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A bagel sandwich sliced in half and opened.
The Ramen Thing at Cleo Bagels.
Cleo Bagels

Philly’s Best Bagel Shops

Seeded, sourdough, crunchy, and chewy: Philly’s bagels will have you saying, “New York who?”

by Ernest Owens and Eater Staff Updated
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The Ramen Thing at Cleo Bagels.
| Cleo Bagels
by Ernest Owens and Eater Staff Updated

It’s no secret that bagels are having a moment. And Philly has a rich history as a carb- and sandwich-loving town, so you’ll never go without one of those bready boys here. In fact, fans will find bagels of all kinds here — sourdough, heavily seeded, whole-grain, Montreal-style, classic — plus all the specialty cream cheese schmears and toppings one’s heart desires. The Philly vs. New York debate will always be a tired one, but one thing Philly residents know for certain: You don’t need to schlep two hours north on Amtrak or I-95 to get a great (some might even say better, but shh) bagel. Here are Philly’s best bagel shops.

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Cleo Bagels

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This new addition to the city’s bagel scene has already become a gem of West Philly. Here, they transform their bagels (sesame, everything, poppy, and more) into tasty sandwiches (such as their signature ramen thing that tastes incredible on a toasted onion bialy).

5013 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19143
A half of a bagel sandwich.
Ramen Thing at Cleo Bagels.
Cleo Bagels

Four Worlds Bakery

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Known for its challah, Four Worlds Bakery is also one of a few places in West Philly to go for a good, bready bagel. Don’t look for rainbow colors or cinnamon swirls — baker Michael Dolich mostly sticks to the classics like sesame, poppy, and everything. You can preorder online.

4634 Woodland Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143
(215) 967-1458
(215) 967-1458

Bart's Bagels

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Brothers Brett and Kyle Frankel are baking crusty New York-style bagels at their West Philly shop. Get a baker’s dozen and a container of schmear to go, or try one of the sandwiches, like a classic bacon, egg, and cheese or a deli combo of pastrami-smoked salmon, scallion cream cheese, and cucumbers.

3945 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 596-5157
(215) 596-5157

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Schmear It (multiple locations)

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The claim to fame at Schmear It — a bagel shop with locations in University City and near Reading Terminal plus a roving food truck — is customization: Customers can add mix-ins like roasted garlic, blueberries, and wasabi to base schmears including cream cheese, hummus, and whitefish salad. With lots of mix-ins, base spreads, and bagel flavors, the possibilities are endless.

3601 Market St #5, Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 792-3892
(215) 792-3892

Downtime Bakery

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Former Eater Philly editor Dayna Evans runs Downtime Bakery, which doesn’t have a dedicated retail shop at the moment. You can preorder small-batch sourdough bagels online for pickup in Mt. Airy or track them down at frequent events and pop-ups around town. The beautifully blistered rounds come in a handful of flavors like everything, sesame, and the uncommon sea salt caraway.

Mount Airy, Philadelphia, PA
A pile of seeded bagels.
Bagels at Downtime Bakery.
Downtime Bakery

Philly Bagels (multiple locations)

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In the bagel biz for about three decades now, Philly Bagels is a trusty go-to at several locations around the city. All the classics are on offer here, but so are specials like pizza bagels and rainbow bagels with birthday cake cream cheese.

2001 Fitzwater St, Philadelphia, PA 19146
(267) 534-5995
(267) 534-5995

Spread Bagelry (multiple locations)

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Spread’s Montreal-style bagels are hand-rolled, boiled in honey water, and baked in a wood-fired brick oven. The fast-growing chain already has 10 locations in and around Philly, with many more on the way.

262 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 545-0626
(215) 545-0626

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K'Far Cafe

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A Jerusalem bagel is a very special thing, and the version at K’Far Cafe — from Zahav owners Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook — is a standout. Order it pressed like a panini with smoked salmon, pickled cucumbers, and za’atar butter for a sandwich-meets-bagel hybrid.

110 S 19th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(267) 800-7200
(267) 800-7200

Also featured in:

Vanilya

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Bonnie Sarana’s East Passyunk bakery has something for everyone, including sweet and savory, but her bagels are out of this world. Try a za’atar bagel with jalapeno cream cheese for a real-deal flavor experience.

1611 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
(917) 751-7044
(917) 751-7044

Also featured in:

Essen Bakery

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The sourdough and rye-infused New York-style bagels come in plain, poppy seed, sesame, and everything at Tova du Plessis’s small East Passyunk Avenue bakery.

1437 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 271-2299
(215) 271-2299

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Knead Bagels

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Just across from Washington Square, Knead bakes some of Philly’s most unusual bagel varieties, like pink peppercorn or togarashi. Layer the bagels with specialty spreads like roasted beet cream cheese or go for a bagel sandwich with sausage, egg, and cheese.

725 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(267) 519-9920
(267) 519-9920

Kaplan's New Model Bakery

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One of the oldest Jewish bakeries in the city, Kaplan’s New Model Bakery serves up perfectly chewy kosher bagels in a variety of flavors, including French toast, whole wheat, and blueberry. If you’re in South Philly and don’t feel like heading north, fear not: Kaplan’s bagels are available at Biederman’s Specialty Foods, where you can get a variety of smoked fishes to put on top.

901 N 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 627-5288
(215) 627-5288

Also featured in:

The Kettle Black

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The bubbly and golden photogenic bagels at the Kettle Black taste just as good as they look. Vegan diners will be especially happy here: Toppings include dairy-free spreads. Walkups only, so get there early — this Northern Liberties bakery sells out.

631 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Also featured in:

Kismet Bagels

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Husband-and-wife duo Jacob and Alexandra Cohen started baking bagels during the pandemic as a pop-up, quickly skyrocketing to the top of everyone’s bagel list. Now, you can find Kismet’s bagels and unique schmears at permanent shops in Fishtown and Rittenhouse, while a location at Reading Terminal Market focuses on bialys.

113 E Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125
(484) 222-0240
(484) 222-0240

Philly Style Bagels (multiple locations)

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Fishtown’s Philly Style Bagels was an immediate hit when it opened in 2016, so much so that a second location is now open in Old City. The bagels, perfectly firm on the outside and soft inside, are boiled in beer from nearby Yards Brewing Company — can’t get much more Philly than that. Go early or preorder; the shops can sell out.

1451 E Columbia Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125

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Cleo Bagels

5013 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19143

This new addition to the city’s bagel scene has already become a gem of West Philly. Here, they transform their bagels (sesame, everything, poppy, and more) into tasty sandwiches (such as their signature ramen thing that tastes incredible on a toasted onion bialy).

5013 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19143
A half of a bagel sandwich.
Ramen Thing at Cleo Bagels.
Cleo Bagels

Four Worlds Bakery

4634 Woodland Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143

Known for its challah, Four Worlds Bakery is also one of a few places in West Philly to go for a good, bready bagel. Don’t look for rainbow colors or cinnamon swirls — baker Michael Dolich mostly sticks to the classics like sesame, poppy, and everything. You can preorder online.

4634 Woodland Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143
(215) 967-1458
(215) 967-1458

Bart's Bagels

3945 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Brothers Brett and Kyle Frankel are baking crusty New York-style bagels at their West Philly shop. Get a baker’s dozen and a container of schmear to go, or try one of the sandwiches, like a classic bacon, egg, and cheese or a deli combo of pastrami-smoked salmon, scallion cream cheese, and cucumbers.

3945 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 596-5157
(215) 596-5157

Schmear It (multiple locations)

3601 Market St #5, Philadelphia, PA 19104

The claim to fame at Schmear It — a bagel shop with locations in University City and near Reading Terminal plus a roving food truck — is customization: Customers can add mix-ins like roasted garlic, blueberries, and wasabi to base schmears including cream cheese, hummus, and whitefish salad. With lots of mix-ins, base spreads, and bagel flavors, the possibilities are endless.

3601 Market St #5, Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 792-3892
(215) 792-3892

Downtime Bakery

Mount Airy, Philadelphia, PA

Former Eater Philly editor Dayna Evans runs Downtime Bakery, which doesn’t have a dedicated retail shop at the moment. You can preorder small-batch sourdough bagels online for pickup in Mt. Airy or track them down at frequent events and pop-ups around town. The beautifully blistered rounds come in a handful of flavors like everything, sesame, and the uncommon sea salt caraway.

Mount Airy, Philadelphia, PA
A pile of seeded bagels.
Bagels at Downtime Bakery.
Downtime Bakery

Philly Bagels (multiple locations)

2001 Fitzwater St, Philadelphia, PA 19146

In the bagel biz for about three decades now, Philly Bagels is a trusty go-to at several locations around the city. All the classics are on offer here, but so are specials like pizza bagels and rainbow bagels with birthday cake cream cheese.

2001 Fitzwater St, Philadelphia, PA 19146
(267) 534-5995
(267) 534-5995

Spread Bagelry (multiple locations)

262 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Spread’s Montreal-style bagels are hand-rolled, boiled in honey water, and baked in a wood-fired brick oven. The fast-growing chain already has 10 locations in and around Philly, with many more on the way.

262 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 545-0626
(215) 545-0626

K'Far Cafe

110 S 19th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

A Jerusalem bagel is a very special thing, and the version at K’Far Cafe — from Zahav owners Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook — is a standout. Order it pressed like a panini with smoked salmon, pickled cucumbers, and za’atar butter for a sandwich-meets-bagel hybrid.

110 S 19th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(267) 800-7200
(267) 800-7200

Vanilya

1611 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Bonnie Sarana’s East Passyunk bakery has something for everyone, including sweet and savory, but her bagels are out of this world. Try a za’atar bagel with jalapeno cream cheese for a real-deal flavor experience.

1611 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
(917) 751-7044
(917) 751-7044

Essen Bakery

1437 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147

The sourdough and rye-infused New York-style bagels come in plain, poppy seed, sesame, and everything at Tova du Plessis’s small East Passyunk Avenue bakery.

1437 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 271-2299
(215) 271-2299

Knead Bagels

725 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Just across from Washington Square, Knead bakes some of Philly’s most unusual bagel varieties, like pink peppercorn or togarashi. Layer the bagels with specialty spreads like roasted beet cream cheese or go for a bagel sandwich with sausage, egg, and cheese.

725 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(267) 519-9920
(267) 519-9920

Kaplan's New Model Bakery

901 N 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123

One of the oldest Jewish bakeries in the city, Kaplan’s New Model Bakery serves up perfectly chewy kosher bagels in a variety of flavors, including French toast, whole wheat, and blueberry. If you’re in South Philly and don’t feel like heading north, fear not: Kaplan’s bagels are available at Biederman’s Specialty Foods, where you can get a variety of smoked fishes to put on top.

901 N 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 627-5288
(215) 627-5288

The Kettle Black

631 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123

The bubbly and golden photogenic bagels at the Kettle Black taste just as good as they look. Vegan diners will be especially happy here: Toppings include dairy-free spreads. Walkups only, so get there early — this Northern Liberties bakery sells out.

631 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Kismet Bagels

113 E Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125

Husband-and-wife duo Jacob and Alexandra Cohen started baking bagels during the pandemic as a pop-up, quickly skyrocketing to the top of everyone’s bagel list. Now, you can find Kismet’s bagels and unique schmears at permanent shops in Fishtown and Rittenhouse, while a location at Reading Terminal Market focuses on bialys.

113 E Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125
(484) 222-0240
(484) 222-0240

Philly Style Bagels (multiple locations)

1451 E Columbia Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125

Fishtown’s Philly Style Bagels was an immediate hit when it opened in 2016, so much so that a second location is now open in Old City. The bagels, perfectly firm on the outside and soft inside, are boiled in beer from nearby Yards Brewing Company — can’t get much more Philly than that. Go early or preorder; the shops can sell out.

1451 E Columbia Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125

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