Since moving to New York City in 2021, I've learned that the city takes its bagels very seriously.
I've had my fair share of New York's large, chewy bagels in the past two years. I'm not a huge breakfast sandwich fan; I typically opt for a cinnamon raisin bagel with plain cream cheese. Even though I can understand the appeal of New York's bagels — there's even an annual festival dedicated to the food — I've never much cared for them myself.
But on a trip to Montreal this spring, I found that I'm not anti-bagel; I'm just not into New York's bagels, specifically. Montreal has its famous take on the food, and I much prefer its version to New York's — an opinion that's not exactly popular among foodies.
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The Great Montreal-New York Bagel debate has been going on for years.
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In 2011, Anthony Bourdain made his allegiance clear in an interview with Delishwhen he said he prefers New York's bagels. Bethenny Frankel, a former "Real Housewives of New York" star, gave Montreal's bagels a "thumbs up," but ultimately said New York's bagels reign supreme.
Still, I'd take a Montreal bagel over a New York bagel any day. Here's why.
I liked that Montreal's bagels were light and sweet — even without cream cheese
There are a few key differences between Montreal's and New York's bagels. For starters, Montreal's bagels are smaller and thinner, with a larger hole in the center. They're also baked in a wood-fired oven, whereas New York's bagels go in a conventional oven, according to Delish. Then there's the matter of toppings.
When I got my first Montreal bagel from St-Viateur Bagel, one of the city's most popular shops, I was surprised that it didn't have cream cheese on it. In New York, you typically have your pick of several different cream cheese flavors.
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My tour guide, who took me to different restaurants around Montreal's Mile End neighborhood, told me they're typically eaten without cream cheese because they're sweet enough without it. That's because the bagels are boiled in honey water, which gives them a lightly sweet taste — whereas New York-style bagels are boiled in plain water.
While you can buy a small container of cream cheese to dip your bagel in, I opted against it, keeping with Montreal tradition by ordering a plain sesame seed bagel. It was certainly sweeter than a typical New York bagel, and as someone with a sweet tooth, I'd much rather choose a sweet sesame seed bagel.
I returned to St-Viateur the next day and got my go-to cinnamon raisin bagel. That time, I picked up a small side of cream cheese, which I spread over the bagel myself. I found that with or without cream cheese, I loved the density and sweetness of Montreal's bagels — and to me, it spoke volumes that they were tasty enough to eat without toppings.
