Nicole H.
Yelp
As a NYC/NJ girl, I am reasonably very picky about pizza and bagels. I was really craving a lox bagel today and I had some time before I had to be where I needed to be. I walked from Rittenhouse Square to this cute corner bagel shop, and was impressed at the crowd outside of the corner shop standing out and inside. I was also more shocked to observe that there were mostly kids behind the counter. I don't think that the children were dealing with the food, just orders and cash register. The worker specifically toasting and making my bagel was definitely an adult. Also, you order one side, then pay another side. I paid with cash and they specify two different prices if you pay cash or card.
I ordered the lox special (lox, cc, capers, tomato and red onion) on an everything bagel which were mislabeled as French toast bagels. I also asked for an iced coffee with oat but got regular cream and sugar (I didn't really mind this error, but I can't speak for everyone.) The coffee was very smooth and creamy and your average corner store coffee, which did its job and was satisfying. I got my coffee almost immediately after I paid, but the bagel took about ten minutes to wait for, but I wasn't in a rush.
Be prepared to not find seating at all- I came around early afternoon (brunch-y hours) and the place looks as full as it probably was around breakfast. However, the atmosphere of sitting on a Fitler Square Park bench did make the dining experience quite nice.
The bagel itself was nicely toasted (I opted to toast it) and bagel toppings were present in flavor, but I did find the bagel to be a little flat and dense. Also, the sandwich wasn't cut completely through in half and I did suffer from the lack of a clean split trying to open the bagel. The cream cheese layer was very liberal (just how I like it), with a thick slice of tomato and a good amount of red onion. The lox was also quite generous, smoky, and velvety. The light amount of capers were also patted into the cream cheese for easier enjoyment, which was greatly appreciated. Overall, this Philly bagel spot passed my NYC/NJ bagel test. Obviously not as good and not comparable, but it did the job quite well and satisfied that craving today.