Apollo Bagels

I often make doctor’s appointments with a mind towards lunch. For example, yesterday I went to get my cholesterol checked in Chelsea. When I picked the appointment I chose 10:45 not because I wanted to ride the F train with the commuter crowd, but because I knew that when I was done I could finally check out Apollo Bagels for lunch.

The Most Popular Bagel in Town

The bagels at Apollo Bagels are so popular, the landlord threatened to evict them because the lines outside are so long. I would never wait that long for a bagel; which is why a doctor’s appointment at 10:45 nearby on a Thursday was the perfect strategy to get in and get out before the hordes descended.

For such a popular bagel spot, the prices are fairly reasonable. At the comparable Courage Bagels in L.A. (more on them in a sec), a smoked salmon bagel is $18. At Court Street Bagels, near us in Brooklyn, a lox deluxe bagel is $19. So $15 for a bagel that people wait for an hour or omre to eat? I appreciate that.

Everything (Bagels) Everywhere All at Once

I texted Craig from the line and we decided to go for one whitefish, one smoked salmon. I schlepped them home on the F train and when I opened up the containers, I was delighted to see these works of art. They reminded me so much of the presentation at Courage Bagel in L.A.: from the container itself, to the open-face style.

First up: the whitefish.

This was a really well-balanced bagel. For starters, they put a schmear of mustard on it. Mustard on whitefish salad! I never thought of that, but I liked it. Then a thin layer of whitefish salad — a far cry from the mounds of whitefish I’d get on bagels growing up on Long Island and in Boca — and then the cucumbers, which were refreshing.

But the biggest star of the show was the bagel, just as it should be. The same was true of the smoked salmon bagel:

The toppings were excellent but almost besides the point. The bagel was crisp on the outside, airy on the inside, not too thick, and well-seasoned with all of the seeds, onions, and salt.

In conclusion, if you get a chance to pop into Apollo Bagels before the mobs arrive, definitely do it. Just be sure to get your cholesterol checked beforehand, not after.

Apollo Bagels / 73 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014 / (844) 218-3081