Finding The Best Bagels in Nashville

The first thing I did when I started prepping for this story was create a spreadsheet of the various bagel makers in town, including multiple characteristics to be ranked; ranging from taste, appearance, and creativity to important descriptors like density, thickness, and durability.

But I soon realized it really came down to just one thing - how does it taste? Does it have a fresh crust with a light, but not too light interior? If it’s flavored, does the flavor make sense (maybe it’s seasonal) and does it not overtake the bagel itself? I do appreciate taking a risk (a key ingredient in creativity) even if cream cheese goes up my nose at my first bite of one inventive creation (looking at you, Kneadle and Thredd!).

So, abandoning the spreadsheet, I focused on enjoying the ever-growing bagel options Nashville offers. Like with many specialty foods that I never imagined would make it to Nashville, it seems that a new bagel offering pops-up almost weekly. Before describing the mountain of carbs I’ve eaten in the last couple of weeks, I thought I’d start with a trip back in time to the early eighties and our first local bagel shop, Steve Plotkin’s Nashville Bagel. It was on West End (approximately across from where Candyland’s used to be just past where the Toddle House used to be but before you got to where Krystal’s used to be, on the other side of the street).  A friend bet me $100 that it wouldn’t survive because there weren’t enough Jewish people here to support it. Of course, I countered, “Everyone loves bagels!” Even if they don’t know yet what they are.” It was very successful, and I won the bet. Come to think of it, he never paid up.

Back to the present, and by that, I mean my mouth, which is full of an extremely chewy, delicious, and totally unexpected bagel from Big Ben’s Bagels. His tagline might be, “We may make Nashville’s ugliest bagels, but they are also the tastiest”. (I hope that doesn’t get me into trouble and surely illustrates why I never got into brand development).

Ugly or not, I found I like bagels lightly toasted. I like a crunch when I bite into the crust and a soft, but not too soft, interior that has a consistency that feels like a true bagel and not like white bread while subtly flavorful, not bland. Mr. Aaron’s, Nicky’s Coal Fired, H & S, and Crieve Hall’s bagels all rise to this level (so to speak). So I started eating the same type of bagel side by side, reminding myself it’s not about the quantity of poppyseeds (although Proper Bagel definitely kicks butt in the amount of seeds they can fit on any given bagel), or the size of the bagel, or even the appearance. It’s all about the flavor.

And the craving. I’m surprised that after two weeks of watching the number of unused holes at the front of my belt decrease, I actually can’t wait for our next delivery from Mr. Aaron’s Goods, who started off with pasta and now sells bagels, schmears, and the occasional peach. My wife Janice thinks his are the best in town, and still does, although with my less refined palate, I will eagerly nab a Nicky’s Coal Fired bagel, consume one of the many sourdough bagels from Crieve Hall Bagel Co. (yes, you read that correctly, bagels in Crieve Hall!), and enjoy any of the ones I’ve mentioned above or listed below.

It's 9:47 AM. I just finished chewing and swallowing the last of a Big Ben’s bagel before my deadline and I’m optimistic about the evolving character of Nashville. After all, it wasn’t that long ago, in “the good old days,” that the only bagel choices were in the frozen food department the of local super. I, for one, welcome this type of change and just hope I don’t have to buy some new pants.

The bagels who sacrificed themselves in this noble pursuit of bagel superiority are listed below in the order of preference depending on my craving at any given time, but you can’t go wrong ordering from any of them. Now, onto my next spread sheet.