Dying for a bagel sandwich

[Doublestranded]

We just moved to Cambridge and can't seem to find a decent bagel sandwich. Finagle bagels taste like a loaf of Wonder bread and Bruegger's and Dunkin' Donuts' pre-fab eggs don't cut it. Any shops, diners or other spots to get a real scrambled egg with cheese and bacon on a toasted bagel in the greater surrounding area? Thanks from two spoiled NYC foodies!

[ozinboz]

Not Cambridge, but since you asked about the greater surrounding area, I loved the bagel sandwich I got at Berkeley Perk in the South End. I don't know where they got their bagel, but it wasn't the bready type. Skin had a nice elastic bite. Both smoked salmon + cream cheese, and the egg + bacon were well made and balanced flavours.

I know it's a trek, but if you happen to be in that end of town, definitely worth a detour. If someone tries it, I'd be interested to see how it compares to the other reccs made here.

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Berkeley Perk Cafe
69 Berkeley St, Boston, MA 02116

[BJK]

Can't comment on the bagel itself, as I normally get my breakfast sandwiches on English muffins, but I love the version at the Magnificent Muffin & Bagel Shoppe in both Teele Square Somerville and West Medford Square.

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Magnificent Muffin
1118 Broadway, Somerville, MA

[pemma]

I like the bagels at Magnificent Muffin in W. Medford. They are not bread-like. I think they are brought in frozen, uncooked from NY.

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Magnificent Muffin
1118 Broadway, Somerville, MA

[MeffaBabe]

Dempseys in Haines Square Medford makes a good bagel sandwich. I do however LOVE bagels by us bagels in Arlington... they are the best bagels I ever tasted.

[lergnom]

Bagel Rising at Comm Ave and Harvard in Allston. Their version is called the Sunrise Special with choice of bacon, sausage or ham. Lots of other bagel sandwiches.

I'd say it's the best choice by far. I think they have two or three other locations.

[jamieeats]

i agree! definitely head over to Bagel Rising for bagel sandwiches. the lines won't be bad this time of year either since all the students just moved out and the summer crowd hasn't moved in yet.

[johndory]

I'm a big fan of the egg sandwiches at City Feed in JP (Centre St. location only). They also use Iggy's bagels, in addition to excellent english muffins.

[greenzebra]

Diesel in Davis Square and Crema Cafe in Harvard Square both do decent versions, on Iggy's bagels.

[blink617]

Bagels By Us on Mass Ave in Arlington may be worth a try. They import H&H bagels from NY and do a pretty good sandwich.

[LStaff]

Shouldn't they change their name to Bagels By Others? ;-)

Love the comments on yelp that complain about the bagels being too doughy - expecting them to be bready like most in the area. That's awesome...

[marcreichman]

I'm a NJ native, and have serious opinions about bagels. I also live in Arlington now. I firmly do *not* recommend Bagels by Us for anything.

Rosenfeld or Katz. Everything else sucks.

Agreed on the Bagel Rising below. Not the best bagel quality but a wonderful sandwich selection. I like the smoked fish combo or the avocado dream. Also available in Espresso Royale locations as well as the new Pavement.

[Karl S]

I've been utterly underwhelmed by the shipped in H&H at BBU. Flabby things.

[litchick]

Big thumbs up to Bagels By Us. Great bagels, great sandwich ingredients, great people. And, if you eat in, you can get a side of tater tots!

Verna's does a tasty breakfast bagel sandwich, too.

I am also a fan of the Aesop's Bagels in the Boston University student union food court -- they make a wicked good chipotle chicken salad sandwich. They tend to overfill the sandwiches (which I don't mind), and those bagel bar ladies are super efficient. I know Aesop's is a national franchise, but to my tastes they're a bit better than local chain ERC/Bagel Rising.

[lipoff]

Surprisingly enough the Bauer Center Cafe (in the first floor of a Harvard Science Laboratory building in Cambridge) does an excellent bagel sandwich.

The best bagels in the area are from Rosenfeld's in Newton, but you'll need to bring them home to make your own bagel sandwich.