Best Bagel & Coffee

"Best Bagel & Coffee, arguably, doesn’t even make the best bagels on 35th. There’s some stiff competition over at Liberty. But don’t let that stop you from checking out this spacious counter-service spot where an efficient production line churns out sandwiches for a breakfast and lunch crowd. The impressive bagels are exactly what you look for in the classic NY genre—puffy, chewy, and a little bit sweet—and you can get them stuffed with everything from jalapeño cream cheese to grilled chicken smothered in mozzarella. photo credit: Emily Schindler" - Bryan Kim

"At Best Bagel on 35th Street, you’ll see a hanging sign advertising a Texas beef sandwich with melted mozzarella and barbecue sauce. Not exactly what comes to mind when you hear “classic NY,” but don’t sell the place short. Their bagels are puffy and chewy, with a touch of sweetness. Big, semi-glossy, and on the flatter side,  they always taste fresh even when they aren’t piping hot. If you’d rather not go the Texas beef route, there’s a huge variety of schmears that range from lox and blueberry to bacon honey sriracha." - bryan kim, will hartman, willa moore, neha talreja, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah

"You’re not going to get an actual New York-style bagel in Seattle unless you bring one back from the East Coast on a plane. It's just how it goes. Westman’s bagels don’t quite succeed at replicating what you’ll find in NYC (where bagels are more dense), but they're still pretty good. Flavors range from classic, like everything and sesame, to things like Maldon sea salt and cinnamon currant. Good-not-great bagels aside, we are a fan of their pastries, like tahini chocolate chip cookies, Nutella babka rolls, plus fresh challah on Fridays. Consider coming at the crack of dawn (a.k.a. 7am) when they open, because they do sell out." - Aimee Rizzo