When I book a trip to New York City, my first thought is, “Where should I brunch?” In my world, planning an NYC trip is synonymous with finding the best New York City brunch spots.
On each trip to New York City, I have to brunch. Yes, brunch is a verb in New York. It’s not something you go to. Brunch in New York is an experience you have to have.
While in the city, I also have to get a proper New York bagel smothered in cream cheese. For any foodie, it’s a must-have New York experience to check off your NYC bucket list.
Since my visits to New York also often include Bloody Mary cocktails, it felt like time to share my favorite bagel, Bloody Mary, and brunch spots in New York City.
If you also travel to eat and drink like a local, check out our other dining guides for global culinary destinations such as Chicago, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dubai, and Guangzhou.
Disclosure: This guide to New York City brunch and bagel spots contains affiliate links. When you click on one of these partner links and make a purchase or reserve your New York City hotel, I may earn a small commission.
Download This NYC Bagel & Brunch Guide
Before you travel to New York City, download the GPS-guided version of my NYC brunch guide. It’s available through the GPSmyCity app, which creates walking tours from travel bloggers’ articles.
I recommend checking out GPSmyCity’s other self-guided New York City walking tours, too. With GPSmyCity’s walking tours, you can explore the city’s most iconic neighborhoods, sip cocktails around Manhattan, and visit the best ice cream spots.
You can learn more about how GPSmyCity works in this post. Now, let’s look at some of the best places for New York City bagels, Bloody Mary cocktails, and brunch!
Antique Garage for Mediterranean Brunch in SoHo
This Mediterranean restaurant in SoHo serves brunch of Bloody Marys and mezes starting at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
I recommend starting with the Turkish breakfast platter for the table. Also, you’ve got to eat the borek. It’s phillo dough stuffed with feta cheese and parsley. So delish!
Antique Garage | 41 Mercer St, New York, NY 10013 | Reserve Your Table
Stay near Antique Garage at the stylish Crosby Street Hotel (.4 miles, 4-minute walk)
Murray’s Bagels for New York Bagels in Greenwich Village
Murray’s Bagels has been making traditional NYC bagels since 1996 at its Greenwich Village shop.
If you want to order bagels like a local, you’ll need to know your order when you approach the counter. So, take a look at the menu before you go!
You’ll get to choose from various bagels that are hand-rolled and made fresh daily. I recommend the pumpernickel and sesame bagels, but you’ll also find whole-wheat, gluten-free, and flatty bagels with half the calories.
Don’t even bother asking for your bagel to be toasted. Instead, you’ll just pick a schmear, and there are plenty of options! In addition to the cream cheeses in 13 different flavors, schmears include tofu-based cream cheese, peanut butter, jelly, Nutella, hummus, and butter.
The abundance of cream cheese sandwiched between your bagel halves may shock you, but now you’ve officially been warned!
You can also order a bagel with smoked fish or try the BECA breakfast sandwich, loaded with bacon, eggs, cheddar, and avocado mash. Opt for a deli or salad sandwich, or pair your bagel with a cup of soup if it’s closer to lunchtime.
Murray’s Bagels | 500 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Stay near the bagel-laden paradise of Murray’s Bagels at The Marlton Hotel, a luxurious boutique hotel in a historic building. (.6 miles, 8-minute walk)
P.J. Clarke’s for a Famous Bloody Mary Since 1884
The Jumbo Bloody Mary at P.J. Clarke’s may be the best Blood Mary I’ve had in New York City.
Considering the brunch beverage has been “famous” since 1884, this is a Bloody Mary recipe that has withstood the test of time.
Pair your famous Bloody Mary with oysters from the raw bar or a classic Eggs Benedict during brunch at P.J. Clarke’s Lincoln Square location. Brunch runs from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
P.J. Clarke’s Lincoln Square | 44 West 63rd Street, New York, NY 10023
Stay near the Lincoln Square location at the five-star Mandarin Oriental, New York (.2 miles, 5-minute walk ) or The Plaza, the most iconic New York hotel (.7 miles, 16-minute walk)
Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company for Traditional NYC Bagels
Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company has served its bagels, cream cheese spreads, and smoked salmon for 20+ years in Manhattan and Astoria. The bagels here have even been voted Food Network’s favorite NYC bagels!
The hand-rolled, kettle-boiled bagels come in 15 daily flavors. Plus, you’ll find additional seasonal flavors, flat bagels with fewer calories, and a gluten-free variety.
Also, you can order your bagel with one of 15 flavors of cream cheese or tofu cream cheese. Some are traditional, while other flavors are more unique. Try honey bacon sriracha, cannoli, or jalapeño asiago!
In addition to bagels with cream cheese and smoked fish, the menu features sandwiches, hot breakfast wraps, and assorted pastries.
Drinks include hot and iced coffee and tea and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company | Greenwich Village: 63 E 8th St, New York, NY 10003 | Chelsea: 286 8th Ave, New York, NY 10001
Stay near a Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company location at the Art-Deco-style Walker Hotel in Greenwich Village (.6 miles, 13-minute walk) or The Moore, a Member of Design Hotels, an upscale, pet-friendly boutique hotel in Chelsea (.2 miles, 4-minute walk).
The Standard Grill for Weekend Brunch Near the High Line
The Standard Grill is a classic New York restaurant in the Meatpacking District, and it is a favorite among locals and hotel guests staying upstairs at The Standard, High Line.
Undoubtedly, weekend brunch at the Standard Grill should start with one of the brunch cocktails. The Whole Thing Bloody Mary can be made with vodka or tequila, and it’s garnished with blue cheese stuffed olives, cocktail onion, a dill pickle, celery, a cherry tomato, and mozzarella. You can also add candied bacon and/or shrimp for an extra fee.
In addition to Bloody Marys, mimosas, and other brunch cocktails, you can sip fresh fruit juices and smoothies, coffee, tea, wine, or beer.
The Standard Grill’s brunch menu offers sweet and savory breakfast and lunch dishes. I ordered the delicious Eggs Benedict, but I was a bit envious when I saw my sister’s loaded everything bagel and lox.
Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays at the Standard Grill.
The Standard Grill | 848 Washington St, New York, NY 10014
If you plan to brunch at The Standard Grill, you could stay upstairs at The Standard, High Line, or stay nearby at The Maritime Hotel, a nautically themed boutique hotel, in Chelsea (.3 miles, 7-minute walk).
New York City Bagel & Brunch Activities
Beyond dining at brunch spots and bagel shops, you can also experience New York bagels and brunch during a food tour, cooking class, or brunch cruise. Below, I’ve listed some of the best bagel and brunch activities available in New York City!
NYC Brunch Cooking Class
During this brunch cooking class in New York City, you’ll create and eat fluffy lemon raspberry ricotta pancakes, French toast topped with blueberry ricotta cream, and a classic Eggs Benedict over pancetta.
Book Your Brunch Cooking Class Now
New York Harbor Brunch Cruise
Step aboard a 1920s-style yacht to cruise around Manhattan. You’ll see views of Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, and more New York City landmarks as you enjoy a weekend brunch.
Of course, fresh, locally-baked bagels are available on this NYC brunch cruise. The prix-fixe, three-course brunch also features other locally-sourced foods, such as seasonal fruit, craft sausages, stuffed quiche, smoked salmon, and assorted pastries.
Bagel Baking Class in New York City
See how a real New York bagel shop runs in this bagel-baking workshop!
As you learn about the bagel’s fascinating history and how it became a famous New York food, you’ll master the traditional hand rolling technique under the guidance of a bagel-making pro.
After you’ve rolled, boiled, seeded, and baked your bagels, bite into one of your creations fresh from the oven with a spread of cream cheese or other schmear.
Once your bagel-making class ends, you’ll leave with a dozen savory bagels and the recipe to recreate them at home!
Greenwich Village Food Tour (First Stop: Bagels!)
On this 11 a.m. walking food tour, you’ll begin your guided exploration of Greenwich Village’s food, history, and pop culture landmarks with a classic hand-rolled everything bagel and whipped cream cheese.
As the tour progresses, tastings become less brunch-like, with stops for handmade falafel, New York-style pizza, cupcakes, and more.
Also along the way, you’ll see the cobblestone Washington Mews, Washington Square Park, the apartment at 23 Cornelia Street where Taylor Swift lived during her 1989 era, and famous settings from Friends and Sex & the City.
NYC Bagels & Brunch Map
For any food traveler, eating bagels and brunch are must-have experiences in New York, New York, the culinary capital of the United States. So, begin your journey through New York’s food scene with the first meal of the day!
You can use the map below (or click here to open it) to find an authentic bagel shop in Greenwich Village, a Bloody Mary loaded with gourmet garnishes in the Meatpacking District, and more of the best bagel and brunch spots in New York City.
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