"R&A Sourdough has the best bagels in the city. They’re hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, baked onsite, and, as the name suggests, are made from sourdough. That flavor comes through in a tangy and squishy crumb that has just the right amount of loft, wrapped in a lightly bubbled crust. You can get the usual variety, but there are also flavors like rosemary and pink salt, za’atar, and oats and honey (the latter tastes suspiciously like dessert when paired with the maple cinnamon schmear). The bagel sandwiches are pretty good too—our favorite is the Youngster, which comes with cream cheese, cheddar, egg, hot honey bacon, and hot sauce. R&A is in Ravenswood and is only open until 2pm during the week and 1pm on weekends, so our advice? Go early, and go often." - veda kilaru, john ringor
