Starship Bagel, located in Dallas, Texas, has officially earned the title of best bagels in the nation. This honour comes from New York’s annual BagelFest competition. This shop, with three locations in the Lone Star State, is serving New York-style bagels that have earned significant praise and attention, reported Food & Wine.

Guy Fieri, the famous American restaurateur and author, honoured the shop with his seal of approval when he visited during an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives this June.

Starship was the runner-up for “Best Bagel” at BagelFest last year and previously won the category in 2023.

The eatery is highly regarded for making small-batch bagels and developing creative schmears (spreads).

The winner of this year, Starship Bagel, is fanous for making small-batch bagels. Photo: Starship Bagel FB

Starship Bagel has built a dedicated following both within Dallas and across the country. This year’s victory in the “Best Bagel” category at BagelFest—the world's largest bagel event—followed an earlier 2025 James Beard Award nomination for Outstanding Bakery.

This is the first time that a bagel shop was nominated for a James Beard Award.

"We like to say that Starship Bagel is the most bagel-centric bagel shop in the world," Starship Bagels owner Oren Salomon told Food & Wine.

"Our bagels walk a tightrope between crisp and caramelized on the outside and warm, chewy, and complex on the inside. A proper bite gives you malt, yeast, salt, and a gentle acidity from lactic and acetic acid that only develop through real fermentation."

Photo: Starship Bagel FB

Starship keeps its prices reasonable. A bagel with schmear costs around USD 5.

Bagel choices include flavours like pretzel, za’atar, or jalapeño cheddar, while cream cheese spreads range from green olive or scallion to fermented jalapeño.

The menu is largely focused on savoury items. Customers who prefer sweeter options should try the honey almond cream cheese.

BagelFest began in Brooklyn in 2019. The panel of expert judges evaluated dozens of bagels during the sold-out festival, held in November. While the Texas hotspot claimed the first-place prize, the event also highlighted a variety of other spectacular bagels that deserve attention.

Recognition Beyond First Place

The "Best Bagel" category awarded recognition to three shops in total, confirming that excellent craftsmanship is found across the entire country.

Sourdough bagels from New York's Fantzye Bagels are guest favourites. Photo: Fantzye Bagels FB

The runner-up for Best Bagel was Fantzye Bagels from Kingston, New York, a shop celebrated for its naturally fermented, sourdough bagels. Securing third place was Potchke Bagel in Knoxville, Tennessee, which uses its bagels primarily for hearty breakfast sandwiches.

Despite the long-held idea that the mineral content of a city's water leads to better bagels, BagelFest founder Sam Silverman shared a different view. He explained that "what we saw this year was further proof that it’s not ‘the water’ that makes a great bagel; it’s the craftsmanship."

Focus on Bold Flavours

The world's leading bagel competition also identified the most exciting new offerings in its "Most Creative" category. Potchke Bagel secured first place here, followed by Starship, and then the combined concept Oído x Olmo.

You can not miss breakfast bagel sandwiches from Potchke Bagel. Photo: Potchke Bagel FB

Innovative bagel makers like these are developing options ranging from a celery salt bagel to a Nutella-stuffed creation inspired by marquesitas, a classic filled crêpe dessert from Yucatán.

The trend toward intense flavours was further highlighted by the Schmear of the Year winner. First place in this category went to Fantzye Bagels for its charred leek and lemon-caper schmear.

Beyond New York: Exploring Other Bagel Styles

Though New York-style bagels—known for their chewy center and crisp crust—are likely the most common type in the United States, BagelFest founder Silverman notes, "Bagels are not a monolith."

Bagel lovers should travel north to find an excellent example of another popular style. The award for Best Montreal-Style Bagel went to St-Viateur Bagel in Montreal, for its distinctive style of slightly smaller, chewier, and subtly sweet variant of bagels.

St-Viateur Bagel in Montreal specialises in small, sweeter bagels. Photo: St-Viateur FB

The Canadian shop also won the Best International category. Copenhagen's Bagel Belly and Si Si Bagels in Madrid were the next runners-up.

The competition results confirm that excellent bagels are available globally, whether traveling across North America or overseas.