Phoenix: Good bagel shops?

Question

Hi all,

Did a quick search, and didn't come up with much... first of all, thanks for everyone's recommendations on the donut places. I'll definitely give them all a shot! I was thinking of doing bagels and cream cheese spreads this Friday, and wanted to ping you all to see if you have any good recommendations. I'll probably buy juice and milk again, too. 

Personally, I'm not that knowledgable about bagels, but I know when I've struck gold... just an ever-so-slight crunch on the outside, opening up to a wonderfully soft and doughy inside, full of flavor and great texture. 

Size of the bagel doesn't matter too much, and I'd rather the bagels not be split until I buy or serve them. The inside tends to get that dry crust if cut too soon before consuming.

Anyway, I'm off of 24th St and Highland, so anything within a few miles would be great. Thanks in advance!

-Mike

Answer

I'm a big fan of NY Bagels and Bialys, and Chompies is a close second. If you're at 24th/Highland then you're far away from anything I know of, so you should just accept what you have nearby, which is fantastic english muffins at La Grande Orange. Also, there's Au Petit Four at 2501 E Camelback Rd # 18. They've got the only good croissant I've found in Phoenix.

Answer

Great Bagels in this town are hard to find. A few good bagel shops are:

Lox stock and Bagel on McCormick Ranch...crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle.


New York Bagels and Bialys Shea and 71st St. (Agua Calinente) Decent Bagels....great onion Bialys. http://www.nybagelsnbialys.com/

Karshs's bakery on 7th st and Missouri. Not sure about their bagels...their onion pockets are divine and their rye bread is fabulous! http://www.karshsbakery.com/

Brueggers Bagels....Tempe on Mill Ave. They make them the old fashioned way....Boiled then baked. They are as close to NY as we have found in AZ.

Would love to know what otheres recommend!

Answer

I would suggest Karsh's at 7th St. and Missouri as the best bagel option in proximity to the Biltmore area.

http://www.karshsbakery.com/

Answer

I have to second the recommendation for Chompies. I think they are great NY style bagels (which means they are boiled then baked, chewy, while crispy on the outside).

I find the service at the counter (at Greenway and Cave Creek) very rude. They never say thank you, or treat you as a valued customer. However, I think their bagels are great, and continue to go their frequently. If I didn't love their bagels, the poor service would be a turnoff, but I'm hooked, so I keep going there.

Answer

Thanks, everyone! One of my coworkers just mentioned Chompies yesterday, since he buys them at the local market and thinks they're great. I haven't sampled any of those other places, but I think I might try out Karsh's first, since they're close. I may also opt to check out Chompies since they're pretty close, off of Greenway and the 51. I sure hate the rush hour traffic around here, though, and I'm from LA! :)

Answer

Spotty service attitudes from the servers keeps us away from Chompies. I thought we were the only ones, glad to see we're not.

Answer

My Girlfriend swears by a place called 'BagelNosh' which is on Warner road, just east of 48th Street in Awahtukee (sp) They have decent bagels, and it's fun to watch the owner snap at the high-school kids who are spacing out, rather than taking your order, helping you, etc.

Answer

The New Times did an article last fall that describes the bagels for shops in town (including Tempe, Scottsdale, and Fountain HIlls). They only mention Karsh's and Chompies for Phoenix. I thought it described the bagels really well.

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/Issues/2006-10-26/dining/cafe.html

Answer

Big City Bagels in Scottsdale at 101/Hayden

Answer

I love Karsh's and faithfully buy bagels there almost every week, even though they are not an authentic bagel. I grew up on the east coast and I know a real bagel. Still, Karsh's is still good for what it is, a dense, bready bagel, lacking the true boiled sheen ... Scott's next door has good bagels, sourced from either Chompie's or New York Bagels & Bialys. The latter does a reasonably honest bagel that I pick up a few times a year. Back East Bagels in Tempe isn't bad, and when I still lived in south Tempe I was bummed when Bagel Nosh shriveled into oblivion -- glad to hear they're still open (?) ... Even though it's been several years since I've been there, that place in McCormick Ranch may have the best bagels in central Arizona.

Answer

I have always gone to Chompies because it's close and the bagels are good but whenever I have a chance to go out west, 59th Ave north of Union Hills is a small place called Hot Bagels, they are are the best bagels I have had in the Phx area.

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Phoenix: Good bagel shops?

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