2026 North Jersey Bagel Bucket List

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New Jersey has a serious case for being the bagel capital of the country, and Morris County might be the strongest argument in the state. Hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, fresh out of the oven before most people are awake, the bagels in this part of North Jersey are the kind New Yorkers cross the river for.

We put together the ultimate North Jersey bagel bucket list, 13 Morris County bagel spots that locals swear by, stretching from Madison all the way out to Kenvil. Hit them in any order. The only rule is don’t leave any of them off the list.

Alfa Bagels at 587 State Route 10 in Randolph is the highest-ranked bagel shop in all of Morris County, coming in at number three in the entire state of New Jersey on NJ.com’s list. Twelve varieties, a killer Taylor ham, egg, and cheese, and a fan base that drives in from every neighboring town.
Time for a Bagel at 680 Speedwell Avenue in Morris Plains has been hand-rolling bagels since 1996, right across from the train station. Twenty-three bagel varieties, more than 20 spreads, and the kind of loyalty that has people calling it the best bagel in Morris County, decade after decade.
Boonton Bagels and Gourmet Deli at 520 Myrtle Avenue in Boonton landed on NJ.com’s statewide best bagels list. They are known for water-boiled NY-style bagels, fresh Boar’s Head deli meats, and a homemade cinnamon bun that has its own following.
Morristown Bagel and Deli at 121 Morris Street in Morristown is the downtown Morristown classic. Fresh bagels, a friendly owner, and the kind of Taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a salt bagel that Jersey was built on. Patch readers have voted it one of the best bagels in Morris County.
Chatham Bagels at 260 Main Street in Chatham hand-rolls and bakes bagels fresh all day. Specialty twists, flagels, a wide range of cream cheese flavors, and sandwiches cooked right on the grill.
Mendham Bagel and Coffee Shop at 88 East Main Street in Mendham bakes kettle-boiled bagels on-site every morning and pairs them with locally roasted coffee. Catering, gluten-free, and vegetarian options round out the menu.
Madison Bagel Cafe at 23 Waverly Place in Madison runs on a bagel recipe that goes back more than 50 years. They boil before baking for the authentic NY-style chew, and the Mother Clucker breakfast sandwich is one of the most popular orders in town.
Gabe’s Bagels opened a brand new Chester location at 151 US Highway 206 in early 2025, joining their other Morris County shops in Chatham and East Hanover. Authentic NY-style bagels, baked fresh starting at 5 a.m., with signature cream cheese spreads like scallion, sweet raisin, and chunky lox.
Rockaway Bagel and Deli at 171 Green Pond Road in Rockaway has been family-owned since 1987, with the bagel recipe traveling from Pompton Plains to Flanders to its current Rockaway home in 2003. Bagels are baked fresh every morning.
Baldwin Bagels on Baldwin Road off Route 46 in Parsippany is a Patch reader favorite for best bagel in the Parsippany area. The lox spread is loaded with full pieces of lox mixed in, and the French toast bagel has its own devoted following.
A&B Bagel Deli and Grill II at 187 Speedwell Avenue in Morris Plains has been family-owned since 1997. Their Sloppy Joes get just as much love as the bagels, and Yelp reviewers regularly call out the bacon, egg, and cheese on a whole wheat everything bagel as a standout.
Manhattan Bagel at 321 Route 15 in Wharton serves fresh-baked bagels every day, made in store the classic NY-style way, boiled and baked from the original Manhattan Bagel recipe that traces back to 1987.
Leggo My Bagel at 760 US-46 in Kenvil is a newer addition to the Morris County bagel scene with a big menu and even bigger personality. Bagels, empanadas, Philly cheesesteaks, lulo and maracuya shakes, and Ecuadorian lunch specials make this one of the most fun bagel stops in the county.