10 Gluten-Free Bagels In New York City, Ranked
Having grown up eating the best of the best bagels in New York City — the bagel capital of the world, I know a good bagel when I taste it. The second I discovered I had a gluten sensitivity, I made it my mission to find the best gluten-free bagels that I could. Now, this isn't an easy feat; neither is living gluten-free. Many places that make some of the absolute best bagels in all of New York City (I'd even argue in the world) make absolutely horrible gluten-free bagels. On the other hand, some shops that aren't necessarily popular or famous for their bagels end up having some of the best gluten-free bagels you'll ever eat. In some cases, the actual bagel making is done by a thrid-party baking company, presumably to gaurentee there is as little cross contamination as possible; that said, the way you source your products is just as important as how you make them in-house.
Now, there are a few things that make a bagel great. A classic New York City bagel has a shiny exterior, is incredibly large in diameter, and is very thick and fluffy. Taste wise, a good plain bagel should have a pleasantly mild flavor. That way you can layer on whatever toppings you want, and you have a nice neutral base to go along with it. I took these qualities into account very seriously when tasting the gluten-free bagels around New York City.
I ordered a plain gluten-free bagel, toasted, with cream cheese at 10 different bagels shops throughout the city. I went with cream cheese because I wanted a mild topping with some weight to it — that way I could really get a sense of each bagel's sturdiness and texture. Here's how they ranked.
10. Zucker's Bagels & Smoked Fish
Zucker's Bagels & Smoked Fish is a bagel store that nearly every single New Yorker has heard of. There are seven locations throughout Manhattan: Tribeca, Grand Central, Upper West Side, Flatiron, Chelsea, Financial District, and Bryant Park. Never in my eight years living in New York City have I walked by a Zucker's and not seen a line going out the door. Zucker's puts a lot of effort into making quality bagels — hand rolling and kettle boiling them before they're baked, creating a product that people go crazy for. Unfortunately, I didn't get the impression that Zucker's puts that same effort into its gluten-free bagels.
As soon as I pulled the bagel out of the to-go bag, I was extremely disappointed. It honestly looked completely sad — it was flat, had zero shine to the exterior (while every other bagel at Zucker's has the telltale shiny crust), and it looked completely dry. As I took my first bite, I was taken aback by the texture. At first, I noticed that it was a bit airy. After a bigger bite, I felt like I was actually chewing on a piece of a sponge. It was completely unpleasant.
The flavor was off as well. It had a sort of nutty, unpleasant flavor that I've never noticed in a bagel before. There was also a lingering after-taste that wasn't very enjoyable, either. Personally, I wouldn't ever spend my money on this bagel again.
Multiple locations
9. Chelsea Bagel
Chelsea Bagel is a quaint bagel shop in New York City with two locations, both in the Midtown East area of Manhattan. I specifically went to the Tudor City location, which is quiet and not as crowded as many of the other bagel shops that I visited around the city.
I was sad to discover that the gluten-free bagel from Chelsea Bagel didn't impress me very much. When I first looked at the bagel, it was small and thin. It actually resembled a hard roll rather than a bagel, almost like it was a little bit deflated. As I bit into the bagel, I immediately hated the texture. It instantly melted in my mouth, which gluten-free folks out there know is one of the worst parts about eating gluten-free. However, from my taste tests, I know it's possible to make a gluten-free bagel that doesn't do that.
The taste wasn't that pleasant, either. The bagel had an oddly sweet taste, and it was reminiscent of my least favorite gluten-free bread brand out there, Udi's. Bagels are supposed to be mild, wheaty, and plain tasting. This had some sort of extra flavor in it (perhaps to make up for the awful texture) that ended up making the whole thing worse.
(212) 368-7777
800 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10017
8. Bagelworks
Bagelworks is located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan – one of the best New York City neighborhoods to eat in, no matter what Anthony Bourdain thinks. This shop is a totally average, unassuming New York bagel shop. The prices are fair, the menu is extensive, and the service is always quick. Bagelworks is my local bagel shop, so I order from here quite often and have always been satisfied with the bagels. I was surprised to see that the gluten-free bagel from Bagelworks didn't actually stand up when compared with a lot of the other bagels that I tried around New York City.
When judging it against the other bagels I tasted, the Bagelworks gluten-free bagel was incredibly small. Specifically, each half of the bagel was not full or fluffy at all. It was almost flat like a pancake, and the cream cheese in the middle was thicker than the actual bagel. It also didn't have any shine to it. Overall this bagel just didn't have the physical qualities that a New York bagel should have.
Once I took a bite, I noticed that it started to disintegrate in my mouth fairly quickly, which is a telltale sign of a gluten-free item. The taste itself was nothing wonderful, but nothing bad either. Overall, it felt like I was eating a piece of gluten-free bread that was slightly thicker than average.
(212) 744-6444
1229 1st Avenue, New York, New York 10065
7. Russ & Daughters
Russ & Daughters is an incredibly popular spot to grab a bagel in New York City. When you head into any of its locations, you have to grab a numbered ticket to place your order. It's usually bustling from the early hours of the morning through lunchtime. There are locations in Midtown Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the East Village.
Although the bagel I received was wrapped very nicely in the Russ & Daughters branded wrapping, I was truly surprised. The bagel was insanely small — about half the size of some of the medium-sized bagels that I ordered from other places. As I tasted it, it reminded me of the types of bagels that you buy in a bag at the grocery store. It had a slightly sweet taste, which I personally didn't enjoy, because it doesn't resemble the neutral taste of a true New York City bagel. The consistency was very doughy, and it kept getting stuck in my teeth. There was no crunch to the bagel whatsoever, and it was very soft and flimsy.
Overall, this isn't a bagel that I would choose to get. Sure, it does the job of offering a gluten-free bagel, but it's not impressive in the slightest. It was also the most expensive plain bagel with cream cheese that I ordered — about $2 above the average that I spent on each of the rest of the bagels.
Multiple locations
6. Agata & Valentina
Agata & Valentina is a grocery store in New York City that has a completely separate location dedicated to gluten-free groceries, baked goods, and a cafe where you can eat. Located on the Upper East Side, it is a safe place for those with celiac disease to go to enjoy a meal without the fear of accidentally consuming gluten.
I often frequent Agata & Valentina and love many of its items, especially the gluten-free pizza, which is some of the best in the city. The gluten-free plain bagel, however, surprised me a bit. It was about medium-sized and didn't really look like a New York City bagel. It was nicely browned on the outside, which made me think that it would have a nice crunch. Instead, it was a lot softer than I imagined. The bagel itself was very moist in consistency, and it didn't fall apart or crumble into pieces — which is a plus. However, it didn't really have that pure bagel flavor and feel.
Ultimately, the Agata & Valentina bagel reminded me of a croissant. It had a buttery but unsweet flavor to it that was honestly very enjoyable. Unfortunately, that's not exactly what you want out of a bagel. I would definitely get this bagel again if I was craving a croissant taste and texture, but I wouldn't recommend this bagel for anything other than that.
(212) 452-0690
1513 1st Ave., New York, NY 10075
5. Liberty Bagels
Liberty Bagels is one of those bagel stores where you have to truly practice patience. There are always a ton of people crowding around the counter, and it can take between 15-20 minutes to get your order. I highly recommend ordering online if you choose to go here. The option to order a gluten-free bagel wasn't available on the website; however, if you write in the instructions to make it gluten-free, the staff will do so. There are four Liberty Bagels locations in New York City: Downtown Manhattan, Midtown Manhattan, Fifth Avenue, and Jackson Heights.
The bagel from Liberty Bagels was definitely the biggest gluten-free bagel that I tried. It was extremely thick and large in diameter. I was a bit perplexed by the overall look of the bagel, however. It had a chalky texture on the outside, and there were red flakes throughout the bagel, which was odd for a plain bagel. I did think that the flavor was good once I tried it — it was plain and bagel-like. The texture was also not bad. The bagel was thick and chewy, and the only thing missing was any sort of crunch when biting into it. Overall, I liked the size and the taste of this bagel. I just wasn't the biggest fan of the softer exterior.
Multiple locations
4. Modern Bread & Bagel
Modern Bread & Bagel is a safe haven for anyone with celiac disease or gluten-intolerances living or visiting New York City. This bakery is a completely gluten-free establishment, which means that there is absolutely no risk of any sort of gluten contamination. Modern Bread & Bagel has three locations in New York City: Upper West Side, Upper East Side, and Chelsea (plus three locations in California).
When first receiving my plain bagel with cream cheese, I was a bit surprised by its size. The diameter of the bagel was standard; however, it wasn't very thick. It almost flattened a bit and didn't have that round, fluffy look that the truly great New York City bagels have.
The disappointment of the size was forgotten once I bit into the bagel. It had an amazing texture, from a crispy crunch on the outside to a nice, chewy inside. The bagel texture was almost exactly like a regular bagel. As for the taste, it had a perfectly normal bagel taste. Plain bagels don't really have that much flavor to them -– and that's what makes them good. It just had the classic bread taste with a touch of tartness and without any sweetness. Overall, I enjoyed how sturdy and delicious this bagel was. I do wish it were a bit bigger, though, so that it could physically feel more like a normal New York City bagel.
Multiple locations
3. Black Seed Bagels
Black Seed Bagels is one of the nicer, more popular bagel spots in the city. It wraps up each bagel in its branded wrapping paper, puts the bagel in an aesthetic bag, and feels very modern. There are 10 locations throughout New York City, ranging from Midtown Manhattan, Lower Manhattan, and even Brooklyn. When comparing the Black Seed gluten-free bagel to the other bagels I tried, I will say that it fits into the small size category. However, it wasn't thin like many of the other small bagels were. Instead, it had about double the thickness of the other bagels and had a nicely shiny exterior.
Since the exterior of the bagel looked like a classic New York City bagel, I thought that it would have that satisfying crunch when I bit into it. Sadly, it was softer than I anticipated. The good news is that the texture did hold up. It was thick, chewy, and satisfying. It felt like I was chewing a real, gluten-filled bagel. As I got down to the final bites, I did notice that a slightly mealy texture appeared; however, it wasn't as noticeable as some of the other brands that I tasted. I thought that the taste was a perfectly mild and wheat-like flavor and was incredibly enjoyable to eat with the cream cheese. I would definitely get this bagel again.
Multiple locations
2. Broad Nosh Bagels
Broad Nosh Bagels is a popular bagel spot in New York City. It has three locations, all of which are on the west side of Manhattan: Hell's Kitchen, Columbus Circle, and the Upper West Side. It takes its bagel-making very seriously and even states on its website that "each bagel is crafted to perfection." When I tried my gluten-free bagel from Broad Nosh, I simply had to agree.
Just by the look of this bagel, I knew it was going to be good. It was medium-sized and was incredibly full looking. The bread was thick and fluffy, and there was a slight shine on the exterior of the bagel. Once I bit into it, I was so excited to hear that classic New York bagel crunch. As I chewed, I appreciated how full and thick the bread was. It didn't disintegrate in my mouth like other bagels sometimes do, and it really felt like a completely normal bagel. The taste was nice and mild, which is exactly what is great about a plain bagel.
This gluten-free bagel from Broad Nosh Bagels was almost neck in neck with my No. 1 choice. It earned second place only because this bagel cost $2 more. I knocked it down a peg for having a higher price for practically the same quality as my top pick.
Multiple locations
1. Pio Bagel
Pio Bagel is a classic New York City bagel shop. It's constantly bustling with commuters and has a very casual atmosphere that makes you feel like you're in a '90s rom-com. There are two locations in Midtown Manhattan and two more in Brooklyn. One major thing to note about the gluten-free bagels at Pio is that they aren't safe for someone with celiac disease. There was even a sign above the gluten-free bagels in the shop that read. "NOT recommended for those with celiac disease." However, if you eat gluten-free due to a sensitivity, you should be fine.
With that being said, Pio Bagel has the absolute best gluten-free bagel I've ever tasted. When I received my order, I was shocked to think that this was a gluten-free bagel. It looked exactly like a normal New York City bagel. It was fairly big in size, and each half of the bagel was thick. The texture of the bagel was five-star perfection. I could hear a clear crunch when I bit into it, and each bite felt like a generous mouthful, which I didn't experience with a lot of the other bagels that I tried.
The taste had the classic plain bagel taste that I wanted. There was absolutely no sweetness at all, nothing extra was added to make up for the lack of gluten, and it tasted completely normal. I will definitely be heading back to Pio Bagel anytime I have a true bagel craving.
Multiple locations
Methodology
Gluten-free bagels are hard to come by in New York City. Many places don't advertise whether they have gluten-free options, so most people find out from word of mouth, trial and error, and reviews on sites like Google Maps or Tripadvisor. For this review, I visited the bagel shops that I could find that clearly stated on their websites or on an online ordering platform that they had gluten-free bagels.
From there, I went to every single one and ordered a gluten-free plain bagel with cream cheese. I chose to get the bagel with cream cheese because I feel like you can't accurately test what a bagel is like if it's completely on its own. I don't know about you, but I don't go around eating plain bagels with nothing on them. The cream cheese allowed me to check the bagels' durability and texture and do it a lot more accurately as well. As I tested these bagels, I kept a specific focus on a few things: the size of the bagel, the exterior (was it shiny, dull, dry), the thickness of the bread, whether there was any crunch when bitten into, the texture of the inside of the bagel, and the overall taste.