TLDR
Modern sourdough-style bagels with a signature crunchy finish. A viral favorite for fresh, high-quality sandwiches that often justify the long wait.
Instagram Posts References
Apollo Bagels is a popular spot known for its bagels. The author tried a bagel with lox, which cost $16. They described the bagel as good but super heavy, suggesting that the price is largely for the experience.
The reviewer found the tomato bagel to be so crispy and honestly one of the best bagels they've had in NYC, giving it a 1000% recommendation. The cost was $12.54.
Apollo Bagels offers classic New York-style bagels with various toppings, including lox and cream cheese. The image shows beautifully prepared bagels with fresh salmon, dill, and capers, alongside options with tomato and cream cheese, highlighting a delicious breakfast or brunch option.
The author highly recommends Apollo Bagels, even surpassing their initial expectations. They particularly enjoyed the everything bagel, noting its salty flavor and crisp toast which provided a pleasant texture contrast. The reviewer also mentioned that this particular branch is less crowded and has a clean, sit-down area.
Apollo Bagels is featured for its Tomato Bagel. This unique bagel is served with cream cheese and fresh tomato slices, offering a simple yet flavorful option.
The image displays two bagels from Apollo Bagels. One is topped with sliced tomatoes and cream cheese, while the other is adorned with smoked salmon, capers, red onion, and dill, served on a bed of cream cheese.
The post features a lox bagel from Apollo Bagels. The author states it's 'worth the hype' and praises the bagels' texture, describing them as having a 'nice chew'. The visibility of this item is noted as 'popping up everywhere now'.
Apollo Bagels is celebrated as serving the best bagels in New York City.
Apollo Bagels is celebrated for providing a quintessential New York bagel experience. The author particularly enjoyed their smoked lox on an everything bagel, highlighting the fresh ingredients and traditional preparation that make New York bagels famous.
Apollo Bagels was sampled by the creator as part of a bagel comparison. While not explicitly chosen as the favorite over Leon's, the creator still recommended trying both if time permits, suggesting it's a worthwhile option.
Details
Renowned for a modern approach to bagels with a focus on sourdough varieties [1], this spot draws crowds for its distinct, crunchy texture that deviates from traditional New York styles [2], [3]. While many diners find their high-quality ingredients and popular items like the tomato sandwich well worth the hype [4], [5], others argue the products are more akin to bagel-shaped bread and find the long wait times frustrating [2], [6].
Food Overview
The menu focuses on a limited selection of bagels characterized by a crispy, less doughy texture [8]. The tomato bagel, typically prepared with cream cheese and olive oil, is widely celebrated as a standout item that exceeds expectations [5], [9], [10], though opinions on the smoked salmon sandwiches vary due to occasional issues with saltiness and oiliness [6], [11].
The tomato bagel is frequently hailed as an incredible, simple favorite [6], [9], and the lox bagel is often recommended for its high-quality ingredients [4], [7].
Feedback remains polarized; enthusiasts praise the fresh ingredients and consistent quality [5], [7], while critics argue the bagels lack traditional authenticity and sometimes suffer from inconsistent flavor ratios [2], [6].
Most Mentioned Dishes
- 01tomato bagel6 mentions
- 02smoked salmon bagel3 mentions
- 03lox bagel2 mentions
- 04everything bagel2 mentions
Caveats
Some diners feel the product does not meet the standards of a traditional, fluffy New York bagel and note that the quality can sometimes feel inconsistent across different locations [2], [6].
Reddit Opinions & Reviews
Top Reddit Posts About APOLLO BAGELS
Recent Reddit Mentions
From post: Maybe An Unpopular Opinion But Apollo Bagels Is
"The commenter generally likes the taste and had a positive experience with the lox at the Lower East Side location."
PositiveFrom post: Maybe An Unpopular Opinion But Apollo Bagels Is
"The cream cheese bagel is described as skimpy and comparable to a grocery store bagel."
NegativeFrom post: Maybe An Unpopular Opinion But Apollo Bagels Is
"The everything bagel was overly crunchy, salty, and lacked fluffiness."
NegativeFrom post: Maybe An Unpopular Opinion But Apollo Bagels Is
"The commenter enjoys the crunchy and toasted style of the bagels offered."
PositiveFrom post: Maybe An Unpopular Opinion But Apollo Bagels Is
"While noting it is not a 'classic' bagel, the commenter finds the quality high and the price reasonable."
Positive