How do you like your bagel? Plain, toasted with cream cheese, or piled high with lox and capers? Either way, your bagel has a story to tell. The deliciously comforting chewy bread has a story that stretches back centuries. The bagel began its journey in the bustling streets of 17th-century Poland.

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting this site and helping me keep ancient food stories alive.. Learn more.*

The First Bagels

The earliest written mention of bagels dates back to 1610 in Kraków, Poland. In Jewish communities, bagels were gifted to women after childbirth. The circular shape symbolized continuity and unity, making it a meaningful present for new moms.

The baked goods were a convenient food for working-class families. Boiling the dough before baking gave it a dense, chewy interior and a crust that helped it stay fresh longer. The hole in the center allowed bagels to bake and boil evenly. Vendors would string them up or hang them on sticks for easy selling. The street sellers would also offer items like smoked herring and fruit. Today, you can make your own with this fun bagel baking kit — no street stall required.

Bagels became a staple in Jewish households. For many poor Jews, selling bagels was a last resort and a way to make a small income. Children sometimes sold them to help their widowed mothers. 

Bagels evolved from obwarzanek, a boiled and baked bread ring popular in Kraków long before bagels traveled the world.

Bagels Cross The Atlantic

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Jewish immigrants introduced bagel-making to New York City. For decades, bagels were hand-rolled and boiled in small, family-run bakeries. In 1907, bagel bakers even formed Bagel Bakers Local 338. This powerful union controlled the craft of bagel making for decades. The bread remained a neighborhood staple until technology changed everything.

Daniel Thompson invented the bagel-making machine in the 1960s. Bagels became easier to mass-produce. By the 1980s and 1990s, bagels were in supermarkets, diners, and coffee shops across the US.

Want to taste history? Try authentic New York–style bagels.

The Great Bagel Debate: New York vs. Montreal

There is a bagel rivalry between Montreal and New York City. Each city has distinct styles. Montreal makes a smaller, crispier one. New York offers a larger, saltier, and chewier one. Two different traditions, with each city’s fans claiming theirs is superior.

Which one is your favorite? 

New York Bagels

• Bigger, doughier, and chewier
• Boiled in water with baking soda 
• Typically topped with sesame, poppy seeds, or “everything” seasoning.
• Served fresh or toasted, piled high with cream cheese, lox, tomatoes, capers, and onions.

New Yorkers claim the secret is in the water. The city’s mineral-rich tap water is said to give bagels their perfect chew.

Montreal Bagels

• Smaller, sweeter, and crispier
• Boiled in honey-sweetened water and baked in wood-fired ovens
• It is usually topped with sesame or poppy seeds.
• Traditionally eaten plain or with a light schmear.

Montreal bagels have a loyal fan base thanks to their delicate sweetness and old-world baking methods.

Many bagel purists swear that Montreal bagels are more authentic, closer to their Polish roots, while New York bagels represent modern innovation. Try a Montreal Bagel yourself with flavored wildflower honey.

A Global Favorite

This simple Jewish bread is now everywhere. You can grab a variety of bagels, including rainbow, gluten-free, sourdough, and even dessert versions. But deep down, they’re still the same classic rings our grandparents loved: boiled, baked, and chewy.

A Bite of History

The bagel’s journey is one of migration, resilience, and delicious creativity. Whether it’s the big, chewy ones in New York or the slightly sweet, honey-kissed kind in Montreal, bagels tell a story of community and culture. They’re proof that good food can travel the world and bring people together.

Explore more in our Food Spotlights or subscribe to our newsletter for weekly stories and recipes inspired by history.