From the sudden closure of Tim Gunn’s bagel shop, to a new bar and an exciting new bakery, we’ve got lots of Upper West Side openings and closings to report.
Bagel Basket on the corner of 90th street and Amsterdam Avenue has closed. “Saw Lee (the baker) and the owner moving things out today,” wrote Beth, our tipster. “They’ve been in that spot, I am guessing for about 10-12 years. Before that they were on B’way and 89th at the SW corner (HSBC)…but I think under different owners. Too bad, good bagels, nice people….even Tim Gunn (of project Runway) shopped there.”
Fitness studio Row House is open at 555 West 59th street. “Row House utilizes authentic crew rowing techniques and combines cardio and strength to create the ultimate workout.” More info here.
Breads Bakery is opening a new location this fall at 1890 Broadway (between 62nd & 63rd Streets) across from Lincoln Center. Foodies we know love this place, which opened its first location in Union Square. Along with the bread, they make items like the babka pictured at right. A publicist sent the backstory: “Uri Scheft, head baker and partner, was born in Israel and raised in Denmark; since opening Lehamim Bakery over a decade ago, he’s become a local loaf legend in Tel Aviv. One of his leading fans (and now business partner), Gadi Peleg, lured him to NYC in 2013 and the two became partners and opened Breads Bakery in Union Square.”
Amity Hall is preparing to open up in the former home of Village Pourhouse at 982 Amsterdam Avenue (109th street). The restaurant and bar also has a West Village location with 40 drafts on 60 taps. They’re going before the community board on June 10 to apply for a liquor license. Thanks to Kathryn for the tip.
Amsterdam Lounge on 119th and Amsterdam is expected to vacate the space at the end of the month. Realtors are already marketing the space, which has 60 feet of frontage on Amsterdam.
Does anyone know what happened with Bagel Basket, all of a sudden like that?
Why are there no good bagel places in the west 80s and 90s? I found a much better selection of quality bagels on the Upper East Side.
Any recommendations?
Point your compass north and go to Lenny’s on 97th & Broadway. Charmingly rundown but top-notch in the taste department. Order a 1/4 lb. of nova and you get 3 free bagels!
You must be looking on CPW, Riverside or West End!
There is a bagel place called Zabars, on 80th and Broadway, plus at least a dozen other good places.
I Miss H&H Bagels!!! They were the Best!!!!!
Little-known fact: Zabar’s gets much of its bread from elsewhere, including Orwasher’s (indicated on its signs) and Sullivan Street Bakery (hidden). I believe their bagels are par-baked elsewhere and finished in the store. They’re good but not terribly authentic.
FWIW I still like the bagels at Tal, despite their being expensive and the seating area unkempt. Farther downtown, Bagel Talk on 77th and Broadway is great.
Totally Zabar’s!!!! Since H&H Bagels closed, they have the best bagels now!!!!!
Zabar’s sources its bagels (at least some of them) from Bagel Talk on Amsterdam between 77th and 78th. Further uptown, I’m a devotee of Lenny’s Bagels (no relation to Lenny’s sandwich shops) and Absolute Bagels.
Really? Wow. Never knew that – but I was about to recommend Bagel Talk too. Great spot.
Never been able to enjoy Zabar’s. I feel like they’re coasting on tourist traffic. Bagels & Co at Amsterdam and 79th is good too, even though it gets crowded.
Nothing comes close to Absolute Bagels on 107th/Bway!
Really???!!! Well then, I must try them! It’s been a little while since I’ve been up on 107th Street. Although I’m now closer to Zabar”s, I look forward to trying something new! Thanks! 🙂
Yup
No more rainbow bagels! OY! What will we do now??
On a happier note, Crafted Bagels, the newish place on 93rd and Amsterdam has good bagels and breads and it’s a nice bright spot.
Crafted Bagels has terrible salads!I needed to order strictly kosher to replace the wonderful Bagel Basket and was very disappointed. The tuna had “things” in it and was dark tuna. Yuck. Need a kosher substitute.
As for Crafted Bagels, just be sure to check your bagels before you leave. At least 5 or 6 times after leaving I found my bagels were hard as rocks! Took them back. Obviously not fresh made. Now I specify that I don’t want them unless they’re soft. Sometimes they don’t have any that are soft.
I’ve had some very good bagels from Crafted, but also some awful, mealy Pumpernickel bagels. I recommend Absolute Bagels on Broadway btw 106 and 107.
Or Flagels…which I also saw at Murray’s in the Village…but they called the Flatties or something like that.
There is Lenny’s Bagels on Broadway and 98th!
Yuk, filthy place.
I’ll second it! Best bagel near me for sure.
Does anyone know where to get sourdough bagels in nyc? Like in “let there be bagels” in the hamptons.
Or how about marble rye bagels, like in “Goldbergs” in the hamptons?
Best bagel place in the Hamptons is in Sag Harbor, Bagel Buoy
The commentariat here doesn’t like anybody who mentions the Hamptons. They’ll perceive you to be a rich, UWS yuppie. They’ll give you hell for driving a BMW and using Tumi luggage.
You’ve been warned.
BMW? That’s just my city car.
I bet Crafted put them out of business since it opened a few months ago. I was so dissapointed with the Crafted bagels. They are super dense and not fluffy! This is very sad. Nothing beats H+H though. Those were the BEST.
I’m no bagel connoisseur, but what about Tal Bagels right around the corner on Broadway?
Oh no, Breads Bakery is the best, and it will be right across the street from me. I’m doomed–that place is like a drug.
FYI
Once saw delivery to Zabars from Bagel Talk where they make the bagels.
So is Eli’s Bread from the same place considering it’s Eli Zabar. That would be sacrilege!
I wonder how many people here remember the legendary H&H Bagels, R.I.P.
I was quite surprised when I learned that, after being an UWS fixture for so many years, they finally closed some years ago.
I know H&H were loved but I didn’t like them at all. They had sugar in them, and they were soft on the outside. Blech. Absolute Bagels are more my speed: crispy, chewy bulbous pillows of glutinous excellence.
Do you know of any bagels that are actually free of sugar?
Owner was indicted, maybe went to jail.
Nothing can compare to Montreal bagels. They are the REAL bagels from Lithuania. Does anyone know where/if they can be acquired in NYC? I have been told that there is a Canadian Deli in Brooklyn off of Atlantic Ave. Do they have authentic Montreal bagels? I believe that they have Montreal Spiced Meat. Where exactually is it?
Black Seed Bagels on Elizabeth St does them Montreal style
I was about to mention Black Seed as well. I haven’t been, but heard they’ve been very uneven. Has anyone here ventured down to try them?
Black Seed is owned by the same folks who own Mile End and I thought the bagels were better when they actually brought them in from St. Viateur in Montreal.
But I really prefer a New York bagel, a good example of which is increasingly harder to find on the UWS. H&H was a horrible puffy monstrosity in its final decade+. I never got the hype with Absolute but the bagels at Zabars and Barney Greengrass are usually pretty good. Will definitely try Lenny’s based on the recommendations here.
I will always miss Columbia Bagels.
for Montreal style bagels and smoked meat
you;l want to try MILE END DELI at
97A Hoyt Street,
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
718-852-7510
or their sandwich shop
53 Bond St
NoHo, Manhattan 212-529-2990
mileenddeli.com
Now this is funny!! Thank you for this. The only decent laugh I’ve had all week.:)
Need a supply of caraway rye bagels for my husband now that Bagel Basket has closed. They were the only store to have good ones.
Anyone know of a place that has them? The only other place we know of is the Price Chopper supermarket chain centered in the Albany, NY area. Sigh.
Service at Bagel Basket was awful, slowest place ever.
Breads Bakery is a gem. They’ve got the best rye bread in the city….hands down. It’s just as you remember from your childhood. And the babka? Well, just try it.
Just want to add another comment in praise of my local place, Absolute Bagels, on Broadway up at 107th. It’s well worth the trek for those of you a bit lower on the UWS. The line can be long on the weekends, but it moves fast.
Hasn’t Rowhouse been open many months? It has Yelp reviews going back to 11/14 and I’m guessing it’s been open even longer. Just trying to drum up new publicity?
So what’s wrong with an English muffin? They toast up great and those little holes are so perfect for holding all that butter and grape jelly … mmmmmmmm.
My fave is Tal Bagels on Bwy and 91st
It’s too bad Tim Gunn didn’t use his ‘Tim Gunn Save’ on The Bagel Basket. The problem with most of your suggestions, while good, they are not kosher… except for Crafted Bagels which are not really bagels but doorstops.
Problem was twofold: rent went up and Crafted opened which created competition in the kosher dairy marketplace. Problem is that Crafted is really awful (being kosher allows one to sacrifice quality as kosher folks have little else as alternative — I can speak from experience). The best bagels are actually north of 96th – Lenny’s and Absolute (which is better than H & H ever was).
Is Breads Bakery taking over the space vacated by beloved Lincoln Cafe, Breadsoul Cafe, and that newsstand? assume so. If true, I’m just ecstatic that it’s not going to be another bank branch! Breads Bakery sounds great. I pray they serve iced coffee. 🙂 Need a newsstand though!
Dear Westside rag
Chipotle on 110 and way has been closed by health and mental hygiene department.
Absolute Bagels are the ABSOLUTE BEST.
NW
So glad someone remembers Columbia bagels!! Wow, do we miss their rye bagels!!!