Toasted and loaded with cream cheese? Stacked with veggies? How about a classic bacon, egg and cheese?
However you love your bagels, Delaware’s got bagel shops determined to show New York and New Jersey that we’ve got the goods, too.
Enjoy one at breakfast, grab a bagel sandwich on your lunch break or treat yourself to a me-moment with one of these delicious bagels from around the First State anytime:
Surf Bagel & Deli, Lewes, Milford and Rehoboth
Surf Bagel & Deli has been serving up a gnarly assortment of bagels, wraps and subs in Lewes since 2004. Open for breakfast and lunch, this totally tubular spot is a great place to grab a bite before you catch some waves.
Bagel flavors include classics like everything and poppy seed and far-out flavors like spinach, Old Bay or egg everything.
Surf Bagel’s most popular items are the bacon, egg & cheese bagel and the Malibu bunny, a bagel of your choice with veggie cream cheese, avocado lettuce and tomato.
Aside from those offerings, Surf Bagel has breakfast burritos, cheesesteaks, sandwiches and smoothies.
Lewes: 17382 Coastal Highway, (302) 644-1822. Rehoboth: 18675 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth Beach, (302) 644-4822. Milford: 204 NE Front St., (302) 503-3629;surfbagel.com
Newark Deli & Bagel, Newark
On Main Street, Newark Deli & Bagel is an award-winning shop offering New York-style bagels made from scratch on-site.
Not only has NDB been voted best bagels in the state and one of the best college breakfast spots, the University of Delaware officially made the place a UD Bucket List item among the blue options.
NDB’s bestsellers are the everything bagel and bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel. Cream cheese flavors include strawberry, jalapeño, walnut cinnamon raisin and veggie.
The shop also offers sandwiches, salads, wraps and an assortment of cold and hot drinks, making it the perfect study spot for any time of day.
36 E. Main St., Newark,(302) 266-7150; www.newarkdeliandbagels.com
New year, new you:Need to keep those New Year’s resolutions? These local restaurants can keep you on track.
The Original Hot Bagels, Newark, Ogletown and Pike Creek
The Original Hot Bagels makes bagels from scratch every morning at 3 and 10 to ensure a fresh bite for all who visit.
Bagel options include multigrain, cheddar, sun-dried tomato, black Russian and cinnamon. Cream cheeses include similar indulgences like olive pimento, raisin nut and scallion.
Customer-favorite menu items include the bacon, egg and cheese bagel; the pork roll (also known as Taylor Ham) egg and cheese; the Juanse chicken Cuban made with grilled chicken, melted Swiss cheese, ham, mayonnaise, lettuce, onions and tomatoes; and the newly added home fries.
Aside from bagels, the menu features a nearly endless list of hot and cold sandwiches, meal platters and breakfast options.
Newark: 131 E. Main St., Newark, (302) 533-7299. Ogletown: 695 E. Chestnut Hill Road, (302) 369-8809). Pike Creek: 4738 Limestone Road,(302) 660-2405;theoriginalhotbagel.com.
Manhattan Bagel, Middletown and Talleyville
Founded in 1987, Manhattan Bagel has been serving New York-style for decades and has a couple of locations in Delaware.
Made at 3 a.m. every day, the bagel flavors include cranberry, French toast, jalapeño-cheddar and pumpernickel. Cream cheese flavors include honey almond, jalapeño salsa, onion and chive.
The most popular breakfast items are the Farmhouse, a grilled egg, bacon, ham, cheddar and country pepper cream cheese on a cheesy hash brown bagel; the Original Bagel Classic, a grilled egg with American cheese and your choice of meat on a bagel; and the Avocado Egg White, grilled egg whites with avocado and tomato spread on an everything bagel.
Bestselling lunch items include the Avocado Veg Out, a sesame bagel loaded with tomato, avocado, cucumber, red onion, spinach, lettuce and garden veggie cream cheese, and the Ham & Swiss, a sesame bagel with lettuce, tomato, onion, ham, Swiss cheese and spicy mustard.
Manhattan Bagel also has a variety of pastries, parfaits, salads and beverages, along with newer menu items like avocado toast, the smokehouse brisket egg sandwich, apple pie pastry and a strawberry cream strudel.
Middletown: 400 W. Main St., (302) 378-8404. Talleyville: 3209B Concord Pike, (302) 477-0700, and Concord Plaza, 3505 Silverside Road, (302) 543-7498;www.manhattanbagel.com
Local chefs on air:Knives Out! Newark chef is under ‘pressure’ on Netflix cooking show dropping Jan. 6
New Castle Bagels, New Castle
New Castle Bagels has been in the area for years, and their old-fashioned bagels have long been a staple for locals.
The extensive menu features plenty of bagels, sandwiches and breakfast pairings guaranteed to meet the needs of your cravings.
Stop by and try a bagel with peanut butter and jelly, an egg sandwich with turkey bacon, a French toast muffin or something hot off the grill.
Gourmet cream cheese flavors and muffin varieties are plentiful, with flavors like double chocolate, scallion, corn and olive pimento.
One of their bestsellers is the Dean’s List, one of their baker’s special sandwiches, which has chicken salad, bacon and melted American cheese on an onion bagel. Another unique offering is the bialy, a roll made from bagel dough sprinkled with everything bagel seeds.
Bagels are made fresh daily and the shop always has daily special and seasonal surprises in tow.
Continental Shopping Center, 1420 N. Dupont Highway, New Castle, (302) 325-3990; newcastlebagels.com
Einstein Bros. Bagels, University of Delaware
For all the Blue Hens out there, or anyone finding themselves on a stroll through the University of Delaware’s campus, Einstein Bros. Bagels has a small pop-up located in the Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory.
The bagels are baked fresh daily and can be transformed into the bagel sandwich of your dreams.
Menu staples include cinnamon sugar and pretzel bagels, pizza bagels and cold cuts bagel sandwiches and several cream cheese flavors — or schmears — like jalapeño salsa and honey almond.
Newer items include the Texas Brisket Egg Sandwich, made with eggs, smoked beef brisket, cheddar cheese and smoky chipotle aioli on a jalapeño bacon bagel, and the All-Nighter, a cheesy hash brown bagel topped with American cheese, bacon, eggs and a jalapeño-garlic aioli.
Pastries and hot and cold beverages are also available on-site if you need something extra to go with your bagel bounty.
Einstein Bros. Bagels U of Delaware, 221 Academy St., Newark, (302) 831-2057;www.einsteinbros.com
Bagelmania, Newark
Bagelmania in Suburban Plaza puts a spin on the average bagel with its unique sandwich offerings.
With 26 bagel flavors, including oatmeal, spinach-egg and orange-cranberry, and 11 types of cream cheese, it might be hard to pick what to order. That’s where the menu staples come in handy.
The Lasagna Bagel is made with garlic & herb cream cheese, tomato sauce and melted provolone cheese. The Blue Hen Special stacks grilled or spicy chicken breast with lettuce, tomato and honey mustard. The Chicken Fajita uses grilled or spicy chicken breast, jalapeño cream cheese, onions, green peppers, lettuce and tomato.
If you stop for a quick bite and end up taking advantage of their free Wi-Fi to knock out some work, we won’t blame you if you go back for seconds to try their famous bagel chips.
This spot also has nine flavors of coffee and plenty of breakfast and lunch options.
Can’t get enough of Bagelmania? They are available for delivery and offer catering, perfect for bringing a bagel bundle to your brunch party.
Suburban Plaza, 416 Suburban Drive, Newark, (302) 369-1950;bagelmaniade.com
What’s new to eat near you:Here are some Delaware restaurants you must try in 2023
Georgia Boy’s Bagel Café, Dover
Georgia Boy’s Bagel Café in has been operating in Dover since 2015. Since opening, the shop has served fresh, New York-style bagels, kettle-boiled and baked in a stone oven, daily.
They serve classic bagel flavors like everything and blueberry and also have fun mixes like French toast and Sweet Treat (think sprinkles!). They periodically make multicolored seasonal bagels for holidays, including flavors like apple cinnamon, gingerbread, pumpkin and cherry.
New recipes are always popping up at Georgia Boy’s, and the recently added bacon, egg and cheese bagel has been met with rave reviews.
Delawareans who love scrapple can add it to their bagels or choose from a variety of spreads and toppings. Patrons also can opt for traditional lunch choices such as chicken or tuna salad, pizza bagels and more.
Georgia Boy’s is always working with the local community, serving student groups, schools and local organizations, and caters breakfast and lunch, too.
136 Greentree Drive, Dover,(302) 672-7450; www.facebook.com/georgiaboysbagels
