I am loath to admit New York does anything better than New Jersey. And it truly is not a bit when I say the Garden State has better bagels than our neighbors across the Hudson River.
So last year when I first heard uber-trendy Apollo Bagels of Manhattan fame was making the jump to New Jersey, I wanted to hate it.
New York’s hottest bagel place started as an extension of Leo, a popular Williamsburg pizzeria, back in 2022. Their open-faced sandwiches on crispy sourdough bagels became popular enough to necessitate locations in the East Village, West Village, Financial District and Williamsburg.
On an ideological level, Apollo Bagels is diametric to what a bagel shop should be — especially a New Jersey one. Overwhelming social media hype. Long lines that often stretch down the block. A tiny menu. Bagels that look more like art projects than breakfast.
READ MORE: New Jersey’s 53 greatest bagel shops, ranked for 2025
Nevertheless, Apollo Bagels became the latest New York import to land in New Jersey when its Hoboken outpost finally opened last week. I made the trek to the Mile Square City, prepared to wait on a long line — in the name of journalism and spite.
I came away rethinking everything I thought I knew about bagels. Or at least, with a new appreciation for bagels beyond New Jersey.
There was almost no line when I arrived on Thursday at 9 a.m., and the wait to get my bagel after ordering was a little more than 10 minutes. I imagine that won’t be the case on a weekend, so plan accordingly.
An everything bagel with cream cheese from Apollo Bagels in Hoboken.Jeremy Schneider | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Apollo only makes three types of bagels: plain, sesame and everything. You won’t find egg sandwiches on the menu, and definitely no Taylor ham. Meticulously crafted open-faced sandwiches with smoked salmon and whitefish salad are their calling card. And while that may sound pretentious, even the biggest bagel purist would admit they are aesthetically pleasing.
After one bite of an everything bagel with cream cheese ($5), I understood why people wait on line for these things. The naturally fermented, crispy, bubbly bagels have a crunch and savoriness that I’ve never encountered in a New Jersey bagel. I was hooked immediately. Apollo toasts their bagels by default, which goes against my bagel code of ethics, but it works here. The audible crunch and sourdough bite is superb.
An everything bagel with cream cheese from Apollo Bagels in Hoboken.Jeremy Schneider | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The sesame bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese ($15), caper, red onion and dill was equally impressive, though unsurprisingly not cheap. So many bagel shops, even New Jersey ones, pile so much lox onto their sandwiches that eating them becomes a chore. Apollo’s open-faced method might be the most efficient means of serving smoked salmon I’ve ever had. The lox was fresh and flavorful, the right amount of cream cheese was present and the crispy bagel provided a delicious and sturdy base.
It pains me to admit it, but New York did something right. And I’m glad it’s in New Jersey now.
No, Apollo Bagels isn’t for everyone. The line will be annoying on weekends. Many will scoff at the limited menu and gasp at the lack of Taylor ham. But thriving eateries with minuscule menus always catch my eye. That’s the mark of a place that knows what they’re doing. It’s clear Apollo knows what its doing. Plus, sesame and everything are the best bagel flavors anyway.
This is very much not your traditional bagel — and that’s the point. Variations on classics can be excellent when done with care, which is the case here. I wouldn’t want this to be my everyday bagel option, but I’m thrilled its now available in New Jersey.
New Jersey still has better bagels than New York. But Apollo Bagels, hailing from the Empire State, is now one of New Jersey’s best bagel shops.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.