Good Bagels in San Francisco?

[TheFuzzy]

Folks,

When I first moved to San Francisco, I was spoiled by the presence of Holy Bagel on the Upper Haight -- and old-style, made-on-the-premises, boiled-in-a-vat, no-fancy-flavors baglery. But then Manhatten Bagel bought them; in came the frozen dough, out went the experienced staff, and eventually Holey Bagel closed to be replaced by a Hawaiian ice cream parlor. The ice cream is very good but largely useless for a Sunday brunch.

I've tried bagels from other locations, but Noah's standard of "spongey ring bread" seems to have left its mark; of the bagleries I've been to, only Katz seems to make them right, and they have very limited hours which makes it hard for me to pick up there.

Are there other, quality bagleries that I don't know about? I sure hope so!

(btw, I do make my own sometimes but this generally requires the whole evening before and makes a large mess)

[Gary Soup]

Unless it's changed recently, House of Bagels on Geary still makes bagels the old-fashioned way. They may be as good as anything in New York, though not Montreal quality.

[marlena spieler]

house of bagels is fun to watch the bagels a boiling......and there is a guy behind the counter who is very entertaining in a san fran kinda way.....and i like the bagels as long as they are fresh but they're not new york bagels, except on the really good side they ARE small enough to be bagel-ish not the huge puffy feh things.....

i like house of bagels!

meanwhile, amanda berne wrote in last weeks sf chronicle about a deli and i think she mentioned that the bagels were v good. i think its got a name something like east west deli, on polk street or environs....check out the sfgate website, it was last weeks paper i think.......

marlena

[marie-louise]

There is also a House of Bagels in downtown San Rafael-perfect location before a Marin County hike.

As long as we are on the subject, where oh where can I find a decent bagel in Oakland and/or Berkeley?

[melkor]

As long as we are on the subject, where oh where can I find a decent bagel in Oakland and/or Berkeley?

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I have no idea, but when you find one let me know and I'll start making a regular pilgrimage - frighteningly enough the best we've got in Napa is safeway.

[JAZ]

meanwhile, amanda berne wrote in last weeks sf chronicle about a deli and i think she mentioned that the bagels were v good. i think its got a name something like east west deli, on polk street or environs....check out the sfgate website, it was last weeks  paper i think.......

marlena

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It was East Coast West deli on Polk, which has been around for a while but was recently bought by someone new. They apparently import frozen bagels from some place in NY and finish them here.

[Gary Soup]

I have no idea, but when you find one let me know and I'll start making a regular pilgrimage - frighteningly enough the best we've got in Napa is safeway.

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I don't know if all Safeway in-house bakeries use the same recipe, but the "New York" style (their characterization) sold at the San Francisco North Point Safeway aren't bad, either; they're a lot closer to traditional New York style bagels than the oversized "rolls with holes" sold by Noah's and its imitators.

[marlena spieler]

marin or marin county bagels are also very good. i forget their name exactly but they are an offshoot of house of bagels. many supermarkets in marin carry them..........

marlena

[cookingwithamy]

You can get authentic NY H&H bagels at Crossroads Cafe in South Park/Embarcaqdero. They are very good. The SF Chron wrote something about the bagels at Miller's East West on Polk being expensive ($1 each) but also being authentic and good. Happy bagel hunting!

[Gary Soup]

You can get authentic NY H&H bagels at  Crossroads Cafe in South Park/Embarcaqdero. They are very good. The SF Chron wrote something about the bagels at Miller's East West on Polk being expensive ($1 each) but also being authentic and good. Happy bagel hunting!

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Well, I'd want to know if Cosmo Kramer has called off his strike against H&H before I gave them my business.

[TheFuzzy]

Folks,

Thanks, all! To the House of Bagels I shall go ....