BEAUTIFUL BAY RIDGE (Bagel Boy)

My search for the best bagels in New York continues….

I used to work with a guy who was from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and would always add the adjective “beautiful” before describing his home neighborhood. It sort of became a running joke, but when I spent a good deal of the day a few weeks ago in Bay Ridge (which is quite a ride on the R train), I finally understood the proclamation. Besides being a “beautiful” suburban neighborhood that’s far enough away from the clatter of the city, I discovered they have some seriously “beautiful” bagels.

And my first Bay Ridge Bagel experience was at local favorite Bagel Boy. I had read about this place repeatedly on the internet and once I arrived around 1:00 on a Saturday, I knew I had uncovered a bagel gem. The line was practically out the door – even at 1:00. My guess is I was the only one in line who travelled all the way from Manhattan and most people were not first-timers. Fortunately, I figured out the ordering system and before I even had time to say, “Make that To Go,” I was out the door.

I would have stayed inside to eat the bagel, but there was nowhere to sit. Again, I think all the patrons were locals and took the bagel or sandwich home or to eat in their cars. I was the only poor sucker forced to sit on the bench outside. If it wasn’t as hot as a toaster oven, I wouldn’t have minded so much.

Thankfully, the bagels were on point and made the heat more tolerable. I started with the Plain bagel, which was almost perfect. It was soft and chew with a really nice malty quality. The only thing it was missing was the crunchy exterior. It may have been a little too soft throughout. But it was clearly fresh and just the right size. And the cream cheese was nice and soft – it may have been the heat outside that tempered it because the bagel itself was not really hot.

The Whole Wheat Everything was the other bagel I decided to try. Its textures were a little more diverse – with the outside crunch and the chewy dense interior both ringing true. I’m not sure it was fully whole wheat because the bagel itself wasn’t terribly brown. I didn’t get any sweeter, darker notes. The seasonings were a bit overwhelming and I found it to be quite salty. But I think if I had added one of their many cream cheese or salad offerings, it would have mellowed the flavors.

I’m so glad I made the trek out to beautiful Bay Ridge. I’m not completely convinced its worth a long trip just for the bagels (although I bet the locals would disagree), but if you feel like walking around a nice neighborhood and get a sense of the Brooklyn culture, there are far worse places.

Does Bagel Boy have the best bagels in NY? Although both versions I tried had minor flaws, they’re fresh and tasty and have more good things going for them then bad. A solid 8 out of 10.