The secret to an exceptional bagel shop? It depends on who you ask. Some argue it's in the traditional technique-hand-rolling, shaping the dough into loops, kettle-boiling, and baking. Others insist it's all about bagel texture-chewy on the inside with a slight crunch on the outside. But a lot of New Yorkers will tell you that the best bagel shops are neighborhood joints where everyone knows your name and your regular order-and can whip it up in record time.

Every New Yorker has a favorite bagel place. However, to uncover the real gems, turn to professional chefs. According to F&W's Best New Chefs, here are the finest bagel joints in New York City.

For over a century, Russ & Daughters has been known not only for its “solid” bagels but also for its expertly prepared lox. “The hand-sliced lox and the feeling that your breakfast is being prepared with the precision of open-heart surgery”, says Rocco DiSpirito, 1999 F&W Best New Chef. Beyond bagels, it offers Jewish staples like latkes, matzo ball soup and some of the city’s best smoked and cured fish. They have expanded beyond their original Lower East Side shop to Hudson Yards and the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

In 2023, Apollo Bagels brought a fresh flavor to the NYC bagel scene. Initially a pop-up shop at Leo's pizzeria in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Apollo now boasts four locations across Brooklyn and Manhattan. Their specialty? Sourdough bagels with an airy inside encased in a bubbly, crunchy shell. They only offer three types of bagels - plain, sesame, and everything, and their sandwiches come open-faced. Owner of Lysée bakery, Eunji Lee, 2023 F&W Best New Chef, praises their plain bagel as well as their cream cheese and tomato sandwich.

Baker’s Dozen in Brooklyn's Greenpoint neighborhood, a favorite of 2015 F&W Best New Chef Bryce Shuman, has been serving up hand-rolled, kettle-boiled bagels since 2012. They're known for their consistently warm, chewy, and crisp bagels. Pro tip: Order six bagels online and you'll receive three more for free with a medium-size cream cheese.

Black Seed Bagels, co-founded in 2014 by restaurateurs Noah Bernamoff and Matt Kliegman, and founding baker Dianna Daoheung, offers a unique blend of New York and Montreal-style bagels. Naturally fermented and subtly sweet, their bagels are baked in a wood-burning oven and are a hit with New York's celebrated chefs.

1997 F&W Best New Chef Dan Silverman, vice president of culinary at Standard International hotels, names Bagel Talk as the place to find the chewiest bagels in the Upper West Side. Despite its many competitors, this no-frills joint has been a neighborhood favorite since 1998.

Lastly, 2006 F&W Best New Chef Jonathan Benno, sings praises for Murray’s Bagels. A fan of the Greenwich Village bagel shop since it opened in 1996, he claims that their oversized fresh-from-the-oven bagel paired with smoked salmon, scallion cream cheese, red onion, capers, and tomato have held a special place in his heart for years. Flavors, textures and experiences vary, but if you're after the ultimate bagel in NYC, these places come highly recommended by those who know their food. Let your taste journey through the city begin.