Jan. 15 is National Bagel Day, and in honor of celebrating the doughy delicacy, here’s a list of some of the best shops to visit in Arizona that are quite literally ba-goals.
Biff’s Bagels
Flagstaff
If you find yourself in Northern Arizona, you have to stop by and check out Biff’s Bagels in Flagstaff. The locally owned and operated spot has been around since the 90’s and welcomes all furry friends to the shop. Biff’s Bagels offers an assortment of handcrafted bagels that are made fresh daily, with each ingredient made in-house or locally sourced in Flagstaff, including deli meats and eggs. The flavors are fairly traditional, yet heavenly, but the baker-style option is perfect for who live a bit on the edge. A portion of the shop’s proceeds benefits local pet shelters and pet adoption agencies.
To learn more about Biff’s Bagels, visit www.biffsbagels.com
Bagel Gourmet
Downtown Phoenix
A local go-to bagel spot since 1995, Bagel Gourmet offers freshly baked bagels with gourmet cream cheese, bagelwiches and a coffee/boba bar. The shop is family-owned and -operated, and offers 20 bagel flavors like pepperoni pizza, plain, tomato pesto and veggie, with house-made schmears to complement such as jalapeno, bacon, French vanilla or blueberry, to name a few. Bagel Gourmet delivers and offers vegan- and gluten-friendly options as well.
To learn more about Bagel Gourmet, visit www.bagelgourmet.com.
Bagelfeld Bagels
Phoenix
With its first brick-and-mortar shop currently in the works, Bagelfeld Bagels is a hidden gem that can only be found among the tents at Downtown or Uptown Phoenix’s farmer’s markets on Saturdays. Bagelfeld Bagels was started by a Brooklyn-born chef who only uses a simple bagel base of flour, salt, yeast, malt, honey and water to craft his bagels, with specialty items and flavors sourced from local purveyors like Nelson’s Meat + Fish. Each bagel is made fresh daily, with specialty spreads available like the refreshing lemon and herb or honey brown butter.
To learn more about Bagelfeld Bagels, visit www.bagelfeld.com.
Back East Bagels
Tempe
With over 16 bagels to choose from and a large selection of toppings, Back East Bagels is the perfect destination the next time you’re craving baked goods in Tempe. Some noteworthy flavors include chili habanero, blueberry and green chili cheddar, with toppings such as honey almond raisin, spinach lox and fresh avocado, to name a few. For those who love nova lox, Back East Bagels offers four different ways to enjoy the smoked salmon, as well as four different bagel dogs with kosher hot dogs.
To learn more about Bagel Dog, visit www.backeastbagels.com.
Bagel Nosh
Gilbert
Located in Gilbert Town Square, Bagel Nosh is a local cafe that serves up hot bagels that have been baked to perfection that morning to be enjoyed in its shop or brought to your front doorstep. Bagel Nosh serves up bagels and breakfast sandwiches all day long and some musts to try include the Sonoran, a bagelwich with egg, chorizo and jalapeno cream cheese, or the traditional nova lox, with lox, tomato, red onion, capers and cream cheese. Unlike most bagel spots in the Valley, the cafe also offers a unique way to recycle its leftover bagels and sells them by the dozen for $2.50 the following day.
To learn more about Bagel Nosh, visit www.bagelnoshgilbertaz.com.
New York Bagels N’ Bialys
Scottsdale
With three locations across the Valley, New York Bagels N’ Bialys offers more than 20 unique bagel flavors to choose from, in addition to a seemingly endless assortment of toppings and creamy schmears including liver, salmon, herring, tuna and more to customize the perfect bagel. The spot is very pet-friendly and even has a menu for your furry friends with eight entrees to choose from.
To learn more about New York Bagels N’ Bialy, visit www.nybagelsnbialys.com.
Bongiorno
Gilbert
Founded and run by a father-in-law and son-in-law duo, Bongiorno is a New York-inspired deli and bagel shop in Gilbert. The owners are NY natives and wanted to bring a taste of their home to our Sonoran desert. The spot uses simple, yet unique ingredients to curate its bagels, including boiling in water that is only from the Big Apple. Bongiorno utilizes locally sourced ingredients like Boar’s Head Deli meats for its sandwiches and in-house deli and offers a multitude of housemade bagels (including delicious, gluten-free bagels), shmears and coffee. Bongiorno is open Thursday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
To learn more about Bongiorno, visit bongiornobagels.com.
The Bagel Man
Ahwatukee
Inspired by the bagel shops you can find in a New York City neighborhood, The Bagel Man in Ahwatukee offers New York-style bagels with homemade shmears and the local favorite, Boar’s Head Deli meats. The bagels are made fresh every morning and include an assortment of flavors from sweet to more savory bites. In addition to their bagels, The Bagel Man also offers a lineup of gourmet, made-to-order sandwiches that are perfect for breakfast or lunch. The spot is open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. and closed on Sundays.
To learn more about The Bagel Man, visit facebook.com.