Tried some one morning coming back out of nyc, they were just ok
Look, simits (well made) are delicious but they.are.not.bagels. a dough torus does not a bagel make.
Imagine the response on this board if someone responded with an answer to a question: “Hi I’d like some of the best champagne recs” …Proceeds to link to a pet nat from total wine.
David mentioned these upthread. I responded to his post. I did not say that they were bagels.
First house I lived in (in the 1960’s!) was on country club Drive in Teaneck
I pick up mine from this ShopRite -
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DLCwYvBNPryyfhER9?g_st=ac
They’re plump, chewy and soft inside. Stays that way for two days in the plastic case. I just chew one straight up with nothing but black coffee. For sure not every ShopRite has the same quality. And $1.19 each.
Used to buy Ess-A-Bagel via Goldbelly on a regular basis, but then they went to an outsouced processing model and (my opinion) weren’t quite the same. We’ve tried Kossar’s and Utopia bagels from Goldbelly, and like them both. I liked Kossar’s better, my wife prefers Utopia - but its a close vote.
Except that her vote counts far more. 
On a related topic - my local Costco has stopped carrying the industrial size tubs of Philadelphia brand cream cheese, and replaced it with a generic Kirkland brand. You would think that enough people from the NE are moving to WIlmington NC and environs that it would justify keeping it in stock - after all, we’re starting to sprout WaWa’s down here like crazy.
WaWa’s are everywhere. Except Pittsburgh, we’ve been passed by.
Too much Sheetz
Not a fan of Ess-A-Bagel. Way too bready.
I prefer Black Seed Bagel in NYC even though it’s a chain.
The best GF/allergy free bagels I’ve found. Bake before toasting.
Another vote for Boichik, especially with their pink label cream cheese. But pricey.
The Bagel Dock, Calabash, NC
I was really impressed with the newly opened Tahoe Bagel Co. here in Reno. Run by 2 brothers from Princeton, NJ, they are the best West coast bagels I have experienced.
Thanks for the rec, DK. VERY tasty little fkers.
Philly brand might be making the Kirkland ‘knockoff’ some of their private label stuff comes right off the same lines as the name brands for some products I’ve heard.
Usually stop at the LES location when in the city. Especially when I have a kid or 2 with me
Hand delivered 2 dozen to my daughter in Scotland last year via goldbelly order
They opened one in my town. I hate the gimmick/trendiness, hate the need to buy packs of bagels, hate the dipping, HATE the price…but I will say that the bagel itself is solid.
i was on alpine, my parents bought the house in the early 70s