Apollo Bagels

Apollo Bagels, which started as a pop-up from the sourdough-pizza folks at Leo in Williamsburg, has a permanent home in the East Village, and we’re so thankful that they do. The industrial-looking counter is a bit of a scene—especially on the weekends—but once you get your order, and your clothes are perfumed with everything seasoning, you’ll forget that you didn’t wake up early enough to beat out the crowd.

You can get a very good bagel sandwich here (they offer versions with lox or whitefish spread), but we'd suggest ordering a plain, an everything, or a sesame bagel, and getting a tub of scallion cream cheese alongside for ad-hoc, knifeless schmearing. Served hot out of the oven, the bagels are crusty and burnished, as if sun-kissed by Apollo himself. The insides are craggy and chewy, like a really good sourdough loaf, with a little tang. This is bagel that you may never be able to cut in half, because by the time you get to your kitchen, you’ll have eaten the entire thing, rip by savage rip.

photo credit: Will Hartman