When I walk by Absolute Bagels any time between 10:00 and 13:00 on a sunny weekend day, I almost always see a long line snaking out of the shop. My first reaction is to keep walking. I have things to do, and who needs to wait 15 minutes for a bagel anyway? But thank goodness I never make that mistake. I jump in the queue and patiently stand on Broadway until I finally get inside the door and start planning my order.
The bagels here are made the old-fashioned way and are constantly streaming out of the oven at a rapid pace. They’re so hot and fresh, I don’t even get them toasted. I just load them up with whatever toppings sound good that day (usually scallion or lox cream cheese), and I always grab a few extras to bring home. At the top of the my list are the sesame, everything, and pumpernickel raisin versions, but you really can’t go wrong, because a lot of people claim these are some the best bagels in the city. After a few bites, you’ll probably be one of them too.