New York Bagel and Bialy…no, the one on Touhy.

The city’s best bagel.  Yes folks, BEST BAGEL, isn’t even found in the city proper.  Sitting merely a few hundred feet off the expressway, East on Touhy Avenue, sits New York Bagel and Bialy (4714 W. Touhy Ave., Lincolnwood) – known amongst friends simply as Touhy Bagel.

The bagels are fresh.  Boiled and baked, they are plump bagels.  They’re not too large either, but thicker than others. They have a bite on the crust that is unique to the NYC style and the inside is really doughy and soft.

When you toast one of theirs and give it a schmear with one of their homemade cream cheeses, you’ll see why this is the best.

The bagels themselves accept a toast really well.  The edges crisp up and the inside stays insulated and warm.  The variety is plentiful.  I always opt for the Mish Mosh, their everything bagel that comes with poppy and sesame seeds, garlic and onion.

They don’t completely cake on the ingredients which often overpowers the flavor of the bagel – I say gracias.

Their cream cheeses are creamy and rich.  The texture is that of a whipped variety but still has the flavor and coverage as a regular cream cheese.

You can’t go wrong with the smoked salmon spread.  You get the flavor and large chunks of smoked salmon in the spread without paying the much higher price of the sliced fish option.

Okay, has everything sunk in yet?  Good, because I haven’t even revealed the absolute BEST part of this fine gem in a strip mall…ready?…it’s friggin’ 24 hours, 365 days a year.  Yup, you can get your grub on WHENEVER YOU WANT.  And, I swear, every time I stop by, the bagels taste fresh, never even a few hours old.  I mean, they don’t need to stay open all night, but they do.  God bless ’em.

Okay, so there’s sweet pastries galore, rugelach, smiley face cookies, and fish spreads of all sorts.  Touhy Bagel is where it’s at any time of day or night – bottom line.  One of those foodie things that Chicago really lacks is an all night deli that serves excellent food.  I say, head up North about ten minutes and get a completely satisfying bagel and cream cheese next time you have the munchies.  Skip the pizza for once, you’ll thank me later.

I’m hungry. Let’s eat!