Forget Manhattan: These 2 Upstate bagel shops are among NY’s best, Yelp says

Syracuse, N.Y. — You don’t have to travel to Manhattan to find great bagels in New York.
Instead, head Upstate — home to two of the best bagel shops in the Empire State.
Two eateries in Central New York have been named among the top 10 bagel shops in the state by Yelp:
The restaurants were the only two Upstate shops to make the top 10 in Yelp’s first-ever, “best of the best” New York bagel list. (Manhattan snagged seven of the top spots, while an eatery in Queens bagged one.)
Considering New York City is known as the bagel capital of the world, that’s a schmear of a big deal.
While NYC certainly dominates Yelp‘s ranking of New York’s top 100 bagel shops, Upstate still rose to the occasion — earning 17 spots on the list.
No. 5: Water Street Bagel Co.
Where: 239 E. Water St., Syracuse
Water Street Bagel Co. has been baking up fresh, wood-fired bagels in downtown Syracuse since 2018. The shop sells a variety of flavors, ranging from rosemary salt to spicy everything — all of which pair perfectly with either cream cheese or one of the restaurant’s delicious breakfast and lunch sandwiches.
“Great bagels were hard to find in Upstate New York until partners Luke Esposito and Meg Dellas opened this popular Syracuse shop in 2018,” Yelp wrote in its ranking. “Now, the scent of its wood-fired oven wafting for blocks is a testimony to Water Street’s success.”
No. 9: Willie’s Bagel Cafe
Where: 219 N. Genesee St. and 1401 Oriskany St., Utica
With 18 flavors of bagels and 10 spreads, there’s a flavor combination for everyone at Willie’s Bagel Cafe. Foodies partial to NYC bagels will feel right at home at the Utica shop: Owner Willie Rodriguez ran a bagel shop on Long Island for nearly two decades before opening his own spot in CNY.
“All of the bagels are made on-site at this family business— and if you time it right, you can see the rounds sliding hot out of the oven,” Yelp wrote in its ranking.
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