Between the Bagel NY

"Locals rave about the bagels at this Astoria institution, and New Yorkers make pilgrimages from other boroughs to snag them. The range of bagels is vast. On a recent visit, Asiago and jalapeño-sesame were available, and the roster of cream cheeses and other miscellaneous toppings is just as robust, sometimes with Korean flourishes. There’s the Seoul Meets Bagel sandwich, with bulgogi, kimchi, eggs, American cheese, and gochujang mayonnaise" - Robert Sietsema, Nadia Chaudhury

"Seoul Meets Bagel Sandwich Astoria’s best hangover cure comes in the form of the SMB, aka the Seoul Meets Bagel breakfast sandwich at Between the Bagel. Weekends are quite the scene at this Korean-ish cafe, when people file in for this glorious bagel filled with steaming bulgogi, airy eggs, cheese, kimchi, spicy gochujang mayo, and—crucially—the option to add a crackly hashbrown to balance out all the gooey textures. It’s a sweet and spicy mess that’ll revive you after a long night when a regular BEC just won’t cut it. They only take cash or Venmo." - willa moore, neha talreja, carlo mantuano, carina finn koeppicus

"No matter how busy Between the Bagel gets, Ben, the highly animated owner, will probably offer you one of his balls as soon as you walk in. We can explain. "Ben’s Balls" are essentially Korean arancini—delicious deep fried balls of kimchi rice and cheese—and they’ll keep you occupied until you get what you came for: the SMB. Between The Bagel quickly caught heat on social media thanks to its Seoul Meets Bagel (SMB) breakfast sandwich, a glorious bagel filled with bulgogi, egg, cheese, kimchi, and spicy gochujang mayo. It’s the best hangover cure in the neighborhood. " - bryan kim, neha talreja, sonal shah

"Long ago, food influencers discovered that filming cross sections of the “SMB” (Seoul meets bagel) breakfast sandwich at Between the Bagel would guarantee likes. What’s not to love? Spicy bulgogi, egg, and cheese are piled onto the bagel of your choosing with kimchi slaw for a messy sandwich that’s loaded with flavor." - Eater Staff

"No matter how busy Between the Bagel gets, you’ll probably be greeted by Ben, the highly animated owner, as soon as you walk in. And he’s probably going to offer you one of his balls, on the house. We can explain. “Ben’s Balls” are essentially Korean arancini—delicious deep fried panko crusted balls of rice, bulgogi, kimchi, and mozzarella—and they’ll keep you occupied until you get what you came for: the SMB. Between The Bagel quickly became popular thanks to its Seoul Meets Bagel (SMB) breakfast sandwich, a glorious bagel filled with bulgogi, egg, cheese, kimchi, and spicy gochujang mayo that deserves all the hype. It’s the best hangover cure in the neighborhood." - Neha Talreja