I’ve never been a huge bagel eater, being from New Zealand, but since living in New York for the past 4 years that has changed somewhat. I’ve definitely tried a varying range of bagels during this time, and there are ones that make your tastebuds sing and others that leave a bad taste in your mouth. I had heard great things about Black Seed Bagels so I decided to check it out after a particularly long appointment at a hair salon nearby. Upon walking in you can see the workspace where the bagels are being rolled by hand, then boiled in honey water, before being baked in the large wood-fired oven. An interesting point to note: once the bagels are done baking, they then get tossed into a marble chute for cooling using hand-carved walnut peels. Now that’s attention to detail!
I chose the ‘Everything’ bagel with almond butter. Black Seed’s almond butter is made fresh in-house, and is far superior to anything you’ll find in a jar. I couldn’t believe how good it was, and how much they pile on there! All this for only $3.
Black Seed’s owners, Noah Bernamoff & Matt Kliegman, set about to open a bagel shop that combined the best of New York bagels and Montreal bagels. Bernamoff grew up in Montreal and lived near a bagel shop where he would eat one or two for breakfast each morning; while Kliegman was raised in Long Island, NY. With New York bagels being available at every corner store, their availability also brings bad quality. At Black Seed, care and attention to detail is taken to ensure every bagel is up to standard. The result is a leaner bagel (by New York standards), a far cry from the bloated bodega bagel that has become the norm. So do your tastebuds and your body a favor and head to Black Seed Bagels tomorrow morning. They open at 7am.
Black Seed Bagel, 3 locations: (East Village): 176 1st Ave, New York, NY & (NoLita): 170 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012 & (Battery Park City) Hudson Eats @ Brookfield Place, 200 Vesey St, New York, NY 10080.