Absolute Bagels: Exiting the Revolving Door of NYC

I thought my dad was joking when he broke the news. I stood in denial, my mouth agape; how could it be true? Our favorite bagel shop was closing—the place I’d known since childhood that I would walk to on crisp mornings. It was a tradition, and it had been snatched away from me: Absolute Bagels. 

Such is New York.

Certain things always capture that intangible NYC essence: Seinfeld, Wall Street, and the local Lebanese restaurant, just to name a few. For years, Absolute Bagels was one of these things. Consistently ranked as one of the top ten bagel shops in the city, Absolute Bagels was more than just a shop—it was a pillar of the Upper West Side. Whether it was for a special treat or part of a daily routine, a veritable flood of people lined up every day, lured by the promise of warm, doughy excellence. But, like so many institutions in this city, Absolute Bagels has seemingly closed its doors for good (although there are talks of reviving the patient), leaving behind a void for a myriad of bagel connoisseurs.

Bagels from Absolute were consistently delicious, fresh from the oven, and paired with sublime homemade cream cheese and deli meats. Customers enjoyed anything from loaded everything bagels with capers and lox to toasted egg bagels to even simple baker’s dozens to enjoy at home. You could eat an absolute bagel for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, certain to be rewarded by the magical alchemy of its doughy, warm deliciousness.

In a city that prides itself on its bagel culture, what made Absolute Bagels special was not just its supreme quality—it was the atmosphere. The anticipation you’d feel as you walked down the street, spotting the snaking line (it was always long, a symptom of being iconic), and entered that unassuming bagel store, small with an almost run-down interior, wedged into the grandeur of the Upper West Side big-chain culture. You’d chat with the friendly employees who rapidly took your order, cash only. Cash-only establishments are invariably some of the best in the city— Absolute Bagels was no exception to this, becoming a little slice of old New York that felt truly authentic. 

Absolute wasn’t just popular with locals. It became a Mecca for bagel lovers in the city and beyond. Food bloggers and websites raved about it, TikTok declared it a must-visit, and tourists and locals alike made the trek to get a taste of bagel perfection. Despite its popularity, Absolute Bagels remained relatively affordable, especially compared to other iconic shops like Utopia, Barney Greengrass, or Ess-a-Bagel, where Absolute’s owner, Sam Thongkrieng, learned his craft. Prices remained around the lower end of the city average, costing around $3 to $4 for a bagel with cream cheese. The schmear was also affordable and generously applied.

Absolute Bagels was more than just a bagel shop: for some people, it was a way of life. For the local Jewish community, it was a tradition to purchase bagels for holidays like Yom Kippur; for starved Columbia students, it was an affordable meal in the pricy Upper West Side; for locals and tourists alike, it was always a special treat, despite its familiarity. 

Now, New Yorkers mourn the passing of Absolute Bagels in ways only New Yorkers can. Jewish New Yorkers sat shiva. People are still trying to find the last vestiges of Absolute Bagel, with bagels even being sold on eBay for outrageous prices and die-hard loyalists seen scavenging its dumpster for any memorabilia or leftovers. The outpouring of grief reflected how shocking the abrupt closure, which wasn’t due to financial causes, was: following a failed health inspection, Thongkrieng seemingly decided to retire after years of service. 

Yet, the strong community Absolute Bagels has fostered hasn’t given up hope—everyone from local gourmet supermarkets like Zabars (which offered Thongkrieng a job) to representatives from the local NYC district have desperately made overtures, from appealing for new ownership to suggesting ways to preserve the shop. Despite these efforts, Thongkrieng has remained silent, perhaps a sign of exhaustion or a simple desire to move on. For now, the fate of the shop remains uncertain, but the hand of NYC has, for all intents and purposes, swept Absolute Bagels away. 

Though undoubtedly a tragedy that I will mourn for the rest of my days, the closing of Absolute Bagels calls the adage that all good things come to an end. Closure is sadly an increasingly familiar story for us New Yorkers. In the wake of COVID-19, gentrification, and big business, the individualistic New York shops we know and love have continued to be swept away. Still, New York has always been a transient place: the old Italian neighborhood fades, and restaurants disappear and materialize; the lone and level sands of NYC wash away all, leaving nothing but nostalgic memories.

Among those memories, Absolute Bagels stands out as a shining testament to this city’s culture and dynamism, and its legacy shall forever remain ingrained in the thoughts of New Yorkers who experienced its magic.