Review: When you just have to have New York bagels… NOW!

I enjoy a good bagel every now and then. Okay, maybe a little more often than that. Usually they come from the grocery store, encased in a bag with a logo stamped on it or from their bakery department, and probably not the freshest. While they’ve always fulfilled my hunger, they’ve left me wondering if there’s something … more … out there. I had heard of the legend of New York bagels, but I’ve never had the pleasure of discovering them for myself…until now.

1800nycbagels.com is a new business to the internet, though food is in their blood–several generations back! They give you the opportunity to obtain freshly-baked NYC bagels without having to leave your home. Not quite as quick as the pizza delivery boy–they do have to work with UPS and FedEX, after all–they manage to deliver a product that seems like it came right from the oven despite the trip on the truck. Intrigued by this idea, I just had to try them out!

Hard to believe such wonder can await you in a simple brown box. Tear off the 1800nycbagels.com custom tape and inside you’ll find a hunter green gift box with the precious cargo nestled safely inside it. A list of instructions for optimal enjoyment is also included (like don’t refrigerate your bagels and that they can be frozen for up to four months, but slice them before freezing), so you can get the most from your order.

What I noticed right away was how soft they were. The perfect exterior, but yielding, almost begging you to rip them in half and just dig in. I knew they were baked the day before, but “day old” bagels from the supermarket have never had this texture, not even when they’re hot from the oven. These were something else!

We had the opportunity to sample plain, sesame, pumpernickel, and multi-grain energy (which is full of raisins, cranberries, and sunflower seeds). I could eat them plain, as is, but my husband insisted upon toasting and slathering with cream cheese, butter, or melted cheese for the full effect. The multi-grain energy bagels were my favorite of the bunch, but I would gladly eat all of them again. And again. They were phenomenal! Hard to believe that they crossed state lines instead of coming from an oven nearby!

While I love the product itself–and the concept of getting New York City bagels at your door–the website concerns me. If I didn’t have it on good authority that they were a legitimate business, I would have been leery after checking out the generic layout and language/spelling issues. Given that they’re just starting out on the web, however, I’m willing to give them a pass for that. I just hope they do a redesign soon, as they are probably losing business from people who are put off by a less professional design.

Bagels sell for $1.50 each ($18 for a dozen), plus shipping costs. Averaged out, that’s pretty close to what you’d pay at chain bagel shops nearby, but for a better bagel.

You can find out more information and place your orders at 1800nycbagels.com. They’ll be more than happy to help you find your bagel bliss!

Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed on this blog are mine alone, based upon my personal experience. While I received an assortment of complimentary bagels from 1800nycbagels.com, which were used to write this post, I received no monetary compensation nor a request for a positive review. 1800nycbagels.com does not endorse this blog post.