East Coast do Bagels just right

Yes you can get bagels all over the world, but there’s something sentimental about being in New York and ordering an egg bagel.

I had my first egg bagel from a little bagel shop in Chelsea on 23rd and 8th – back in 1989, and I was smitten with the first bite. Back then I was a fan of heavily toasted water bagel (dipped in boiling water before it’s baked), and then it was toasted and served dripping with butter. The parchment paper used to wrap it used to be butter-soaked and leaking before I’d made it back to our apartment on 22nd Street.

Now that we’ve come back to the East Coast for a visit, I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into an egg bagel, but this time it was oozing with cream cheese and sliced tomato.

We walked into Upper Montclair one morning to get some fresh air and go in search of a great cup of coffee, but we did even better when we stumbled upon Beyond the Bagel on Bellevue Avenue.

Beyond the Bagel is a little hole in the wall place with a couple of tables and chairs set outside and a comfy window bench seat by the door, which was a great location to listen to the steady stream of regulars that come in to order the morning bagel. Their Taylor ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches were a popular item, and are just one of the few hot breakfast options.

Even when the shop got busy, the guys behind the counter know what they’re doing and the line moves quickly.

Address for Beyond the Bagel, 219 Bellevue Ave, Montclair, NJ 07043

Java Love Roasting Company

BTB may be the best place for bagels in the local area, but definitely the best place for coffee is Java Love.

With it’s recycled/reclaimed interior, inspirational chalked quotes, and the rich aroma of fresh brewed coffee swirling around your nostrils, there’s plenty to entice you to linger longer than is necessary over a cup of dark roast.