Christian Spencer
More than 5,000 people turned out Sunday, November 16, at Citi Field for the sixth New York BagelFest, a festival that started six years ago as a small Brooklyn gathering and now draws competitors from four continents.
Bakers from Madrid, Copenhagen, Honolulu, Seattle, Los Angeles and beyond filled the Heineken Diamond Club at the Mets’ stadium to face off in nine categories, from classic New York style to international and experimental entries.
Founder Sam Silverman set the tone in his award ceremony remarks, saying, “You feed people. You create comfort,” he told the room full of bakers.
“You are creating jobs and [a] community, and what’s more noble than that?”
Hawaii’s Tali’s Bagels, which flew the farthest to compete, won the Rising Star award for newer shops. Bagheza in Manhattan took second place and Backyard Bagel of Seattle came in third.
In the international division, Madrid’s Si Si Bagels and Copenhagen’s Bagel Belly both earned top prizes. A decades-old church kitchen, St. Peter Catholic Church, walked away with the International Award, a result few had predicted.
Knoxville’s Potchke won Best Beyond the Boroughs. New Orleans’ Flour Moon Bagels, with its Creole-influenced approach, took the bialy category.
Ess-a-Bagel claimed Best of the Boroughs, with Utopia Bagels of Queens, last year’s winner, finishing second.
The biggest buzz of the day belonged to Starship Bagel from the Dallas area.
The shop captured Best Showmanship by shipping parbaked bagels from Texas, frozen, and finishing them on site for the judges.
“After winning in 2023 and finishing second in 2024, it felt familiar and yet still incredibly validating,” said founder Oren Saloman. “We did something that’s never been done before. We competed in BagelFest with a frozen bagel. Not out of convenience, but because we’ve developed a bagel-specific parbaking technique that’s a hybrid of two ovens. The winning bagels were made in Texas a week ago, stopped just short of perfection, and then baked off inside Citi Field just in time for the judges to taste them.”
New this year, the BagelFest Growth Lab and Industry Mixer gave up-and-coming makers a platform to learn from veterans and connect with peers.
Silverman said the additions came from listening to the community.
“One of the biggest value adds of BagelFest has always been the exposure it gives bagel makers, and for years we’ve heard from talented shops and artisans who want to be part of the weekend but weren’t yet big enough to exhibit at the full show. The Growth Lab fills that gap. It gives up-and-coming makers with real potential a platform to learn from industry veterans, get hands-on mentorship, and step into the spotlight,” Silverman said.
The Industry Mixer, he added, aimed to spark ideas among isolated bakers.
“Bagel makers rarely get the chance to be in the same room together, and when they are, the conversations spark new ideas. Our goal was to add programming that strengthens the whole ecosystem by facilitating connections,” Silverman said.
Logistics at the sprawling venue tested the team, too.
“It is incredibly complicated to plan an event with exhibitors flying in from all over the world, all trying to serve fresh food that has a short shelf life and has to taste exactly like it does in their home shop,” Silverman said. “Every exhibitor wants to present something that’s true to their brand, and they’re doing it while preparing and serving thousands of samples in record time.”
Silverman credited shared partners like Tiny Drummsticks in Long Island City, plus communal support. “For example, for the past three years, Bagel Market in Manhattan has opened their doors to host Starship Bagel from Dallas, TX. Even though they’re technically competitors at BagelFest, Bagel Market’s generosity goes to show the camaraderie that exists within the bagel community.”
Olga Gonzalez of Pietra Communications, who handled publicity for the event, called bagels one of the few foods that cross every boundary.
“There are a few things in life that universally connect us, and food is one of them,” she said. “Bagels are a comfort food people know and love, and they’re also incredibly versatile. BagelFest is a place for bagel lovers to discover new flavors, and for the industry to come together and share knowledge. At the end of the day, it’s all about community, creativity, and one very delicious carb.”
Looking back, Silverman admitted the scale still surprises him.
What began in 2019 with a handful of local shops has turned into an annual pilgrimage for the country’s, and now the world’s, most ambitious bagel makers.
“Not even close. Back in 2019, I was hoping 100 friends and family would show up, and was completely floored when 300 strangers rolled through. I knew New Yorkers loved bagels, but didn’t realize how deep that love ran, or how hungry people were for a space that celebrated bagel culture the same way other cities celebrate barbecue or beer. Seeing BagelFest fill Citi Field’s Heineken Diamond Lounge is surreal. What started as a small passion project has become a truly global community movement,” he said.
On globalizing the craft, Silverman sees endless potential. “When I started, I thought bagel culture was a New York story. Now I know it’s a global one. The bagel has become a canvas for local identity—these artisans infuse the flavor of their local culture into every bite. Seeing makers from Madrid or Honolulu next to legacy New York shops proves that the bagel has officially gone international, and that excites me. Our role now is to hold the door open and make sure this culture scales with integrity. If BagelFest can be the annual gathering place where these worlds meet, swap ideas, and inspire each other, then we’re doing our job.”
