Best Bagels in Toronto?

[Cimmerian]

After two years of being in this city, I still can't find a good bagel. Can someone tell where to go (I'm at Bay&Bloor)? I'm eating a substandard bagel as I type this.

Thanks.

[Toronto Fastfoodie]

Can we put this discussion to rest once and for all: the best bagel joint in the city, Bagel World, is coming to Bloor and Spadina this summer. Can't get much closer to Bay and Bloor than that and in my opinion, can't get a bagel much better than a freshly baked twister, still warm, with butter. Mmmmm. And after eating that particular baked good that accounts for almost 1/3 of a recommended daily caloric intake, any walking that Cimmerian has to do to get there can only be a good thing.

[food face]

The Bagel House on Avenue Rd and Lawrence.

[millygirl]

Ditto

[chalenegirl]

a co worker brought in a dozen bagels from Gryfes, after having 2 of them i was in love. after a week of daydreaming about the soft goodness of a Gryfes bagel, i was able to get my hands on a dozen little pieces of heaven. They are so good, like light and airy, with a slight chewiness, and such fresh seeds. the Flax seed is to die for. A warm gryfe's bagel with plain cream cheese. OMG -it's as good as a beautiful day on the beach without shoes on!!

[Yongeman]

Mmmm...I know the feeling chalenegirl. Gryfes are so unique. For me, it's a warm poppy seed bagel with butter.

[rayrayray]

k.....so the OP isn't willing to travel. unfortunately, toronto isn't a bagel goldmine. yes. toronto has good bagels if you are willing to travel a little, but this isn't montreal or new york. however.....i found that you did need to travel in montreal to get good bagels so i guess it's a perception issue. bottom line...it's true.. toronto isn't bagel land o' plenty if you want them right away. unfortunately cimmerian, if you aren't willing to travel, you'll have to settle for Pusateri's.

[Yongeman]

good bagels aren't everywhere in NYC either. Just bagels. You have to travel for good ones.

[dgarts]

I would have suggested Bagels Plus up at Bathurst & Sheppard, but you don't want to travel to far north. How about Eglinton Avenue West at Avenue Road? Yitz's Deli has its fans.

[Tout Garni]

Would you be willing to go up to North York? There are some good places up there.

[bluedog]

Guys, read the thread. He's not willing to travel and the matter is more or less closed.

[jesse_paul]

YITZ's is the best. Eglington W & avenue road

[Teffub]

If you are at Bay and Bloor you should just go to Pusaterri's - they have a variety of bagels such as Gryfe's and other palces that they bring in.....

[TOchowgal]

Well not Bay & Bloor, but the best I've found in Toronto are the St. Urbain ones at the St. Lawrence Market.

[Yongeman]

But you have to go to bagel country to find the best bagels. Bathurst Street. Intersections: Lawrence, Wilson, Sheppard, Steeles.
That's where you'll find Hamishe, Gryfes, Bagel World, Bagel Plus, Kivas.
If you want Montreal Style, it's Bayview (at Millwood) or Avenue Rd. (at Fairlawn).

[Finnegan]

I routinley travel halfway across the City to gryfees to get their bagels. It's worth the drive.Anyone who won't make the trek from Yonge and Bloor isn't a real bagel afficiando IMHO

[Yongeman]

And besides...standing in that line is half the fun.

[pearlD]

If you like "What a Bagel"...there's one on Spadina Road just north of St.Clair West (Forest Hill Village) or "Health Bread" on St. Clair Ave., West of Bathurst (I personally don't like them) but if you were willing to go up to St.Clair....Of course, if you go farther afield say Eglinton Avenue West (lots of bagel places...you could buy one from every bakery and do your own private tast test. There must be a minimum of 6 places to try within a couple of blocks west of Bathurst, on both sides of Eglinton West.

[jen2202]

If you are ever west on the bloor line subway get off at runnymede and try sunglow bakery on bloor st....although i have never tryed their bagels, many people rave about them. The few times i have gone it has been later in the day and they look sort of picked over, so maybe go earlier.....

[piccola]

They're great, but just make sure to get the Montreal-style on the bottom shelves, not the fluffy regular ones. (Unless you like those, I guess - I just like the Mtl ones better.)

[gps_shag]

No one has mentioned Bagel Plus (at Wilson and Bathurst.) Good, large Toronto-style bagels. I guess you wouldn't travel that far north, though. Whenever I happen to be in the area, I always stop for a couple of their double-sized caraway rye breads - soooo good.

[Yongeman]

Are you thinking of Bagel World, on Wilson, west of Bathurst, or Bagel Plus on Sheppard, west of Bathurst?

[gps_shag]

I meant Bagel Plus, on Sheppard. Sorry.

[torontovore]

I missed this thread when posting about a new bagel at Bagel Plus. They call it a 'FLATTIE'. It's created in the Toronto style but much thinner than the common varieties and with a more crispy/chewy outside. Absolutely delicious when still warm from the oven. They're currently popular enough that you have to visit in the mornings before they're sold out. You can see a photo of them at torontovore.ca

[Yongeman]

Bagel World also has this type of flat bagel without all the 'schluck', as I once heard a customer call it. Almost all crust, seeds and salt. Mmmm.

[bluedog]

Given your responses, the answer to your question is NO, there are no fresh bagels within a one block radius of Bay and Bloor. There's not much of anything within a one block radius of Bay and Bloor. The freshest mtl style bagels close to you is Pusateri's, as someone has already suggested, but they are not made there. If your definition of fresh is made on premises, fresh out of the oven then you NO CHOICE but to travel to the St. Lawrence Market which is at Front and Jarvis, and really only 10-20 minutes on the TTC from where you are, to pick up some St. Urbain Bagels, which are made on premises in a traditional manner. If none of this is what you want, tough luck: what your asking for doesn't exist and frankly people have been trying to be helpful.

And anyhow, I've checked your other posts: you seem willing to travel to chinatown, so I don't understand your reluctance to travel to the St. Lawrence Market.

[Lazar]

Just curious, but I thought Whole Foods sells Gryffe's products....but I could be mistaken. Granted they may not be the fresh out of the oven, but if you have your mind set on Gryffe's it could pan out....

[Cimmerian]

NOPE....

I guess I'll further elaborate: Fresh Bagels in Toronto.

[TorontoJo]

Are you saying "nope" that Whole Foods does not carry Gryfe's bagels? Or "nope" that Whole Foods is not in Toronto. Whole Foods is at Hazelton Lanes in Yorkville, about a 10 minute walk from Bay/Bloor.

Many, many stores carry Gryfe's bagels. If you call Gryfe's, they may be able to tell you what stores are in your area.

Maybe you can clarify what your geographic boundaries are. You've made it clear you don't drive, but do you take transit? Or are you looking only within walking distance?

[Snarf]

Every time I've looked for Bagels at Whole Foods, I've never seen any in stock, unless in the deli cafe upstairs. Pusateri's on Bay have Gryfe's and Montreal style.

If the OP, as a student, wants to walk over by the campus, there are a number of places on Bloor that serve passable bagels, such as Future Bakery, Mel's. Also there used to be a fairly decent selection of bagels at Dinah's Cupboard on Cumberland, as well as very decent smoked salmon.

[Cimmerian]

I was saying "nope" as in they're aren't fresh.

I ended up going on Pusateri's and got myself 6 Gryfe's and 6 MTL.

It's the closest I'll get to a satisfactory bagel.

[Snarf]

Pusateri's bakes under licence for a number of vendors, including Ace and Gryfe's, then distributes them from Avenue Road down to Bay. If you're limiting your search area to where you are located, then, yes, that is the closest you will get.

[zengirl18]

If the St Lawrence Market is not too far for you, there is a St Urbain Bagel there which is great! Montreal style of course..

[Cimmerian]

I AM NOT WILLING TO TRAVEL TO ST. LAWRENCE. SO NO.

I AM NOT WILLING TO TRAVEL TO NORTH YORK. SO NO.

Does anyone have suggestions for bagels in Toronto near the specified intersection?

[pescatarian]

Perhaps you should canvass the area and let us know what you find out.

[JamieK]

Just for the record, Bagel House on Bayview is NOT IN NORTH YORK.

-----
Bagel House
1548 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CA

[Yongeman]

As I've said before, Bagel World twisters, Gryfe's, Kiva's, Bagel House (Avenue Rd. or Bayview)[Mtl style], Haymishe.

[Cimmerian]

I'm w/o a car. So is there anything near Bay&Bloor?

I DON'T LIVE IN NORTH YORK AND I DON'T PLAN TO TRAVEL TO NORTH YORK FOR BAGELS. IF I PLANNED TO, I WOULD SIMPLY GO TO GRYFE'S, SINCE I KNOW THEY'RE THE BEST.

[pescatarian]

THEN YOU ARE SOL around Bay&Bloor

and Gryfe's are the best to you - not to everyone

[pâté chinois]

No need to yell! Try Pusateri, it's right at Bay/Bloor (one block north in fact)

[LemonLauren]

they sell gryfe's at summerhill market
you could walk there from bay and bloor if you really wanted bagels

[millygirl]

That would be quite the hike from Bay & Bloor to Summerhill Market.

[pinstripeprincess]

i'm a dufus and didn't really understand the attachments people have formed to the mlt style until i tried a bagel house bagel... they totally knocked out of the park for me. although my bagel run companion did note that gryfe's didn't seem to have been up to par that day.

anyhow, i saw how the pusateri's up in that hood kept a nice healthy selection of bagels, croissants and other baked goodies from places around the city. so... does the bay/bloor pusateri's do the same? and are they reasonably fresh?

would love to have access to such things downtown... i got a dozen and nearly ate half of them in the car but to no ado they were just so stale the next day in comparison.

edit: now i'm not sure if it was gryfe's or st. urbain that i didn't enjoy...

[piccola]

I just found out that Mel's diner on Bloor near Bathurst serves and sells Montreal bagels. The waiter said they have them brought daily from Montreal, and I believe it - they taste just like home.

[TorontoJo]

There are so many different styles of bagels in this city -- the answer really depends on what your tastes are. Here's a VERY lengthy discussion of this topic:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/340404

[Cimmerian]

Gryfe's is also the best I've had. Anything in the same ballpark would satisfy me.

Montreal-style bagels aren't bad either. Correct me if I'm wrong, but they taste like they have less salt.

I just need quality.

[ekammin]

There used to be, and maybe still is, a What-A-Bagel on the west side of Yonge, just below Welleslay. I have always liked them, although I wish they woudm make more onion bagels (and some bialys, as well)..

Montreal bagels are raised in water to which some honey has been added, and are a bit too sweet for me.

[Cimmerian]

The What-A-Bagel closed shop.

[fleisch]

That was going to be my suggestion. That was your best bet.

There's really nothing else so close...the next I can think of is Bagel House on Bayview, above the extension. It's not THAT far but it might be too far for you...

[balthazar]

I like Montreal-style bagels and very much like the Bagel House on Bayview. Not quite as good as St. Viateur or Le Faubourg - but close enough! They have a 2nd location now - I think it's near Avenue Rd. & Eg. but not sure.