of the week. I grew up going to Canter's and married a woman whose family went to Junior's. It was a wonderful series of engagement dinners...and lunches...and breakfasts. Thanks, Ed...a topic of great signficance!
I accept the fact that Langers has very good pastrami, but what am I to make of the fact that this "Deli" that some hold out to be so special, offers a pastrami sandwich WITH CHEESE?????????????
Aiy gavalt!!!
Subscribe to our feeds:
Subscribe by email:
Website:
Location:
About:
Favorite foods:
Last bite on earth: