Bagel Jays Saves The Day
(Submitted by Jenny) Friday morning I was given the simple yet noble task of saving the Buffalo Rising crew, weary from an all-nighter, putting the finishing touches on the very first monthly edition of BRM (on the streets in a couple days).
I was sent for bagels.
I could have made it easy on myself and gone to the bagel shop a few blocks away, but I decided the hard-working BRM staff were worth the extra 5-10-minute drive, so I made my way uptown to Bagel Jay's.
With 18 different bagel varieties always on the menu, all freshly baked by Bagel Jay's bakers, and seasonal flavors added (pumpkin is available now), I was basking in bagel options.
I picked marble rye, ‘everything’, cranberry orange, sesame, poppy seed, blueberry, and cinnamon raisin. The choices of cream cheese, which they make themselves, were just as plentiful. Not wanting to over stimulate the weary BRM staff with options, out of the 11 choices I picked only two: the lox spread which had a fabulous amount of salmon mixed throughout and, because I didn't know everyone's taste, I played it safe and chose plain.
This was my third visit to Bagel Jay's this week and it was amazingly consistent. I'm finding myself becoming a bit of an addict -- the Bagels are just that good. Monday I lunched with a friend on a lox, lettuce and tomato sandwich on an ‘everything’ bagel. My friend suggested we split a chocolate covered macaroon for dessert. I really wasn't in the mood for or a macaroon, or dessert for that matter, but I was pleasantly surprised when I was ready for another because they were so darn tasty. On Wednesday I went back for another lox sandwich and the staff was every bit as cheerful and the sandwich every bit as good as it was Monday.
I am pretty certain that a large reason for the fact that their bagels can't be beat is that they come from one of the men who first brought authentic NYC-style bagels that we now know and love from their home town to Buffalo 30 years ago. Bagel Jay's is owned and operated by Jay Gershberg. Jay is one of the original Bagel Brothers.
In 1976, shortly after college, Jay and his brother moved from the Bronx to Buffalo bringing the water boiled process of bagel making with them. After 20 years in business, the brothers Gershberg decided to call it quits. Several years later, Jay decided to go back to bagels. For the past 5 years or so, Jay has continued the tradition of making delicious-crusty-on-the-outside-soft-chewy-on-the-inside NYC style bagels.
Bagel Jay's currently has 2 locations other the location that I frequent on Delaware and Great Arrow. In addition to bagels and a variety of sandwiches, they also offer an assortment of baked goods and coffees that change daily. They definitely get my vote for the best bagel place in town.
The number one #1 is my favorite and most of the time you don't even have to buy a paper. Next time the staff reaches or bends over check out the art work.
I went there for the first time yesterday. A quality spot.
I didn't even realize BJ's was a local business. I just thought it was a "Noah's" knock-off chain. More motivation to keep going back!
Bagel Jays is definitely the best place to breakfast or lunch (and snack, too!). I agree that the quality is always consistent and the staff is always friendly. We need to start making an extra effort in Buffalo to support local businesses, such as Bagel Jays, or else the corporate Paneras and others will drive everyone else out and prevent consumer variety and choice. Just thinking about this is going to make me go bet a Bagel Jay's bagel! The vegetable cream cheese and chicken salad are my favorites, paired with an everythig bagel! yumm!
Bagel Jays is my favorite bagel place in Buffalo. The quality of service and plentiful menu choices makes this place better than any other bagel joint in the city. Nothing else comes close to one of the fresh bagels for breakfast or a nice whitefish or lox sandwich for lunch! yummmm
Speaking of bagels, why is Buffalo so underserved by bagel places. I wouldn't mind seeing a few Bruegger's or Einstein Bros. bagel shops open up in Buffalo. Even though they're national chains, they both have bagels that I would rate above Bagel Jay's. If anyone ever runs across either of these places in other cities I highly recommend them.
i think brueggers and einsteins suck. i'm originally from nyc and i can tell you that bagel jays is the real deal.