Kossar’s Bagels & Bialys

The Upper West Side is known to have some of the best bagel shops in New York.  Kossars Bagels & Bialys (270 W. 72nd Street at the corner of West End Avenue) recently opened and will join this array of bagel shops on the UWS.  Known as the oldest remaining bialy bakery in the U.S., they have been making bialys for 85 years. In 1936, Kossar’s started making bagels and haven’t looked back since.  The word bialy is the shorter version of the small Polish town of Bialystoker Kuchen, which in Yiddish means “little bread of Bialystok”.  Jewish immigrants brought this local bread with them when they arrived in the U.S. If you never had a Kossar’s bialy be sure to stop by and order one for what will become a UWS destination for New Yorkers and visitors alike.   Kossar’s makes bagels in traditional New York style, which means they are huge with a doughy inside and a crispy outside.  These pinnacles of poppy seed are made fresh daily.  In addition to ordering in person, you can also shop online.