The types of bagels worth knowing have grown a lot beyond plain and everything in the last few decades, and a good bagel shop will keep at least a dozen styles on the rack every morning.
Some are centuries-old Polish originals. Some are NYC classics. Some are recent additions that earned their spot through pure deliciousness.
If you have been ordering the same plain bagel for the last five years, this is your sign to branch out. Here are the bagel varieties worth trying, what they taste like, and what to put on each one.
KEY POINTS
- Real bagels are kettle-boiled before baking, which is what gives them the chewy interior and glossy crust. Most “bagels” sold at chain coffee shops are steam-baked rolls in a ring form, which is why they taste like bread instead of like bagels.
- The classic NY lineup runs plain, sesame, poppy, onion, everything, salt, pumpernickel, cinnamon raisin, and blueberry. Past those, regional styles like Montreal and bialys are worth seeking out at any shop that takes its bagels seriously.
How to Tell a Real Bagel From a Roll With a Hole
A real bagel goes through two steps that most people do not see. The dough is rolled, briefly chilled to develop flavor, then boiled in malt-sweetened water for about a minute per side before it ever hits the oven.
The boil is what creates the signature dense chew and glossy crust. Without it, you have a bread roll with a hole.
A Smithsonian Magazine feature on bagel history traces the kettle-boiled technique back to Polish Jewish bakers in the 1600s. The method survived migration to America in the late 1800s, took hold in New York’s Lower East Side, and eventually spread to bagel shops across the country.
The sign of a real bagel shop is the kettle in the back and bakers who can show you the proof tray. Frozen dough thawed and baked on a sheet pan is not a bagel. It is a sad imitation.
10+ Types of Bagels Worth Knowing
The lineup at a serious bagel shop usually breaks into two groups: the classics every shop should have and the regional or specialty styles that show up at shops that take it seriously.
1. Plain
The starting point. A good plain bagel has a slightly tangy fermented flavor and a strong chew. If a shop’s plain bagel is bland, the rest of the lineup will be too.
2. Sesame
Coated in sesame seeds before baking. Nutty and slightly sweet, it’s the most popular bagel in NYC for a reason. Goes with almost any cream cheese.
3. Everything
Topped with the everything bagel mix: garlic, onion, poppy, sesame, salt. The most savory of the classics. Pairs best with plain or vegetable cream cheese so the topping does the talking.
4. Poppy Seed
Coated in poppy seeds. Slightly more bitter and floral than sesame. Excellent with lox or smoked whitefish.
5. Onion
Topped with dehydrated onion flakes that crisp in the oven. Bold, savory, a little smoky. Almost a meal on its own.
6. Cinnamon Raisin
The dessert of the lineup. Sweet and soft, a strong pairing with plain or honey-walnut cream cheese. Skip the savory toppings.
7. Blueberry
A more recent addition to the classic lineup. Sweet, fruity, sometimes divisive among purists. Treat it like cinnamon raisin: sweet cream cheese only.
8. Pumpernickel
Made with dark rye and molasses. Earthier, denser, and more flavorful than plain. Great with smoked fish, butter, or sharp cheddar.
9. Salt
A plain bagel with coarse salt baked into the top. Simple but not subtle. Best with cream cheese or plain butter.
10. Asiago Cheese
Topped with shredded Asiago that crisps into a savory crust. The newer kid on the block. Pairs well with breakfast sandwiches or plain cream cheese.
11. Bialy (Bonus)
Technically not a bagel. A bialy is its Polish cousin without the boil and without the hole. The center holds caramelized onions and sometimes poppy seeds. Worth trying if your local shop makes them.
12. Flagel (Bonus)
A flat bagel. Same dough, but pressed before baking, so it ends up shorter and crispier. NYC slang for “flat bagel.” Better surface area for toasting and toppings.
NY Style vs. Montreal Style: Which Is “Real”?
Both are real. They are just different traditions.
| Feature | NY Style | Montreal Style |
|---|---|---|
| Boil water | Malt-sweetened | Honey-sweetened |
| Oven | Steam or stone deck | Wood-fired |
| Size and hole | Larger, smaller hole | Smaller, larger hole |
| Texture | Chewy, dense | Sweeter, less chewy |
| Common toppings | Sesame, poppy, everything | Sesame, poppy |
Bagels R Us specializes in NY style bagels in Jacksonville, built on the same kettle-boil method used in the Lower East Side: malt water, stone-deck oven, and dense chew.
How to Order Like a Regular
A few rules of thumb at any serious bagel shop:
- The longer the line at 8 AM, the better the bagels.
- Order one classic and one experiment per visit. That is how you learn the menu.
- Ask what came out of the oven most recently. A bagel that has been sitting for 90 minutes is not the same product as one from 15 minutes ago.
- Pair sweet bagels (cinnamon raisin, blueberry) with sweet cream cheese and savory bagels (everything, onion) with savory cream cheese. Cross those streams only on purpose.
- Don’t toast a fresh bagel. Save the toaster for day-two bagels.
Pick Your Bagel and Find Your New Favorite
The bagel lineup is bigger than most people give it credit for, and the best way to learn it is to actually try them.
At Bagels R Us, we keep the full NY-style lineup on the rack every morning across our six Jacksonville locations. If you have not branched out from plain in a while, this is the week to do it. Pick three you have never tried and start tasting.
FAQs
What is the most popular type of bagel?
In NYC and most authentic NY-style shops, sesame is the highest seller, with everything a close second and plain in third. Most regular customers eventually graduate from plain to something with topping.
Is a bialy a bagel?
Not quite. A bialy is from the same Polish Jewish baking tradition as the bagel, but it is not boiled and it has no hole. The center has caramelized onions and sometimes poppy seeds. It tastes more like an onion roll than a bagel.
What is the difference between a NY bagel and a Montreal bagel?
NY bagels are boiled in malt-sweetened water and baked in a steam or stone deck oven. They are larger, chewier, and have a smaller hole. Montreal bagels are boiled in honey-sweetened water and baked in a wood-fired oven. They are smaller, sweeter, denser, and have a larger hole. Most NY transplants in Jacksonville prefer NY style. Most Canadians prefer Montreal.
