El American bagel sandwich from Bagel Babes.
Polly Anna Rocha/MySA
San Antonio definitely knows what it’s like to miss your city’s food. An Alamo City native up north was desperate for a breakfast taco – particularly the iconic pairing of barbacoa and Big Red – but was met with bacon, egg and cheese bagels. So, in true Texas hospitality, here’s where Knicks fans in town to see their team duke it out with the San Antonio Spurs can find a New York-worthy bagel.
While breakfast tacos certainly reign supreme here in Texas, even if you’re wrong about which city has the best, South-Central Texas is rich in diverse cuisines, and there are plenty of places to find a really good bagel.
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Chicago Bagel & Deli is located at 10198 Wurzbach Road
Chuck Blount / Staff
Chicago Bagel is a must-visit for New York bagel seekers
Chicago Bagel & Deli has been on a personal favorite list for months. A coworker who has sung its praises over the past several years confirmed they make a monthly visit from across town. San Antonio Express-News once called it a “solid neighborhood spot,” but it’s really a way of life if you’re trying to avoid the big bagel chains.
Started in the early ’90s by a “Bagel artisan,” it’s still a family-owned shop boasting dozens of combinations – the classic bodega bacon, egg and cheese included. But it’s the bagel and lox that people brag about.
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“We make our bagels from scratch every day and boil them in water to give them that distinct tough, shiny, textured, chewy inside,” the company website states. “Starting at 3:00 a.m., we bake our bagels daily; they are always fresh.”
Address: 10918 Wurzbach Road #132, San Antonio, TX 78230
Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
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Bagels on display at BOSS Bagels in San Antonio.
Polly Anna Rocha/MySA
BOSS Bagels boasts smorgasbord of schmears, bagel sandwiches
The bagels at BOSS Bagels on Southern Soil have been the topic of conversation in the office at MySA. The company seamlessly blends the texture of New York-style bagels with flavors from further north in Montreal.
“Montreal bagels are more ‘tear and drag’ than ‘slice & schmear’ and arguably even… let’s not go there,” the company explains.
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Here, you can nab a classic lox bagel, a bacon-and-cheesy combo or a simple bagel and schmear. But there are also fun menu items featuring hot honey, chorizo or creative schmear combinations, for the New Yorker looking to try a little Texas flair while seeking out a familiar comfort food.
“The service was excellent and quick, even as customers began to fill the room during lunch, and the food was above what I anticipated in both taste and portion size. It’s no wonder at all why this easygoing spot is a local favorite for all things bagel,” MySA’s Food Reporter Polly Anna Rocha said in March.
Address: 6458 N. New Braunfels Ave., San Antonio, TX 78209
Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day
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Polly Anna Rocha/MySA
Bagel Babes is key for a quick option closer to the Knicks-Spurs action
For a quick bagel closer to downtown San Antonio, Bagel Babes has a food truck off South St. Mary’s Street in Southtown. It’s also a chance to explore some of San Antonio’s oldest neighborhoods, like King William, just around the corner. You can also grab a good cup of Joe at San Antonio’s Eight Ball Coffee while you’re there.
It’s a more limited menu selection, but they’re all bangers. Customers can choose from a handful of sandwich configurations on a salty everything bagel, a spicy jalapeno cheddar bagel or a simple sesame seed option.
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Of course, you can grab a fan-favorite lox bagel sandwich or a take on the classic bacon, egg and cheese. But there are a couple more quirky selections on the menu.
Address: 1432 S. St, Mary’s St., San Antonio, TX 78210
Hours: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day
Bagels are baked in a wood-burning oven at Wild Barley Kitchen Co., a food trailer that parks regularly on Broadway in San Antonio. For Mike Sutter and Chuck Blount’s 52 Weeks of Food Trucks series.
Mike Sutter/Staff
Wild Barely boasts homemade options to dine while sipping a beer
About five years ago, Wild Barely took over the Taco Garage building on Broadway. Ever since, it’s been a staple for San Antonio locals seeking good food and a good brewski. Here, you’ll find kettle-boiled and brick-oven-baked bagels alongside more elevated takes on classic bodega sandwiches.
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Gruyère cheese, homemade aioli, prickly pear chili jam and even pistachio and honey cream cheese make appearances on the menu. But there are simpler classics up for grabs, too, such as a standard bagel and lox.
Address: 8403 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. Closed on Tuesday.
A classic New York diner for homesick Knicks fans
Max & Louie’s New York Diner is exactly what you’d expect and may be pining for if you’re a New York dweller sweltering in the South Texas heat during the Spurs-Knicks NBA Finals showdown. They’ve got your classics: eggs Benedict options, omelets and a bagel-and-lox sandwich, all set in a familiar scene with bakery and deli display cases.
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But you can also grab other New York staples, like a delicious Reuben sandwich (with your choice of pastrami, corned beef or turkey), chicken or eggplant parmesan or even corned beef and cabbage. Honestly, the menu is extensive and has something for just about anyone.
Address: 226 W. Bitters Road #126, San Antonio, TX 78216
Hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m Friday and Saturday