Peter Christian Assures You: You Can Taste the Artisanship in These New York Bagels

You can taste the love in the classic New York bagels at Brooklyn Bagel & Bakery.

They are fuller than the bagels you might buy by the bag at the grocery store, and they sure taste a lot fresher, too. A lot of work goes into bringing these bagels to hungry Missoula residents, and they treat it like both an art and a science.

The bagels start with the experts at Ess-a-Bagel in New York City. Say the name Ess-a-Bagel to a native New Yorker and their eyes will light up ... because they know. First, Ess-a-Bagel bakers make the dough, roll it out, and season it — all by hand — and then the bagels are boiled in New York City tap water (considered among the world's best) and shipped here for baking. Nothing is left to chance…and quality control is number one!!

The schmear you schmear on top is handled with similar attention to detail ... the veggies, fruit, and seasonings are all hand-prepared in New York City so when you take that first big bite, you know you are getting the real deal. Their flavor options include vegetable, scallion, lox (genuine lox), jalapeno, strawberry, blueberry, and even CHOCOLATE CHIP.

The bagels come in a wide variety of flavors (think cinnamon raisin, whole wheat, pumpernickel, sesame, everything, multigrain, and whole wheat everything) but my personal favorite is the plain bagel with plain cream cheese. If you ask me, the original is always the best!

100 percent handmade, 100 percent New York! You have to try it yourself. You can find them at 2865 N. Reserve St., Missoula, and online at brooklynbagelbakery.com. You can order right on their website or with delivery through Uber and DoorDash.

While you're there, check out their authentic New York pastries from Ferrara’s, their breakfast sandwiches, cheesecakes, coffee, Italian pastas and sauces, and more. They are still expanding their menu and offerings, so I'd definitely encourage you to keep checking their Facebook page for updates. Your tastebuds will thank you!