The first time I went here was after I ran 18 miles, I was unreal levels of hungry and went IN on a…read morechicken sausage, egg, and cheese. I was so happy with my sandwich that I was unaware my friend was having a horrible headache that sent her to the hospital afterwards. There was some sort of sauce that really defined the sandwich for me. I saved the pastrami egg and cheese for the next day and it came out of my air fryer appropriately. During my first visit I was also accompanied by a vegan who was satisfied with the options. The second time I went here was with a longtime friend and I only ran 7 miles prior. I watched him eat two bagels happily, and the cheese pull on the Reuben was admirable. I have to say I was disappointed in the lox sandwich but that is mediated by the horchata oat milk cold brew which is lovely. The bagels themselves are fairly standard and more a canvas for a satisfactory sandwich. 4 stars because I can't give 3.5 and I feel generous.

| Overview (Based on experience from 4 visits)…read more + Fine amount of different bagels to choose from, including Garlic + Good variety of breakfast deli-style options other than their nice selection of bagels + Nice casual breakfast spot despite small dining area + Fast and friendly customer service + Reuben breakfast sandwich is delicious - Bagels are terribly hard to bite unlike Panera's, which is disappointing considering that NC Bagel has "Bagel" in its name. - Cost about $1 extra to add the Jalapeno Cheddar bagel in the half dozen or dozen order. - Drink selection is limited with combos. Restricted from choosing bottled soda of any of the fountain drinks. - Asiago bagel tasted Plain. I could barely taste the asiago. |Final Thoughts: There is almost no reason to choose NC Bagel over Panera or other bagel shops if you just want bagel. The hard texture is a huge letdown. I've never experienced this bagel issue in Breugger's, Panera, anywhere really. There are other breakfast options I haven't tried here so might be worth exploring but right now the only reason I'd return here is if I am craving for a Reuben sandwich for breakfast. And that mostly makes up the 2 stars I'm giving it. Really hope they improve the overall quality of their bagels. This breakfast deli spot has great potential to be "The Breakfast Spot" but it won't be able to accomplish that if their bagels are as hard as rocks. | Overall Score: 2.4/5

Best bagels in town. I wish there one in Raleigh -…read more - Ham + Swiss add egg. - Bagel of choice + honey butter cream cheese

Ate to fast to get pics but I had the hova on a toasted plain bagel with scallion cream cheese. It…read morewas delicious and the bagel was great. My son had bacon and mozzarella on a toasted bagel. I regret not getting some more to go. It's a small spot with a picnic table outside so definitely to go.

Monuts was the perfect quick stop on a busy day. I ordered online and was pleasantly surprised by…read morehow easy pickup was, they have a dedicated side door with a doorbell, so you can skip the line and be in and out within minutes. Everything was ready when I arrived, and they even pre-cut the bagels, which was a small touch that made a big difference. I ordered the everything bagel and the jalapeño cheddar bagel, along with an orange poppy seed donut and a vanilla glazed donut. Everything tasted fresh and well-made, and it was easy to see why this place has such a loyal following. The only downside is parking, but there are plenty of nearby street parking options, so it's manageable if you're willing to walk a minute or two. Great food, convenient pickup, and thoughtful service. I'll definitely be back the next time I need a bagel or donut fix in Durham.

Lovely outdoor eating area, great for a warm day. Had the Turkish eggs, a biscuit and chicken…read moresausage and split a salad. The food was great and very tasting and filling. Tip is included. Would return!

Your hunt for first-rate pastries and bagels ends right here. It's not surprising that there's a…read moregreat deli like this in Cary -- a city as stuffed with new Northeastern transplants as it is depleted of old Southeastern woodlands. Despite the overdeveloped bleakness, Cary is, at least, a good town to find many foods, markets, and restaurants otherwise unavailable in the region. The pastry case has a wide variety of options -- everything you might hope to find in a Portuguese or Italian bakery in New England in the 1980s (my touchstone for fundamental pastries). They are all apparently made on the premises, and have the particular look of pastries from the Northeast. Purely in the interest of scientific research, rather than barbaric gluttony, I tried an apple danish, a cheese danish, and a lemon danish. The cheese danish was faultless in taste: The filling was classic New England bakery cheese filling, and the pastry dough was very soft, and light, but not crumbly. Unlike at some Italian bakeries, it wasn't edge-to-edge filled with cheese (though it was the most edge-to-edge of all three danishes, as is customary for the cheese ones, in my experience); you can, and should, easily remedy this by ordering multiples. The apple danish was of the more cinnamon-crumble-forward style, but it was still terrific. The apples were well-coated small soft bits (unlike at some lesser pastry shops where the apples are crunchy undersweetened slices or chunks). Lemon danishes are very hard to find anywhere, and it was exciting to see one here. It was also excellent. The lemon filling sweated a little bit, so be prepared to get a little sticky (well worth it -- since this is definitely the right kind of filling for a lemon danish). The bagels are also top-notch, as you'd expect. They are a tiny bit lighter and smaller than the classic NY deli bagels were a few decades ago. Which is probably a good thing, since the New York ones seemed to be made from lead-208, all-gluten flour, and condensed dwarf star. The taste is pretty correct, though (as opposed to another bagel shop in the region which does manage to make gigantic leaden NY bagels, but which taste like dense white bread). All of the expected varieties of bagels were at the ready, and in good supply. The bagel/egg/cheese/meat sandwiches are pretty much NY deli accurate (but a little lighter -- which, again, is most welcome, compared to spending the entire morning defeating a NY bodega BEC, and the entire afternoon groaning), and carefully yet briskly prepared (with very good quality meat, and with yellow -- the tastier color -- American). (There also was a slice of chocolate cake -- it, unfortunately, was of the minimally frosted type, with some sort of ill-advised sour cream mixture between the layers. We'll just forget about that item.) The shop itself isn't quite as densely packed (with either people or pastry) as a NY deli, and is also much cleaner and kinder. The service is simply excellent. Customers are all quickly moved through the line, and the orders are prepared very efficiently. Despite the speediness, everyone behind the counter is very friendly and as patient as needed. The speed of the North is combined with the friendliness of the South -- a perfect combination, especially for those of us who are hopelessly impatient, but have no desire to ever be yelled at while at a deli counter again. A great business. I hope they flourish for a very long time.

Came here to finally try the bagels. It's in a convenient…read moreshopping center in Cary so there's lots of parking. There was a line when we walked in and it was packed but the wait time wasn't long. They have a few tables indoor and outdoor for seating. We ordered 2 Nova Lox on everything bagels and we waited around 5-8 mins. The bagels weren't great. The lettuce seemed old and the bagels didn't have enough salmon for $15.50 a piece. I also got a black hair in my bagel and I couldn't finish it. When I mentioned it to one of the staff, he offered to make me a new one but I didn't want one anymore.

After 19 years of driving past and hearing all about New York Bagel and Deli, I finally stopped in…read moreto pick up lunch. There's plenty of parking in the parking lot. It's located in the Bent Green shopping center. I arrived at the perfect time, there were only a few people in front of me. There were several diners inside and outside enjoying their breakfast/lunch. I ordered 2 Rueben's with an extra side of sauerkraut and a chocolate eclair to go. Everything is made to order so be patient. They have so many options to choose from and I was hungry. I'm heading back soon to try a bagel sandwich. They pride themselves in having made from scratch dough using NY water, which makes all the difference. I got home and ate my Rueben immediately, it was absolutely delicious. My daughter who seems to be a Rueben connoisseur, said it was pretty good, for her that's a compliment. The service is great, it's like a big family in there. I'm excited to go back again soon.

One of my all time favorite places! Love the bagels and all of the homemade goodies. Don't pass on…read morethe pickle!! It's incredible. {{{*.*}}

Seriously great bagel. I got the #7 and added bacon. The pepper jelly with the salty bacon was…read moreperfect. Service was fast, the space was clean, and the space around was great! Definitely will be back.

Benchwarmer's is a classic in Raleigh and I am so glad they opened up this location in downtown…read more The space is absolutely gorgeous and there is a parking lot close by that offers 2 hours of free parking. There is also enough space to be able to telework here. I came recently around 10am on a Thursday and grabbed myself a breakfast bagel. Onion bagel with bacon, egg, and cheese for $9. I only had to wait a few minutes and they got it out to me quickly. It was delicious and absolutely what I needed to fuel my morning. The perfect morning pick-me-up if you're looking for one!

We're quickly greeted by staff. Service was fast…read more Everything was prepared as we asked. Bagels were good.

Since moving to the Cary area, this has become our go-to spot for bagels. I usually order delivery,…read moreso I can't speak much to the in-store experience, but the food itself consistently delivers. I'm pretty particular about bagels, and these absolutely hold up--great texture, a good chew, and generous toppings. They're perfect for grabbing a half dozen for the weekend (or to freeze for later), and they keep really well. They offer a solid lunch menu too. My husband is loyal to the Hungryman, which is massive and actually keeps him full for hours. One thing I really appreciate is that they don't skimp on the cream cheese with to-go orders, which feels rare these days. Overall, a reliable spot for a weekend treat or an easy brunch spread. The only reason it's not a full five stars is that I haven't experienced it in person yet--but based on the food alone, it's definitely worth checking out.

Picked up an order here yesterday, food was great! BW is located in an awesome little location with…read morelots of space to sit, walk and enjoy your food! Was my first time and the cashier was very helpful reviewing the large group order I had, and everything came out correct! Treat yourself to any of the Egg and Cheese bagels, they were incredible - I'd recommend the bacon or the sausage over the ham (a bit too salty, but still very good). But you cannot go wrong anyway! The coffees were great as well, the lattes were delicious and my wife loved the coconut one! Will be back very soon to check out some other bagels and the large cream cheese options

Stopped by Benchwarmers earlier this weekend and wow these bagels are so good! Kind of what I would…read moreimagine a Montreal bagel to taste like where it doesn't need to be toasted and has a bit of a sweet taste. When you arrive there is plenty of parking on the street around the Transfer Co. Food Hall or in the parking lot around the food hall. When you walk in you'll feel like you're transported into an old warehouse as the space is industrial, feels community driven (as all the businesses are local), and chic. To order you'll walk up to the counter, place your order, and then someone will callout your order. I ordered an everything bagel with maître d'hotel cream cheese spread which feels like I'm eating a steak frites (minus the steak of course). The bagel was perfectly chewy, flavorful, and I couldn't stop eating it. There are several poppyseeds on the outside of the everything bagel but it isn't overpowering. Definitely check this bagel shop out if you are in downtown Raleigh.