Best Bagels Restaurants in Chicago
50 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
The Bagelers Coffeehouse
Kettle-boiled bagels with serious toppings and café-level coffee in one room.
Notable Picks
8.7
The Bagelers Coffeehouse is a Lincoln Park staple for kettle-boiled bagels, house-made cream cheeses, and breakfast sandwiches that lean more craft café than corner deli. Locals use it as an all-day bagel and coffee stop, from work sessions at the communal tables to quick grab-and-go mornings.
Must-Try Dishes:
The Bageler breakfast sandwich, Sea salt bagel with giardiniera cream cheese, Cheddar jalapeño bagel with garlic chive spread
What Makes it Special: Kettle-boiled bagels with serious toppings and café-level coffee in one room.
8.6
A 24/7, big-menu American diner with a Greek backbone where the best move is to treat it like a dependable all-hours comfort stop: one skillet or classic entrée, then let the bakery case finish the job. It wins on consistency at scale, generous portions, and the kind of late-night reliability that keeps regulars rotating back.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Souvlaki, Greek Lemon Potatoes, Cinnamon Horn
What Makes it Special: A true 24/7 diner-plus-bakery built for reliable, big-portion comfort.
8.6
A high-energy breakfast-and-brunch room where bagels share space with scramblers, benedicts, and griddled sweets, Yolk Streeterville is one of the neighborhood’s most validated morning spots. The move for bagel lovers is to treat it like a diner-meets-bagel shop: build a bagel-and-cream-cheese plate or turn the bagel into a loaded breakfast sandwich alongside coffee and sides.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bagel & cream cheese, Two-egg bacon pesto bagel sandwich, Eggs Benedict with bagel on the side
What Makes it Special: Big-menu brunch spot where bagels plug into hearty breakfast plates.
8.6
Zeitlin's Delicatessen is a modern Jewish deli and bagel shop where hand-rolled New York–style bagels anchor a menu of smoked fish, deli sandwiches, and classic sweets. After building a following at farmers markets and a Loop food hall, the Lincoln Park flagship focuses on sit-down bagel sandwiches and expanded production.
Must-Try Dishes:
Smoked Salmon Bagel Sandwich, Egg & Cheese Bagel Sandwich, Bagel with cream cheese and chocolate babka
What Makes it Special: A from-markets-to-brick-and-mortar Jewish deli built around hand-rolled bagels and smoked fish.
8.5
Handcrafted sourdough bagels with a Chicago-leaning flavor lineup, built around a chewy interior and lightly blistered crust. The ordering sweet spot is a single specialty bagel plus a schmear or one sandwich—tight orders keep timing, toast, and texture consistent during the morning rush.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicago-style bagel with house schmear, Cacio e pepe bagel, Smoked salmon lox bagel
What Makes it Special: Sourdough-driven bagels with signature Chicago seasoning profiles and rotating specials.
8.4
A long-running Pilsen café that wins on all-day breakfast energy: strong coffee, steady sandwiches, and Mexican-leaning comfort that locals treat as a daily anchor. The move is to order like a regular—one signature hot drink, one mollete or sandwich—and keep it simple so everything lands hot and crisp.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mollete, Mexican hot chocolate, Focaccia sandwich
What Makes it Special: A Pilsen institution where coffee-and-mollete breakfast stays reliably satisfying.
8.4
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Group Dining Gatherings
Sports Bar Central
Chicago Bagel Authority’s Armitage location is a high-volume Lincoln Park institution for steamed bagel “steamwiches” and late-morning hangovers. Since the late 1990s, students and neighborhood regulars have lined up for overstuffed breakfast and lunch combinations served in a boisterous, sports-on-TV atmosphere.
Must-Try Dishes:
The Breakfast Bagel, Dank 'N' Eggs steamwich, The Belmont breakfast steamwich
What Makes it Special: A loud, lines-out-the-door spot for steamed, overstuffed bagel sandwiches since the late ’90s.
Vibes:
Brunch Bliss Spots
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Business Lunch Power Players
A high-volume, family-owned brunch destination where the bagel lane works best as a single, focused order inside a bigger breakfast menu. The lox bagel is the cleanest bagel-centric play—structured, satisfying, and built for people who want the classic without turning it into a production.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lox Bagel, Breakfast plates (as a second move), Coffee/juice with the bagel order
What Makes it Special: A high-demand brunch room where the lox bagel is a reliable classic.
Kanela Breakfast Club brings a slightly Greek-leaning brunch menu to Streeterville, with lox-and-bagel plates and fried egg bagel sandwiches sharing space with pancakes and crab cake benedicts. It’s a sit-down option where the bagel set skews more composed and cafe-style than grab-and-go, with enough variety to please both bagel traditionalists and brunch grazers.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lox and Bagel with chive cream cheese, Fried egg bagel sandwich, Crab Cake Benedict
What Makes it Special: A polished brunch cafe where lox bagels and eggy bagel sandwiches are treated like plated entrees.
#10
Schneider Deli
8.4
Schneider Deli is a modern Jewish-style deli in River North where kettle-boiled bagels, lox, and stacked pastrami sandwiches anchor a tight menu. Opened in 2023, it’s already a go-to for breakfast and lunch thanks to fresh-baked bread, precise slicing, and warm counter-service hospitality.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lox Bagel Sandwich, Hot Pastrami on Rye, Bagel Chips with Schmear
What Makes it Special: Modern Jewish-style deli where bagels, lox, and pastrami share equal billing.
8.4
West Town Bakery & Diner anchors the neighborhood with house-baked bagels, pastry cases, and all-day brunch plates under one busy roof. Locals lean on it for breakfast bagel sandwiches, coffee, and cakes in a casual, family-friendly room that also works for quick meetings.
Must-Try Dishes:
Breakfast bagel sandwich with egg and cheese, Bagel with lox and cream cheese, Toasted bagel with veggie cream cheese and side hash browns
What Makes it Special: Big-volume neighborhood bakery where bagels, cakes, and brunch share one counter.
#12
Brobagel
8.3
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Trendy Table Hotspots
Brobagel is a dedicated Wicker Park bagel shop turning out New York–style, boiled-then-baked bagels with a crackly crust and dense chew. Morning regulars line up for simple cream-cheese setups and hefty breakfast sandwiches before the shop sells out.
Must-Try Dishes:
Everything bagel with scallion cream cheese, Bacon, egg, and cheese bagel sandwich, Vegan tofu scramble bagel sandwich with mushrooms and spinach
What Makes it Special: Traditional boiled-and-baked bagels from veteran bakers with decades of experience.
#13
Dorothy's Bakery
8.3
Dorothy's Bakery is a farmers market–born bakery turned Clark Street storefront, known for sourdough bagels, pastries, and the Frankie breakfast sandwich. The space is compact and largely takeaway-focused, but locals treat it as a morning ritual for freshly baked bread, bagel sandwiches, and coffee.
Must-Try Dishes:
Frankie bacon-egg-and-cheese bagel sandwich, Crème brûlée croissant, Sourdough bagel with smoked salmon
What Makes it Special: Market-honed sourdough bagels and pastries now served from a focused Lincoln Park storefront.
8.3
A Loop takeout-first window that treats bagel sandwiches like the main event—hot, fast, and built to hold together from first bite to last. Best for a focused morning or lunch reset: pick one signature bagel build, add coffee, and keep the order tight so the line stays painless.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lox bagel, Sausage, egg & cheese on jalapeño cheddar bagel, Spicy cream cheese bagel sandwich
What Makes it Special: Takeout-window bagel sandwiches with real downtown speed and polish.
8.3
A Devon Avenue Jewish bakery where the bagel order makes sense as part of a broader old-school case: dense breads, cookies, and sliceable cakes that lean classic over trendy. Best move is to buy bagels for the morning, then add one sweet from the pastry counter so the stop feels complete.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fresh bagels, Rugelach, Princess cake
What Makes it Special: A long-running Devon Avenue bakery where bagels share the spotlight with classic Jewish baked goods.
8.3
A Lincoln Square cafe where bagels are treated like a composed breakfast—distinct spreads, clean builds, and a menu that leans nutrient-dense without feeling austere. The move is a signature bagel sandwich plus one of their house-driven coffee drinks, then take advantage of the patio when it’s open.
Must-Try Dishes:
Strawberry cashew cream bagel, Green Power bagel sandwich, Goat cheese + cucumber + avocado bagel sandwich
What Makes it Special: Bagel sandwiches built around distinctive spreads and health-leaning combinations.
#17
R&A Sourdough
8.3
A Ravenswood sourdough bakery that treats bagels like a craft product—hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, and baked onsite, with flavors (like za’atar) that stay savory and structured. The best orders lean into their lox-and-schmear builds or a breakfast sandwich, and the patio/takeout flow makes it an easy repeat stop when you want something more serious than a standard bagel counter.
Must-Try Dishes:
Za’atar sourdough bagel, Lox & chive everything bagel, The Youngster bagel sandwich
What Makes it Special: Sourdough-based, kettle-boiled bagels with real flavor-driven topping choices.
#18
Tempo Cafe
8.3
A Gold Coast staple since the early 1980s, Tempo Cafe is a big-menu diner where bagels show up in classic Nova lox plates and as supporting players to enormous skillets and omelettes. Locals lean on it for reliable, late-running breakfasts and straightforward lox-on-bagel setups before shopping the Mag Mile.
Must-Try Dishes:
Nova lox on a bagel platter, Bagel with cream cheese and capers, Poor Man’s Skillet with a bagel on the side
What Makes it Special: Long-running diner where classic lox and bagel plates come with big portions and all-day breakfast energy.
8.3
The Bakehouse Chicago is a Latin-leaning bakery and café where egg-and-cheese bagels, smoked salmon plates, and breakfast bagels share space with laminated pastries and strong coffee. It’s a go-to in Roscoe Village for a slightly upgraded bagel breakfast in a casual, sunlit room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Egg & Cheese Bagel, Smoked Salmon Plate on bagel, Breakfast Bagel sandwich
What Makes it Special: Family-run bakery where bagel breakfasts sit beside serious pastries.
8.2
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Hidden Gems Heaven
Corey’s NYC Bagel Deli is a compact River North counter spot focused on kettle-boiled bagels, piled-high breakfast sandwiches, and lox-loaded specials. With hundreds of reviews and early-morning hours, it functions as a grab-and-go breakfast hub for nearby offices and hotels.
Must-Try Dishes:
Nova Lox Sandwich, The Benny Sandwich, Plain Bagel with Scallion Cream Cheese
What Makes it Special: A small, bagel-first deli with New York–style water bagels and generously stuffed breakfast sandwiches at downtown-friendly prices.
8.2
A community-forward North Lawndale cafe built for reliable weekday breakfast and lunch pacing, where the coffee bar and grab-and-go bakery items do real work. For bagels, keep it simple: go everything or plain, add a spread, and treat it as the quick, dependable base before you layer on the rest of the menu.
Must-Try Dishes:
Everything bagel, Plain bagel, Chocolate chip cookie
What Makes it Special: A neighborhood cafe that pairs a solid coffee bar with dependable breakfast basics.
8.2
A downtown bagel counter that leans into bold flavors and sandwich builds, designed for fast morning runs and early sell-outs. The sweet-and-savory lane is the move—pick one signature bagel sandwich, keep modifications minimal, and treat it like a focused grab-and-go stop.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bacon, 2 Eggs & Cheddar on a bagel, Churro Bagel, Everything bagel with chive cream cheese
What Makes it Special: Flavor-forward bagels and big breakfast sandwiches that sell out early.
8.2
Oud Coffee & Cafe is a Palestinian-owned coffee bar and bakery where knafeh, specialty lattes, and a full bagel section anchor a polished, photo-friendly space. In River North, it functions as an all-day stop for lox bagels, Asiago bagels, and sweet snacks alongside elaborate matcha and espresso drinks.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lox Bagel, Asiago Bagel with Cream Cheese, Everything Bagel with Chive Cream Cheese
What Makes it Special: Design-forward cafe where Middle Eastern pastries share space with a full bagel lineup.
8.2
A Woodlawn neighborhood café built around morning efficiency and a broad breakfast-and-lunch counter menu. For a bagel-style breakfast stop, keep it simple with one breakfast sandwich and a drink, then use the roomy seating as your work session base.
Must-Try Dishes:
Breakfast Sandwich, Banana Bread French Toast, Mocha Diablo
What Makes it Special: A South Side café with a deep breakfast menu and strong grab-and-go rhythm.
#25
Rye Deli & Drink
8.2
Vibes:
Business Lunch Power Players
Trendy Table Hotspots
Quick Bites Champions
Instagram Worthy Wonders
A smoked-meat deli built around a breakfast menu that treats bagels like a real lane, not an afterthought—kettle-boiled options with schmears and stacked sandwiches that hold up for an office-day start. It’s best when you commit to one bagel build (salmon or bacon-egg-cheese) and skip the buffet mindset so it stays crisp, hot, and focused.
Must-Try Dishes:
Classic Smoked Salmon Bagel (Stack It), Royale with Cheese (bacon, egg, cheddar on a plain bagel), Everything bagel with smoked salmon schmear
What Makes it Special: A deli that actually runs a full bagels-and-schmears lane all morning.
8.2
A compact Edgewater café from Co-op Sauce and Crumb Bread where bagels get treated like a canvas—bold spreads, rotating builds, and a lox option that leans savory and layered. Come hungry but focused: one bagel sandwich plus a sauce sample is the sweet spot before the menu tempts you into over-ordering.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bagel Du Jour, The Lox (bagel), Bagel with garlic chilli crisp spread
What Makes it Special: Bagel sandwiches built around creative spreads and rotating, chef-y fillings.
8.2
A neighborhood coffee bar that earns repeat visits when you treat it like a tight breakfast mission: one bagel sandwich and a well-made drink, then out. The bagel lane is reliable and practical, especially for grab-and-go mornings in Jefferson Park.
Must-Try Dishes:
Veggie Bagel Sandwich, Bagel sandwich (seasonal/special), Coffee + bagel combo
What Makes it Special: Coffee-and-bagel execution with a dependable neighborhood cadence.
#28
All Together Now
8.1
All Together Now is a wine shop, cheese counter, and cafe that bakes its own bagels for daytime service alongside sandwiches and natural wines. West Town neighbors treat it as a relaxed spot where you can grab a bagel in the morning and come back later for a glass and small plates.
Must-Try Dishes:
House bagel with cream cheese and seasonal toppings, Breakfast bagel sandwich with egg and cheese, Toasted bagel with charcuterie and cheese on the side
What Makes it Special: Hybrid bottle shop and cafe where house-baked bagels meet wine and cheese.
#29
Doma Cafe
8.1
A neighborhood all-day cafe with Balkan-leaning comfort and a breakfast rhythm that rewards ordering one focused main and letting the kitchen’s execution carry. Bagel-based breakfast sandwiches show up as a frequent best-case move when you want something filling without going wide on the menu.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bacon and egg bagel, Asiago bagel stack, Chicken Roma asiago bagel stack
What Makes it Special: All-day cafe comfort with strong breakfast-sandwich execution.
8.1
A tight, neighborhood breakfast counter that leans classic but cooks with real care—steady coffee, efficient pacing, and a menu built for repeat visits. Bagels aren’t the whole point here, but the bagel-based breakfast plays land best when you want a quick, familiar base for eggs and morning add-ons.
Must-Try Dishes:
Breakfast bagel sandwich, Bagel avocado toast (when available), Bagel with cream cheese
What Makes it Special: A true neighborhood breakfast counter with reliable bagel-based morning staples.
8.1
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Comfort Food Classics
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Gotham Bagels brings a New York–style bagel shop format just off the Magnificent Mile, with hand-rolled bagels, whipped cream cheeses, and smoked-fish fixings sold by the sandwich or by the dozen. It’s the most bagel-focused operation in 60611, ideal when you want a proper seeded bagel with lox or a hefty breakfast sandwich rather than a general brunch plate.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bagel and Cream Cheese, Brighton Beach smoked salmon bagel sandwich, Bacon, Egg & Cheddar bagel sandwich
What Makes it Special: Dedicated bagel shop hand-rolling New York–style bagels with full salmon and deli fixings steps from the Mag Mile.
A strip-mall New York-style bagel-and-bialy counter that locals use like a weekly default: grab, toast, load with cream cheese, and get out. It shines most when you keep the order tight—one bagel or bialy, one classic spread or lox build—so texture stays chewy and warm.
Must-Try Dishes:
Everything bagel (toasted), Bialy, Lox and cream cheese on a bagel
What Makes it Special: NY-style bagels and bialys built for fast, no-fuss breakfast runs.
#33
Rosca
8.1
A Central American–rooted coffee shop where the bagel order gets a real local twist. The move is a bagel with cream cheese and curtido—bright, crunchy, and savory—paired with one of their house-driven coffee drinks.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bagel with cream cheese + curtido, Café de olla, Guatemalan conchas (weekend availability varies)
What Makes it Special: Bagels get a curtido add-on that tastes unmistakably Pilsen.
8.1
Sipping Turtle Cafe in Avondale builds its all-day traffic around coffee and a compact lineup of hot toasted bagel sandwiches, from bacon-egg-and-cheese to smoked salmon. Regulars treat it as a neighborhood hangout where you can post up with a laptop or grab a quick bagel breakfast to go.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bacon Egg and Cheese bagel sandwich, Smoked salmon bagel, Ham Egg and Cheese bagel sandwich
What Makes it Special: Neighborhood cafe where toasted bagel sandwiches anchor the breakfast menu.
8.1
A modern Jewish deli with a real bakery backbone—bagels and enriched breads that support big, structured sandwiches. It lands best as an early-day pickup or quick sit-down: one signature sandwich plus a baked good, then stop before the order sprawls.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bagels, Egg on A Roll, Sufganiyot
What Makes it Special: Bagel-and-bread-driven deli sandwiches with serious bakery execution.
#36
Gotham Bagels
8
A New York-style bagel counter that’s strongest when you stick to the classics: a properly toasted bagel, a clean cream-cheese lane, and a topping that doesn’t fight the chew. The room runs quick and compact, so it’s best treated as a grab-and-go staple rather than a long hang.
Must-Try Dishes:
Premium Atlantic cold-smoked salmon bagel, Cinnamon sugar bagel with maple cream cheese, Bacon, egg & cheese bagel sandwich
What Makes it Special: New York-style bagels with a tight, classic toppings lane.
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Family Friendly Favorites
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Helfeld's Delicatessen & Catering is a modern Jewish deli serving bagels, lox, and piled-high sandwiches in a compact North Avenue space. Since opening in 2021, it’s become a go-to for breakfast bagel sandwiches and classic deli comforts in the Wicker Park–West Town corridor.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bagel with lox and cream cheese, Egg and cheese breakfast bagel sandwich, Toasted bagel with pastrami or corned beef
What Makes it Special: Family-run Jewish deli with serious bagels, lox, and classic deli plates.
#38
R&A Sourdough
8
R&A Sourdough’s Roscoe Village outpost brings the brand’s chewy, slow-fermented bagels into a walk-up window format, with loaded breakfast sandwiches and classic lox builds. Locals lean on it for serious sourdough texture, creative schmears, and a patio-friendly weekend bagel routine.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bagel, Lox & Schmear, The Big Bird breakfast sandwich, Everything bagel with garlic and dill schmear
What Makes it Special: Sourdough-focused bagels with robust chew and deli-style toppings.
#39
Spoken Cafe
8
A neighborhood cafe stop under the Brown Line that sneaks bagel credibility into a broader breakfast-and-lunch menu. Order like a cafe regular: one bagel-based sandwich or bialy-style item, one drink, and move on—this place rewards simple, decisive tickets.
Must-Try Dishes:
Senora Huerta (ham & cheese pizza bialy-style sandwich), Caldera sandwich, Lox sandwich
What Makes it Special: Cafe-style bagel and bialy sandwiches with a tight, local rhythm.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Decker’s Sourdough Bagels is a tiny River North shop focused on naturally leavened bagels with a crackly crust and soft interior. Still new with just a handful of reviews, it’s drawing attention for sourdough tang, simple spreads, and friendly service that feels more like a neighborhood pop-up than a chain.
Must-Try Dishes:
Plain Sourdough Bagel with Plain Schmear, Sourdough Bagel with Smoked Salmon Spread, Everything Sourdough Bagel
What Makes it Special: Sourdough-only bagel shop turning out crusty, tangy bagels in a compact space.
7.9
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Business Lunch Power Players
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
A commuter-adjacent deli that treats bagels like a practical sandwich platform—fast assembly, big flavor, and zero ceremony. The move is to order one named bagel sandwich (turkey lanes are the sweet spot) and keep the extras minimal so the value stays high and the pacing stays clean.
Must-Try Dishes:
Division St. (Turkey) Bagel Sandwich, Erie St. (Turkey) Bagel Sandwich, Parnell Ave. Bagel Breakfast Sandwich
What Makes it Special: Named, build-specific bagel sandwiches designed for fast daily repeat orders.
#42
Loaves & Witches
7.9
A community-forward café-bakery where the bagels are made in-house and the vibe leans witchy, queer-friendly, and neighborhood casual. The bagels shine most when you keep it simple—choose a standout flavor (rosemary olive oil is the move) and pair it with vegan cream cheese for a clean, satisfying bite.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rosemary olive oil bagel, Everything bagel, Bagel with vegan cream cheese
What Makes it Special: In-house bagels with a community-first café energy and vegan-friendly options.
#43
Bagel Miller
7.8
A bagel shop built around thick, sturdy bagels and sandwich combos that lean filling rather than delicate. It’s best when you keep the order focused—one signature sandwich and one straightforward schmear—so the experience stays clean and satisfying.
Must-Try Dishes:
Breakfast bagel sandwich, Lox bagel sandwich, House schmear bagel
What Makes it Special: Bagel-and-sandwich focus with big, sturdy builds.
#44
Café Consume
7.8
A McKinley Park coffee counter that doubles as a local hangout, with breakfast sandwiches that happen to land well on an everything bagel. Treat it like a focused grab-and-go stop: one bagel sandwich, one iced drink, done.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bacon, egg & cheese on an everything bagel, Sausage, egg & cheese on an everything bagel, Iced latte
What Makes it Special: Breakfast bagel sandwiches that feel built for regulars.
#45
Dollop Coffee
7.8
This Streeterville outpost of the Chicago-born Dollop Coffee group functions as a bright, laptop-friendly cafe with vegan-friendly bagels and a build-your-own bagel option alongside pastries and espresso drinks. It’s less a full breakfast destination than a reliable grab-a-bagel-and-work stop, especially for nearby residents and hospital staff.
Must-Try Dishes:
Build Your Own Bagel, Bagel sandwiches with egg and cheese, Toasted everything bagel with chive cream cheese
What Makes it Special: Local coffee roaster’s Streeterville cafe with vegan-friendly bagels and a customizable bagel program in a workspace-friendly room.
#46
Gold Coast Cafe
7.8
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Middle Eastern–leaning corner cafe at the Gold Coast/River North border where breakfast burritos sit alongside matcha, pastries, and deli sandwiches. Regulars use it for a halal-friendly breakfast burrito and coffee before work or as a late-night takeout option.
Must-Try Dishes:
Breakfast burrito with eggs and turkey bacon, Burritos suizo with melted cheese, French toast flight for a sweet brunch add-on
What Makes it Special: Halal-friendly cafe where breakfast burritos share space with coffee drinks and Middle Eastern-leaning plates.
#47
Kapéj Coffee
7.8
A cozy Old Town coffeehouse where bagels function as the most dependable food lane—simple, warm, and built to pair cleanly with espresso drinks. It’s at its best when you treat the bagel as the anchor and don’t overcomplicate the order.
Must-Try Dishes:
Prosciutto bagel, Everything bagel with egg and bacon, Plain bagel
What Makes it Special: Cozy coffeehouse bagel sandwiches in a work-friendly space.
#48
Outdoor Café
7.8
A North Park cafe built for drinks, dessert, and hanging out, with bagel sandwiches as a practical savory option rather than a purist bagel program. The bagel move is straightforward: order the egg-and-cheese style sandwich and eat it fresh while you sip something iced.
Must-Try Dishes:
Egg/Ham & Cheese Bagel, Egg & Cheese Bagel, Milk tea (boba)
What Makes it Special: A cozy neighborhood cafe where bagel sandwiches anchor the savory side of a drinks-and-dessert menu.
7.8
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Steingold's Bakehouse in Humboldt Park is the production hub for Steingold's Jewish deli, selling bagels, babka, and baked goods directly to the public. It’s more of a counter and takeout operation than a sit-down deli, but locals make the trip for New York–style bagels with classic deli toppings.
Must-Try Dishes:
Everything bagel with lox cream cheese, Plain bagel with flavored cream cheese, Breakfast bagel sandwich with egg, cheese, and bacon
What Makes it Special: Bakehouse outpost of a popular Jewish deli, focused on bagels and baked goods.
7.8
A café-market hybrid where the surprise is that the Smash Burger belongs in the conversation, not just the coffee and baked goods. It’s a daytime play—order, grab a seat, and treat the burger as lunch fuel rather than a late-night craving.
Must-Try Dishes:
Smash Burger, Breakfast Sandwich, Seasonal Pastries
What Makes it Special: A coffee-and-market spot where the lunch smash burger actually hits.