In a city where opinions are as hot as the ovens at dawn, few debates rage harder than what makes a ‘real’ New York bagel.
But Sam Silverman, CEO of BagelUp and the man behind the city’s booming bagel tourism scene, says most people are getting it wrong.
The number one myth that Silverman dispels is that it’s not the NYC water that is crucial to making a perfect bagel.
Silverman tells the Daily Mail: ‘People love that story. But great bagels don’t come from magic tap water – they come from skilled hands, generations of knowledge and doing it the right way.’
Silverman has made it his life’s work to preserve, promote and celebrate New York’s most iconic carb.
From leading walking tours and teaching hands-on baking classes to hosting BagelFest – a massive annual celebration now held at Citi Field that draws thousands of bagel lovers from around the globe – he’s cemented his status as New York’s go-to bagel authority.
What makes Silverman qualified to be New York’s expert on this beloved food? For starters, he eats about 10 bagels a week, sometimes two or three in a single sitting.
‘It’s because I’m going somewhere and I want to try a bunch of different things, or we’re teaching a bagel-making class, and it’s actually impossible to resist them when they’re hot and fresh out of the oven,’ he said.
Sam Silverman, founder of BagelUp, leads popular NYC bagel tours, which include tastings, history lessons and insider tips on ordering like a local
Silverman hosts BagelFest at Citi Field every fall, drawing thousands of fans from around the globe to celebrate New York’s most iconic carb
And now, he’s setting the record straight on what really makes a true New York bagel worth its schmear.
‘It’s all about texture and flavor,’ Silverman said. ‘Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside. It has to be boiled before baking – that’s non-negotiable. And you need barley malt syrup for that malty, slightly sweet depth.’
The biggest mistakes, according to Silverman?
‘Scooping and toasting. If you’re doing both, you might as well not eat it. And whatever you do, don’t toast a fresh, hot bagel – just ask what’s warm out of the oven [and order that].’
Silverman’s bagel festival began as a grassroots gathering in 2019. ‘What was supposed to be 100 friends and family turned into 350 bagel-loving strangers,’ he said. ‘And it’s just grown from there.’
In 2023, the event drew thousands and crowned Utopia Bagels as the winner of the hotly contested blind taste test for best bagel – the first time a New York shop had clinched the title.
Previous winners included pop-ups from Connecticut and even a shop from Dallas, Texas.
That’s right – Texas, the state best known for its barbecue.
‘People are always shocked,’ Silverman said. ‘But with the internet, the secret’s out. Anyone can learn how to make a great bagel if they’re willing to do it the right way.’
Pictured: Ess-a-Bagel accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 BagelFest
Pictured: A group picture of a bagel making master class by BagelUp
That wasn’t always the case. In the early 20th century, bagel-making was the domain of Local 338, a tight-knit union of roughly 300 Polish Jewish men.
‘They worked brutal shifts in underground bakeries with coal-fired ovens and temperatures over 120 degrees,’ Silverman explained.
‘Eventually, the public learned about the poor conditions, and that outrage gave the bakers leverage to unionize and improve their work lives.’
The union’s exclusivity was intentional: only sons – and occasionally nephews – were permitted in, ensuring trade secrets stayed in trusted hands.
Today, those secrets have spread, and Silverman has welcomed bakers from places as far-flung as South Africa, Portugal, Montreal and Hawaii into the fold.
Despite his deep passion for bagels, Silverman has no plans to open a shop of his own.
‘Right now, we get special inside access to the industry because we’re not competitors,’ he said.
‘But one day, I’d love to open a BagelUp Studio – a kind of hybrid event space, museum and test kitchen where people can really engage with bagel culture.’
Silverman averages 10 bagels a week and says, yes, even gimmicky bagels have their place in the doughy spotlight
Want to order like a true New Yorker? Silverman’s tip: skip the scoop, skip the toast and always ask what’s hot out of the oven
That doesn’t mean he’s a purist. In fact, some of the most Instagramable bagels -rainbow, birthday cake and other so-called gimmicks – have Silverman’s blessing.
‘One of the stops on our bagel tour is Liberty Bagels, the “Home of the Rainbow Bagel,”‘ he said. ‘I’ve been shocked that about 60 percent of guests say the rainbow bagel with birthday cake cream cheese is their favorite bite out of the eight they get to try.’
His philosophy is simple: ‘I am pro-bagel consumption – ipso facto, I am a fan of rainbow bagels. Overall they’ve been a boon for the industry.’
Oh – and if you’re looking to order like a New Yorker?
Stick to savory, skip the sugary schmears, carry cash and, for the love of dough, don’t ask for a pizza bagel.
‘Just eat the pizza. And then eat the bagel,’ Silverman laughed. ‘You don’t need to do everything at once.’
