It might seem counterintuitive to trek over an hour just to eat a bagel in New York. But not all bagels are created equally. After the Bronx’s Empire Bagels subtly came up in various bagel-centered conversations, I needed to go see what made these bready delights so memorable to so many people.
I didn’t get to Pelham Bay until about 11:45 a.m., and Empire Bagels closes sharply at noon, so once I exited the 6 train, I bolted. I was surprised to see a line of about 10 or so people, along with a few floaters waiting for their orders. It was at this moment I learned Empire Bagels doesn’t have anywhere to sit inside, and is instead just a takeout window. Once it was my turn, I ordered my usual bacon, egg and cheese.
“Can I have an everything BEC, please?” I asked.
“We don’t have a grill here, no BEC,” the employee said.
Empire Bagels was immediately knocked down a few points for this — though they have a few other locations outside NYC that have grills — but I came all this way, so I wasn’t leaving empty-handed.
“OK, just an everything bagel toasted with scallion cream cheese,” I said.
“We’re out of everything,” the employee said, now knocking myself down a few points for showing up to a place so shortly before closing.
I settled on a whole wheat everything bagel with scallion cream cheese plus a rainbow bagel with plain cream cheese. Despite my obsession with all things colorful, I had never actually tried a rainbow bagel, and what better time to do so?
Less than $10 and 10 minutes later, I received a paper bag with two bagels inside. I walked around the corner to unwrap them. The bagels had that signature firm, slightly crisp shell, and I could only hope the inside was soft and chewy.
I started with the whole wheat everything bagel, and was impressed by two things: one, this bagel was not heavy at all. It had a nice bite and density but somehow was still light and fluffy. Two, they don’t over or under-do it with the cream cheese here, which is one of the most essential formulas to a perfect bagel. The whole wheat everything at Empire Bagels is a solid bagel, and I ended up scarfing the entire thing.
According to their menu, they offer poppy, sesame, onion, everything, salt, garlic, egg, multigrain, French toast, pumpernickel and various other flavors. Most of these were not available when I got there, so, if you’re a stickler for a certain type of bagel, I’d get there much earlier than 15 minutes before closing.
I moved on to the rainbow bagel. I was excited by its bright colors. While I wasn’t quite sure what to expect tastewise, I thought maybe it would be sweet. It is undoubtedly an aesthetically pleasing bagel with its colorful swirls, but once I bit in, I realized it was just a plain bagel with, I am assuming, food coloring. Due to how colorful it was, it almost ended up feeling bland. It is definitely a great option if you’re trying to get a kid to eat—in fact, later that day, a waitress told me she loves to order rainbow at Empire Bagels because she knows her kids will always eat them. It’s also a surefire way to make your social media feed a little more colorful.
Overall, it would take a lot for me to believe a bagel is worth a trip of more than an hour, especially at a place that doesn’t serve my beloved BEC. But there’s no denying that these bagels are incredibly fluffy yet sturdy, and the price really can’t be beat. If I’m even remotely in the area, I would gladly go out of my way to try Empire Bagels again. There’s a reason so many people admire it; if you want a solid good bagel, Empire Bagels’ no fuss approach is a great option.
- Address: 3101 Westchester Ave, Bronx, N.Y. 10461
- Phone: (718) 828-4530
- Hours: Monday-Sunday 5 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Prices: Bagels: $2-$18.75; Fresh Muffins: $4.25; Mini Bagels: $1.25-$12.50; Coffee, Tea and Hot Chocolate: $2.50-$23.50
- Delivery and takeout available; no reservations (just a takeout window)
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