The best bagels in London: a tried and tested guide
I’ll admit it – I’m a bagel snob.
I left New York in April 2021, and I’ve been dreaming of those glistening, toasted, heavenly doughy NYC bagels since arriving in London. Hand on heart, New York bagels are the only food I miss from the US.
So you can imagine that I’ve been on the hunt for the best bagels in London, and after a year plus, I can now say that I have gathered the definitive list of the best bagels London has to offer. Whether you're looking for a classic smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel or a bacon, egg and cheese, London has it all.
The best bagels in London
1. Papo’s Bagels
Okay, folks, these are NYC bagels baked by true New Yorkers. Georgia and Papo, a wife and husband duo, launched Papo’s Bagels during the throws of the pandemic and, up until recently, were solely wholesalers. These two have been slowly and methodically working on opening a front-of-house shop in a warm warehouse (surprising, I know) space on Shacklewell Road. Papo is slinging out some of the best, if not the best, bagels in London. We ordered the classic, a perfect combination of rich, tart schmear, smoked salmon, tomato, onions and salty capers. Perfectly crunchy and with the doughiest of interiors. Be sure to get there early before they sell out for the day.
What to order? The classic or the tuna melt and grab a coffee from Cafe Melo a few doors down.
Address: Papo’s Bagels, 73-75 Shacklewell Lane, London E8 2EB
Website: paposbagels.com
@adashandasplashxBBagel2. B Bagel
Following encouragement from his bagel-loving father-in-law, Alon Kubi opened B Bagel's original northwest London site in 2010, with support from business partner Yoav Baumgarten. Londoners developed an insatiable liking for the perfectly chewy bagels pretty quickly, and locations now include Soho, Fulham Road and Tottenham Court Road, plus the newer Camden site. Doughy bagels are generously slathered in cream cheese, filled with slithers of delicate smoked salmon, and stuffed with brunch ingredients in demand with Brits across the capital. Never ones to miss a moment in the cultural calendar, they're particularly worth visiting for special occasions – recent takes include a rainbow Pride bagel and a hybrid hot cross bun.
What to order? The Reuben is a particularly indulgent creation – pastrami, melted cheddar cheese, sauerkraut, mustard mayo and pickles doused in house Reuben sauce.
Address: 136, 138 Camden High Street, London NW1 0LU; 236D Fulham Road, London SW10 9NB; 94 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4TN; 54 Wardour Street, London W1D 4JF
Website: bbagel.co.uk
3. Rinkoff Bakery
The delicious scents and tastes of Rinkoff’s challah, pastries and bagels have filled East Londoners with joy for decades. This family-run Jewish bakery started with Hyman Rinkoff — when he left Kyiv for London in 1911.
It was a brisk Saturday morning when we walked up to Rinkoff’s Jubilee Street location to give their bagels a taste and let me tell you; they did not disappoint. We ordered a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, ever-so-slightly toasted on the outside with a relatively doughy interior, accompanied by some of the freshest smoked salmon in London.
What to order? A plain bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Hot tip – don’t forget to get some chocolate babka on your way out.
Address: Rinkoff Bakery, 224 Jubilee Street, London, E1 3BS; Rinkoff Bakery, 79 Vallance Road, London, E1 5BS
Website: rinkoffbakery.co.uk
Caitlin Isola4. The Bagel Guys
Hidden in Hackney’s Netil Market lives a tiny and mighty takeaway bagel shop called The Bagel Guys. The BEC (bacon, egg, cheese) has seen me through many weekends. It’s perfectly contained, which is always a win in my book, as nobody wants toppings falling out the other end of their bagel. The lightly toasted exterior paired with the saltiness of the BEC is a match made in heaven.
What to order? The BEC or the lox.
Address: The Bagel Guys, Netil Market, 13-23 Westgate Street, London E8 3RL
Website: thebagelguys.co.uk
Alamy5. Beigel Bake
Beigel Bake is a London stalwart, beloved by every Londoner alike, and the hangover cure we’ve all needed at one point or another. The beigel itself is chewy and delicious, but the main feature of this beigel is the juicy, melt-in-your-mouth salt beef, which will forever put Beigel Bake on this list of the best beigels in London.
What to order? A salt beef beigel.
Address: Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery, 159 Brick Lane, London E1 6SB
Website: bricklanebeigel.co.uk
6. It's Bagels
It's bagels may not have a brick-and-mortar store, but its offerings are just as delicious as the next bagel shop. You can find It's bagels at Caravan Coffee Roasters & Brewbar, or you can order by 1 pm on Friday for London-wide delivery on Sunday. It sounds like the perfect Sunday morning brunch to me. Their bagels are fresh, warm and deliciously chewy, with a lovely array of cream cheese offerings. We were partial to the Everything Bagel with scallion cream cheese, but there is an option for everyone if you're looking for the tried and true original.
What to order? Everything bagel with scallion cream cheese.
Address: 65 Regent's Park Road, London NW1 8XD
Website: itsbagels.com
Safia Shakarchi7. Good Things Deli
These aren’t NYC-style bagels, but they are still damn good. Good Things Deli, from the team behind The Good Egg, specialises in Montreal-style bagels – smaller, denser bagels that are boiled in honey water and then baked in a wood-fired oven. Good Things Deli does a fantastic job of nodding to the bakeries of Montreal while serving up some must-have deli classics. We had the egg, cheese and greens bagel, which was gooey and delicious, with some nice added flavour coming from the greens.
What to order? Egg, cheese and greens or the white fish salad.
Address: Good Things Deli, 56 Stoke Newington Church Street, London N16 0NB
Website: thegoodegg.co