I grew up in a county with a Jewish population of less than 0.25%, so when my friend from Westchester, NY invited me to her house for bagels and lox, I was a little confused. I love bagels - this lox thing must be OK right? Wrong. Lox are amazing, only a shmuck would think anything else. The experience was so great that I even have a group chat with a couple of my friends called “loXXX” now. And if you’re anything like I was a year ago, you’re a little clueless where to get the best lox. Here’s a list of the top 5 places to get bagels and lox in Manhattan. If you're already well versed on lox in the Big Apple, this will probably be a refresher for you.
5. Ess-A-Bagel
Location: Midtown
Price: $
Instagrammability: 2.5/5
If you’re looking for a classic, no-nonsense bagel and lox experience, this is the place to go. It’s apparent they aren’t on board with the new trend of trying to make food aesthetically pleasing for the sake of Instagram, which is refreshing. The line can get long (30-40 minutes) so make sure you know exactly what you want when you get to the front of the line, because they won’t wait for you. The lox are a little softer than I’d like, but nonetheless this place is still a classic when it comes to NYC bagel and lox spots.
4. H&H Midtown Bagels East
Location: Midtown
Price: $
Instagrammability: 2.5/5
Although H&H doesn’t have strong Jewish heritage like some of its competitors, it’s still one of the best places to get a good bagel and lox. They put a little bit more emphasis on their bagels than they do their lox, which to most is probably a plus. If you’re looking for a quick in-and-out place that’ll overload (in a good way) your bagel with lox, H&H would be the place to check out.
3. Murray’s Bagels
Location: Chelsea
Price: $
Instagrammability: 3/5
Murray’s is another classic NYC bagel hotspot and it’s even had a cameo in Orange is the New Black if you’re into famous bagels. Just like H&H and Ess-A-Bagel this place focuses more on their fluffy yet still dense bagels. Still, their lox and cream cheese is pretty phenomenal. If you want an authentic, fresh New York City bagel with your lox, stop by Murray’s in Chelsea. Don’t be surprised when they look at you funny after you ask for your bagel to be toasted, they have a strict no-toast rule (The best way to eat a bagel is warm and fresh out of the oven).
2. Black Seed Bagels
Location: Nolita, Battery Park City and East Village
Price: $$
Instagrammability: 4/5
If you want the most ~hip~ bagel and lox experience this is the place for you. They have several different types of lox and even a house-made beet-cured lox. They have three different locations, each with great aesthetics for those with blogs or Snapchat in mind. Pictures aside, this place is fantastic. The lox are fresh, delicious and a little different than what most lox taste like. You can tell they have pride in their lox and put equal focus on both lox and bagel.
1. Russ & Daughter’s Cafe
Location: Lower East Side
Price: $$$
Instagrammability: 5/5
Russ & Daughter’s is the “torchbearer of Jewish food in America” so it’s no surprise that their new Cafe just a few steps from their famous shop is home to the best lox and bagel in the city. My go-to item is the Classic Board; it has Nova lox and all the fixings you could want. What’s great about the board is that you make the sandwich yourself, meaning you’ll be able to make your very own custom lox-to-cream cheese ratio. Besides having the best-smoked salmon by a landslide, Russ & Daughter’s Cafe has tasty bagels and a great atmosphere. Whether you’ve been a regular at the shop for years or are new to town, Russ & Daughter’s Cafe will really make you feel like mishpocha. Plan ahead and find an activity nearby to do while you wait for a table, I promise you it's worth the schlep (on average I'd say it takes an hour to get a table there Sunday morning).
If you’re a bagel and lox connoisseur, odds are you’ve been to a couple of these places. If you haven’t, I highly recommend you check them out. Be a mensch and let me know your favorite bagel and lox spots in the New York, Baltimore and DC areas in the comments! I may be a Catholic school boy, but I'm always up for some tasty lox.
