Food: My New Favorite Bagel Joint

Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – Barbecue and bluegrass are just fine. But every Sunday, ex-pat New Yorkers living in Cary need a good bagel. Maybe you do, too. If so, let me tell you about my new favorite bagel place.

A Proper Bagel: Savory, Crusty, Chewy

A traditional New York bagel is three things: savory, crust and chewy.

Let’s start with crusty. Proper bagels are boiled before they are baked, giving them a signature crust on the outside. If the dough is just baked into a round shape with a hole in the center, it’s not a bagel.

Chewy texture on the inside is equally important. A well-made bagel does not have big pockets of air on the inside, but is chewy and consistent throughout.

Finally, your New York bagel is savory. I’m sorry, people – blueberry and cinnamon crunch don’t cut it. Traditional bagels include garlic, onion, salt, “everything,” rye, pumpernickel, poppy seed and “swirl.”

My Favorite Bagel Joint: NYBD III

My favorite bagel joint is now officially NYBD III in Crescent Commons. That’s at the corner of Kildare Farm and Tryon Road in the Walmart shopping center.

I used to frequent a bagel store right in my neighborhood, but it changed hands. The new owner just doesn’t have the touch. I went in search of better bagels.

NYBD bagels speak for themselves – perfect crust, chewy center, lots of seeds and stuff adhering to the outside. They also sell Italian Semolina bread, cold cuts, egg dishes, pastries and much more.

NYBD III is worth the trip on a Sunday morning.

What to Eat on a Bagel

Cranberry bagels may be verboten, but what you have on your bagel is up to you.

Butter or cream cheese are probably the top two favorites.

Many New Yorkers like smoked fish – it goes with the savoriness of the bagel. Lox, Nova Scotia salmon, whiting and white fish are all good.  Many of these delicacies are offered at NYBD in slices or mixed with cream cheese.

Some folks have the cream cheese, smoked fish, a slice of tomato and a slice of raw onion on their bagel. That’s how we ate it at my house as a kid.

Nowadays, I sometimes like a few slices of cheddar on my bagel instead of the usual cream cheese. Peanut butter is good, jelly is fine. Really, whatever floats your boat.

NYBD III

NYBD III  – New York Deli & Bagel
2050 Kildaire Farm Road
Cary, NC 27511

Hours:

Mon-Sat 6 AM – 4 PM
Sun 6 AM – 3 PM

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17 replies
  1. Tiffoney greene
    Tiffoney greene says:

    Hi,
    My name is Tiffoney Greene and I must say this is by far the Best place to eat in Cary NC.
    Ultimately, I was astounded and blown away by the bagels and homemade New York style cheesecakes..Everything here is made from scratch!!
    The place is Super Clean .. They are always nice and friendly ..
    It’s a hit!!!
    If you’re looking for good food supporting good people this is the place for you!!

    Tiffoney greene

  2. Andy
    Andy says:

    Anyone know if there is a place anywhere near here to get a Montreal bagel? Ever since my trip to Montreal last year I’ve been craving their style bagels vs. NY style (which I think are still good, just different).

    • Hal Goodtree
      Hal Goodtree says:

      Hi Andy – Provincial New Yorker that I am, I had never heard of Montreal bagels. And my father was born in Montreal! So I looked it up on Wikipedia:

      The Montreal bagel, (sometimes beigel; Yiddish בײגל beygl, or sometimes in French “beguel”), is a distinctive variety of hand-made and wood-fired baked bagel. In contrast to the New York-style bagel,[1] the Montreal bagel is smaller, sweeter and denser, with a larger hole, and is always baked in a wood-fired oven. It contains malt, egg, and no salt and is boiled in honey-sweetened water before being baked in a wood-fired oven, whose irregular flames give it a dappled light-and-dark surface colour.
      In many Montreal establishments, bagels are still produced by hand and baked in wood-fired ovens, often in full view of the customers.[2] There are two predominant varieties: black-seed (poppy seed), or white-seed (sesame seed).

      The Bagel Basket in Wilmington (Kerr Ave) is reported to have Montreal bagels on occasion. It’s a long drive from Cary, so call ahead first to make sure.

      • Andy
        Andy says:

        Thanks for the great information Hal! Prior to our trip we found out there were two “bagel institutions” in Montreal: Fairmount Bagel Bakery (http://www.fairmountbagel.com/eng/index.htm) and St. Viateur Bagel (http://www.stviateurbagel.com/content/?id=63). The wood fired ovens tend to make them nice and crusty on the outside. I like my bread crusty as well. Usually I go to La Farm Bakery or Guglhupf in Durham for good bread. The pictures make the bread at NYBD III look good too.

        Of course, now, I am anxious to try out NYBD III! The smoked fish, cream cheese, tomato, and onion sounds delicious! Sounds like a good weekend morning breakfast.

      • Andy
        Andy says:

        Oh yeah, and thanks for the heads up on The Bagel Basket in Wilmington. It will definitely be worth a stop one day.

  3. Rachel
    Rachel says:

    I love NYBDIII!! I have been there many times and am finally happy that I found a REAL bagel place, run by people who know how to make a bagel.

    Now, on a side note: anyone found a decent Italian bakery yet? I’m missing all of my REAL Italian cookies and pastries!! :-)

    • Pat
      Pat says:

      I agree with your comment. Bagles are great, breakfast sanwiched are hot & tasty, delicious chicken salad…They even have bialis! Very “New Yorkie” indeed. Too bad they brought the N.Y. attitude with them. I have visited 4 times since I saw it in the Cary Citizen. LOVE the food, but can we try to be a little less gruff? Remember, this is the south ~
      Thank you….

  4. Steve Rebach
    Steve Rebach says:

    If you are from Downstate (read – NYC), you also have to try the Bialys. Just like the Bronx. It’s been a long time between Bialys.

    • Hal Goodtree
      Hal Goodtree says:

      Dude, it’s like the difference between a Casio and a Fender Rhodes, if you follow my drift.

  5. Lisa --
    Lisa -- says:

    You JUST found this jewel? These folks are the real deal. Try their rye bread, their sandwiches, their hard rolls. I give them my highest compliment … they’re “Jersey-worthy”.

    • Hal Goodtree
      Hal Goodtree says:

      Had a place near my house that was good. NYBD is across town from where I live.

  6. steve
    steve says:

    I’m an upstate New Yorker (big difference for those unaware) and yes, these bagels are by far the best around. Folks around here get excited for Panera bread and places like that and just don’t realize what a real bagel is like!!!

    Now we just need a real Italian bakery.

  7. Robert Campbell
    Robert Campbell says:

    Note: Not a New Yorker by a looooong shot, I was born an Okie.

    Hands down, this is the BEST place to get a bagel in the state! Love getting a breakfast sandwich here! This is the place I always go to stock up on bagels, breads and treats for my family and even more so when friends arrive. Definitely on the A-List in my household!

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