From wood-fired to New York-style, who has the best bagels in Central Kentucky?

There may not be a more versatile and quick breakfast on-the-go than the bagel. Whether it’s served plain, with cream cheese spread, lox, bacon and eggs or something else, the bagel is full of customizable options.

But just like with any other craft, making a good bagel takes practice and attention to detail. With more and more chains like Starbucks, Einsteins, Dunkin’, Panera Bread and others popping up everywhere, a good bagel store is becoming harder and harder to come by.

And while Kentucky may not be a bagel mecca like New York, Montreal, Chicago or London, there’s still plenty of local bakeries nearby to get ones of the highest quality. So, from wood-fired Montreal-style eats to sorghum-boiled treats, this guide and list offers the best — seven must-try bagel bakeries in Lexington and Central Kentucky.

Bluegrass Baking Company

Founded in 1991 and at its current location on Lexington’s south side for 24 years, Bluegrass Baking Company is known for its artisanal breads and pastries. However, the shop also crafts handmade New York-style bagels boiled in water before being baked in a steam deck oven.

Night-time baker Andy Brown sought to create an authentic New York style bagel unrivaled by others in town that he could have ready for himself whenever he shows up to work.

Flavors include everything along with plain and cheese (using a mozzarella and provolone blend). Bagels come with butter or plain cream cheese according to co-owner Jim Betts, who said that the bakery prefers to keep its options simple, going with quality over quantity as they continue to focus primarily on baking baguettes, ciabatta and other high-end breads.

Address: 3101 Clays Mill Rd.

Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday 7 a.m.-3 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday

Online: BluegrassBakingCompany.com

Great Bagel

First opened by Lara and Robert Swan in 2011, Great Bagel has since expanded to two locations with a third recently opening on UK’s campus this past August in time for the fall 2021 semester. Driving the shop’s success are it’s homemade New York-style bagels made daily with stone-mill organic, regionally grown wheat instead of the commercial, industrially grown kind.

Flavors include plain, everything, poppy, sesame, onion, garlic, honey wheat, rye, veggie, asiago, maple bourbon, egg, salt, cinnamon raisin, french toast, chocolate chip, and a new gluten free flavor every weekend.

According to Lara Swan, Great Bagel’s most popular bagel combination is the American — your choice of bagel made into a breakfast sandwich with bacon, sausage or ham, sharp white cheddar cheese and two eggs to the customer’s liking. Swan said she prefers the creation on an everything bagel, but admits that many customers prefer it on a french toast bagel for the contrasting sweet and savory flavors.

They also have a lunch menu featuring items on their bagels.

Address: 396 Woodland Ave., 3650 Boston Rd. #108

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 8 a.m.-1 p.m.; closed Monday-Tuesday

Online: EatGreatBagel.com

Magee’s Bakery

Open since 1956, Magee’s has been serving up asiago, sesame, plain and everything bagels since 2008. According to co-owner Greg Higgins, the bagels are hand-rolled before being kettled, a vintage term for boiling, rather than being steamed. They come with plain and vegetable cream cheese, butter or as a number of sandwiches.

Sandwiches include the “Belmont Bagel” (your choice of bagel with two scrambled eggs, tomato, cheddar and swiss cheeses, mayonnaise, salt and pepper), the “Avocado Bacon Bagel” and the unassumingly named “Bagel Sandwich” (your choice of bagel with toppings made to order).

Address: 726 E Main St.

Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 7 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Sunday 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; closed Monday-Tuesday

Online: MageesBakery.com

Native Bagel Company

First launched at the Berea Farmers Market by Katie Startzman in 2016, the Native Bagel Company quickly grew a devout following of locals loving on the shop’s authentic New York-style bagels.

Now occupying a brick and mortar space since 2018, praise for the shop went national earlier this year when Food & Wine magazine named the shop among the 50 best bagels in America, recommending readers “have them load one up with fresh eggs from the college farm and a few slices of country ham.”

You can load your eggs and country ham onto 11 types of bagels including poppy seed, everything, cheese, salt, garlic, cinnamon raisin, plain, pretzel, honey, wheat and lemon berry zest. Six house-made cream cheeses — plain, honey rosemary, roasted jalapeno, maple bacon, scallion and a seasonal strawberry using berries from the Berea College farm — are also on the menu along with a traditional lox bagel and a country ham panini (a bagel with jalapenos, cream cheese, country ham and blackberry jam put through a panini press).

Address: 436 Chestnut St. in Berea

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 8 a.m.-1 p.m., closed Sunday-Monday

Online: NativeBagelCompany.com

Pearl’s Pizza

Originally known for their wood-fired pizzas since opening in January 2019, Pearl’s on Limestone pivoted last November to also offering Montreal-style bagels baked to a crisp in the same oven. The bagels are smaller in size and feature a bigger hole than their New York-style counterparts, in addition to being exclusively baked in wood-fired ovens.

According to owner Coleman Guyon, the move came as a way to expand the restaurant’s menu and hours to include breakfast service during the pandemic.

Pearl’s wood-fired delicacies are available in salt, poppy seed, sesame seed and everything and are served with a variety of spreads including a horseradish cream cheese. A breakfast sandwich menu is also offered with creations ranging from one with eggs and steak featuring County Club brisket to one with local berries and bananas. However, Guyon says that the tried and true bacon, egg and cheese with garlic mayo remains the shop’s most sought after.

Address: 133 North Limestone

Hours: Thursday-Sunday 8 a.m.-1 p.m. (bagel hours); Wednesday-Thursday 5-9 p.m. (pizza hours); Friday-Saturday 5-10 p.m. (pizza hours); closed Monday-Tuesday

Online: PearlsPizzaPie.com

Purdy’s Coffee

Since May 2012 Purdy’s Coffee in Richmond has been serving up New York-style bagels and more in addition to morning brews, wraps, salads, muffins and more. Flavors include plain, whole wheat, everything and blueberry, according to owner Kristin Purdy. They can be topped with hand-made plain and basil-pesto cream cheese, butter or peanut butter.

Several bagel sandwiches are on the menu as well with the most popular being “The Farmhouse” (your choice of bagel with egg, Boars Head bacon, cheddar and cream cheeses). Others include “The Veggie,” “Purd’s Place Deli” (a plain bagel with turkey, tomato, sprouts and cream cheese), “The Jolee” (an everything bagel with turkey, tomato, swiss cheese, basil-pesto cream cheese and mixed greens) and “The Pig Pig” (a wheat bagel with ham, bacon, swiss cheese and mayonnaise).

Address: 212 West Main St. and 444 Big Hill Ave #B in Richmond

Hours: Downtown location open Monday-Thursday 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; closed Sunday; Big Hill location open Monday-Saturday 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Sunday

Online: PurdysCoffee.com

Southland Bagel

Founded in March 2019 at the Lexington Farmers Market, Southland Bagel quickly moved into a brick and mortar space that September thanks to the success of its New York style bagels boiled with local Kentucky sorghum rather than with malted barley syrup in the water.

Varieties of bagels include classics like plain, poppy, sesame, everything, onion, blueberry, cinnamon raisin, multigrain and asiago. Also featured are some of the shop’s signature flavors such as tomato herb, jalapeno cheddar, za’atar, churro, rosemary garlic, herbes de Provence, graham cracker, buffalo and pretzel.

According to co-owner Sam Williamson the shop’s most popular bagel and topping combinations are the lux featuring Shuckman’s smoked salmon, the “After School Special” (a pretzel or tomato herb bagel with pimento cheese, lettuce, tomato and spicy pickles with Critchfield’s Bacon recommended as an add-on) and the “Hangover Burger” (your choice of bagel with a burger, ham, bacon, egg, cheddar cheese, jalapeno and the shop’s signature burger sauce).

Address: 428 Southland Dr.

Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Online: SouthlandBagel.com