All Of It: National Bagel Day! (January 15, 2026)

Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guest: Sam Silverman, CEO & co-founder of Bagel Up, "New York's Bagel Ambassador"

Overview

In celebration of National Bagel Day, Alison Stewart and guest Sam Silverman delve into the history, cultural significance, and ongoing debates surrounding New York's most iconic food: the bagel. The episode features lively listener call-ins, a rundown of the city’s most beloved and controversial bagel spots, hot takes on bagel-making techniques, and reflections on bagel traditions past and present. The conversation balances nostalgia, culinary critique, and humor, spotlighting what bagels mean to New Yorkers and beyond.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Makes a Great Bagel?

• The Essential Qualities

  • Crackly crust: "A great bagel has that crackly crust. It's gotta be boiled, it's gotta be fresh, and it's gotta be crunchy on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside." – Sam Silverman [02:43].
  • The “eggshell” texture is lauded as the defining characteristic of the ideal New York bagel.

• Making of a Bagel

  • Traditional process: Two or three days, involving dough fermentation, boiling, seeding, and baking.
  • "It's boiled before it's baked. That's the key step in the process...the best people here, they've been doing it for their whole lives and they do it better than anyone else, almost anyone else in the world." – Sam Silverman [03:04].

The NYC Bagel Scene: Past, Present & Changing Tastes

• Bagels as a Cultural Touchstone

  • “You can't really tell the story of New York City without telling the story of our bagel.” – Sam Silverman [01:44].
  • Bagels are “universally beloved” and serve as a comfort food and social connector.

• Listener Call-Ins: Traditions & Hot Takes

  • Jude (West Village): Pumpernickel at Murray’s, “scooping” for fewer calories. [05:16]
  • Jonathan (Upper West Side): Decries “scooping” as “the gentrification of the bagel” and mourns H&H Bagels’ closure. [06:39]
    • Notable quote: "If you're trying to watch your [calories], don't get a bagel, you know, your bagel years are over." [06:39]
  • Nicole (Pelham): Laments lack of good bagels outside city limits. [09:17]
    • Silverman points to the legacy and expertise of the Bagel Bakers Union Local 338.

• Bagel Shop News & Controversies

  • Absolute Bagels Closure & Reopening: Health department shutdown led to new management, but “virtually the same team.” [08:34]
  • Apollo Bagels: Sour dough-based, open-faced, "California style" experience — trendy but "pushes the boundary" of what qualifies as a bagel. [12:48]
  • Rainbow Bagels: “Controversial…designed for tourists and kids...There's no getting rid of it.” [13:48]

Bagel Trends, Technology & Expanding Tastes

• Social Media’s Impact

  • Instagram and TikTok are driving creativity and business: "It's the perfect marketing channel for this infinitely customizable food that is so photogenic..." – Sam Silverman [14:20]
  • Viral popularity can swamp neighborhood joints (e.g., Absolute Bagels).

• New Flavors and Styles

  • Bagel Joint in Greenpoint: Standout for creative, globally-inspired flavors like gochujang, za’atar, and Persian rosewater. [19:18]
  • "They are doing the most unique and creative flavors that are still respectful of tradition." – Sam Silverman [19:18]

• Montreal vs. New York Bagels

  • "Montreal are small, dense, sweet. They're boiled in honey water... In New York...big, fluffy bagels that are perfect for a sandwich." [16:44]
  • Confirms true Montreal bagels are nearly impossible to find in NYC.

Bagels Beyond NYC & The “Water Debate”

• Good Bagels Outside the City?
  • Listeners share hidden gems: Nyack Hot Bagel, Bagel Market (Manhattan), Hoboken Bagels.
  • Silverman’s take: “The best bagel is the most accessible one. It's the one that is closest to you on a consistent basis.” [19:05]

Bagel Lore, Legends & Legacy Shops

• Legacy Picks

  • Russ & Daughters: “Fourth generation...there is nowhere better to get smoked fish.” [26:07]
    • Fave sandwich: The Super Heebster – “horseradish, cream cheese, white fish, smoked salmon, and flying fish roe.” [26:31]
  • Utopia Bagels (Queens): Sam’s all-time favorite, ancient oven, “the platonic ideal of what a bagel can and should be.” [22:38, 22:55]

• International Roots

  • Listener from Krakow, Poland, recounts bagels' Jewish-Polish origins as obwarzanek.
    • “Bagels originated in Poland in the 17th century and were brought to New York by Jewish immigrants…” – Sam Silverman [24:55]

Bagel “Science” and Pro Tips

• Boiled vs. Steamed

  • Steamed yields softer, breadier bagels; boiling is essential for crackly, authentic NYC style.
  • “To me, that's more bagel shaped bread… But if that's what you like, I'm not here to yuck your yum.” – Sam Silverman [21:53]

• Flagels/Flagles

  • “Flat bagel” with same amount of dough, popular at Bagel Point, Greenpoint. [18:35-18:56]

Bagel Wisdom & Hacks

• Toasting Advice
  • "Never toast a fresh bagel. Okay? But if you are going to toast it, rinse it under warm water, toast it whole and then slice it afterwards. That way you maintain the crunchy outside, the soft, chewy inside." – Sam Silverman [26:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “A great bagel has that crackly crust...you need that eggshell, like, crackly texture to really get that full New York bagel experience.” — Sam Silverman [02:43]
• “[Scooping] is the gentrification, certainly of the bagel, if not all of New York itself.” — Jonathan, caller [06:39]
• "Ultimately, I'm pro bagel consumption. So if Jude or anyone else out there needs to scoop to get their daily bagel in, go for it." — Sam Silverman [06:22]
• "[Rainbow bagel] was an Ashanda when it came out. But it’s become such a popular part of bagel culture, it pops on Instagram and on TikTok that there's no getting rid of it." — Sam Silverman [13:48]
• "If it doesn’t say hand rolled kettle boiled, you can bet it's probably steamed." — Sam Silverman [22:20]
• “My favorite legacy place, Sabars.” [26:01]
  “I do love Russ & Daughters...Their bagels and their sandwiches are phenomenal.” — Sam Silverman [26:07]
• "Never toast a fresh bagel... if you are going to, rinse it under warm water, toast it whole and then slice it afterwards..." — Sam Silverman [26:50]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:44] Bagels as part of NYC’s story
• [02:43] The anatomy of a great bagel
• [03:04] How real bagels are made
• [04:15] Why Sam Silverman loves bagels
• [06:39] Listener Jonathan’s “scooping” rant & H&H Bagels nostalgia
• [08:34] Absolute Bagels closure & reopening explained
• [09:56] Why good bagels are hard to find outside the city
• [12:48] Apollo Bagels — “California style” sourdough debate
• [13:48] The Rainbow Bagel controversy
• [14:20] Social media’s effect on bagel culture
• [16:44] Montreal bagels explained
• [18:35] Where to find flagels
• [19:18] Bagel Joint’s inventive flavors
• [22:38] Utopia Bagels lauded
• [24:53] Bagels’ Polish/Jewish roots
• [25:10] Pop Up Bagel: new franchise, innovative model
• [26:07] Russ & Daughters: best place for smoked fish bagel sandwiches
• [26:50] Bagel pro tip: never toast a fresh one, and how to properly reheat

Conclusion

The episode celebrates bagels as living symbols of New York’s diversity, resilience, and evolving tastes. Whether debating dough “scooping,” championing legacy bakeries, bemoaning TikTok lines, or tracing origins to Krakow, the show honors the power of a humble, perfect bagel to spark joy and opinion across generations and neighborhoods.

Bagel Wisdom:
"Never toast a fresh bagel."
"If you like it, eat it. The best bagel is the one closest to you."

For a full list of recommended bagel spots and the episode transcript, visit WNYC’s website.