This business began in the ’90s when a Wall Street guy, feeling he needed more, went into the bagel business. His original store is in Tribeca; this location opened in the summer of 2017.

Turns out he makes good, affordable stuff.

First, Zucker’s bagels—and I’m a bagel maven—are among the best; plain, onion, poppy seed, sesame seed, a not-too-heavy whole wheat with all the seeds, bits pieces and leftovers (called an ‘everything’), Zucker’s has them all.

Second, they put together a great sandwich: creamy egg salad, succulent, fatty pastrami, corned beef, brisket, pickles, every kind of cream cheese shmear, all the fishes you could want—fast service, the works. They’ve found their groove. They get it.

Third, their pastrami on a whole wheat everything bagel (my favourite) is less than ten bucks; downtown at Katz’s it’s twenty!

A real bagel is freshly soft but properly chewy, with a not too thick, sort of shiny crust that yields, yet cracks when you bite into it. It also has to retain those traits when toasted.

I go there often for something or other—usually a couple of whole wheat everythings—for that afternoon’s snack, maybe tomorrow’s breakfast and, when I open the bag at home discover they’ve put in an extra one, maybe because I’m a regular.

By the way, a proper NYC bagel is hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, and only then, baked.

They also have the expected array of hot and cold drinks. It’s very busy at lunch time.