15 Ohio Bagel Shops That Make Mornings Worth Getting Up For
In Ohio, my morning motivation has a very specific shape: a warm bagel with a glossy crust and a chew that makes my brain clock in on time. If you need a reason to get up, follow the scent of toasting sesame and join the line of regulars who order like they wrote the menu.
I have chased bagels from big-city neighborhoods to college-town corners, hunting for shops that still roll the dough, boil it properly, and treat cream cheese like an art form, not an afterthought.
Some spots keep it classic with an everything bagel and a thick swipe, while others build towering breakfast sandwiches that deserve their own zip code. I have yet to regret a detour that ends in poppy seeds and happy silence.
This list is my statewide cheat sheet for mornings that feel a little less rude. Bring patience, bring appetite, and consider this your permission slip to make breakfast the main event.
The Lox Bagel Shop – Columbus
The first time I wandered down the alley to The Lox Bagel Shop in the Short North, I knew mornings in Columbus were about to improve.
Tucked just off High Street at 772 N High St, Ste 106, Columbus, OH 43215, this place turns out hand-rolled, boiled and baked bagels that land somewhere between New York chew and Montreal crisp in the best possible way.
What hooks me is how seriously they treat something as simple as an everything bagel with cream cheese, stacking on silky lox, briny capers, and bright pickled onion like it is a little morning ceremony.
One bite in, the rest of Columbus feels like it can wait its turn.
Fox’s Bagel & Deli – Columbus
Walking into Fox’s Bagel & Deli in Bexley feels like stepping straight into the neighborhood group chat.
Set along the busy corridor at 3012 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43209, this deli leans hard into classic, New York-style bagels and hearty sandwiches that look like they were built for serious appetites and long days.
I love that I can grab a still-warm sesame bagel, swipe on a thick layer of cream cheese, and watch the morning rush of regulars order by instinct rather than menu.
Crumbs on my shirt and a second bagel in a paper sack are my unofficial proof that I now belong to the local morning routine.
Marx Bagels – Blue Ash
Some mornings, the alarm clock only wins because Marx Bagels is waiting over in Blue Ash.
This classic kosher bagel shop at 9701 Kenwood Rd, Blue Ash, OH 45242 has been rolling and baking more than thirty varieties since 1969, turning sleepy mornings into something a lot more interesting.
I like to stand in line here just to watch trays of fresh bagels come out of the ovens, from everything and onion to more playful flavors that rotate through the day.
Once I settle on a still-warm bagel loaded with cream cheese or turned into a stacked breakfast sandwich, the combination of chew, crust, and old-school deli energy makes it very clear this is how mornings are supposed to work.
The Cleveland Bagel Co – Cleveland
Somehow, the air on Detroit Avenue smells a little better the closer I get to The Cleveland Bagel Co.
At their Ohio City shop at 4201 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113, they keep the menu tight and focused, turning out hand-rolled, boiled bagels that locals treat with the seriousness usually reserved for sports.
I like to watch the bakers work through the open window before grabbing a rosemary sea salt or classic everything and deciding whether it deserves to stay simple or get stacked into a breakfast sandwich.
Strolling back out with a bag of still-warm bagels swinging at my side, the lake breeze suddenly feels friendlier and the whole day seems easier to handle.
Bialy’s Bagels – University Heights
Every time I pull up in front of Bialy’s Bagels, it feels like I am stepping straight into local bagel history.
Tucked at 2267 Warrensville Center Rd, University Heights, OH 44118, this long-running east side institution has been turning out old-school bagels and bialys since the 1960s, and the line out the door most mornings proves nothing about that needs changing.
I love scanning the handwritten signs, listening to regulars rattle off orders that sound rehearsed, then finally choosing from trays of plain, sesame, mish mosh, garlic, and more.
Walking back to my car with a paper bag that feels pleasantly heavy, I already know half of these bagels will disappear before they ever make it to a plate.
Sweet Mary’s Bakery – Akron
The easiest way to find Sweet Mary’s Bakery is to follow the people cradling pastry boxes like treasure.
Right in downtown at 76 E Mill St, Akron, OH 44308, this woman-owned micro bakery is known for pastries and cakes, but the bagels and lox sandwiches quietly steal the morning spotlight.
I like to grab a pumpernickel or everything bagel loaded with herbed cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, and thinly sliced onion, then claim a spot by the window while the city wakes up outside.
Finishing the last bite and brushing away stray seeds, I am already inventing excuses to revisit on some future weekday that refuses to stay ordinary.
Kravitz Delicatessen – Youngstown
Any road trip through the Mahoning Valley improves instantly when it detours straight to Kravitz Delicatessen in Youngstown.
Located at 3135 Belmont Ave, Youngstown, OH 44505, this Mahoning Valley institution has been around since 1939 and still turns out its own bagels alongside big deli sandwiches and traditional Jewish specialties.
I like to slide into a booth, order a toasted bagel with cream cheese or a breakfast sandwich, and imagine how many early mornings have started at these same tables.
Stepping back out with a bag of extra bagels, that mix of history, warm service, and serious chew suddenly turns the rest of the drive into something I actually look forward to.
Barry Bagels – Kettering
In the Dayton area, I have learned that quick breakfast is really just code for a run to Barry Bagels.
The Kettering shop at 4313 Far Hills Ave, Kettering, OH 45429 anchors plenty of local routines, turning out racks of fresh bagels alongside deli staples that taste like someone actually fussed over them.
I like to grab a seat with a simple sesame bagel and cream cheese or let it graduate into a stacked egg and cheese sandwich while the morning crowd filters in.
Leaving with a baker’s dozen in a crinkling bag, I suddenly understand the power of being the person who walks into the office with still-warm bagels under their arm.
Lowcountry Bagels – Monroe
There is a special kind of smug satisfaction in pulling off at a row of highway exits and knowing the real prize is Lowcountry Bagels hiding nearby.
Set at 13 American Way, Monroe, OH 45050, between Cincinnati and Dayton, this family-run shop brings a bit of Southern flair to New York-style bagels, with a menu full of creative sandwiches and classic spreads.
I like ordering one of their signature builds on an everything bagel, then listening as regulars trade recommendations for their favorite combinations.
Heading back to the car with breakfast in hand and a second bagel carefully wrapped for later, it feels like I have unlocked a secret road trip stop that deserves its own loyalty card.
Everything Bagels – Cincinnati (Eastgate)
Not many places can name themselves after a seasoning and live up to it, yet Everything Bagels somehow pulls it off.
Out in the Eastgate area at 792 Eastgate South Dr, Ste 200, Cincinnati, OH 45245, this cozy shop specializes in classic, fresh-baked bagels that locals praise for both variety and consistency, from plain to loaded specialty flavors.
I like to grab an everything bagel loaded with cream cheese and maybe a breakfast sandwich for research, then settle in while the staff keeps the line moving with practiced ease.
Walking out with a to-go bag that smells like toasted garlic and sesame, I finally understand why people think a cross-town drive and a long line are a completely reasonable trade for these bagels.
The Bagelry – Cincinnati
Some days start improving the second that familiar Bagelry sign in Cincinnati comes into view.
At their OTR shop at 1401 Walnut St, Cincinnati, OH 45202, the promise is the same: kettle-boiled, long-fermented bagels with that perfect mix of chew and crisp.
I like watching trays of bagels disappear into brown paper bags almost as quickly as they leave the oven, then claiming one for myself with a generous smear of cream cheese or stacked as a breakfast sandwich.
Coffee in one hand and a bagel in the other, I walk out feeling like I have quietly upgraded what grabbing a quick bite ought to mean.
OTR Bagel Bar – Cincinnati
A trip to Findlay Market never feels complete unless I have built in extra time for OTR Bagel Bar.
Right in the heart of Over the Rhine at 107 W Elder St, Cincinnati, OH 45202, this spot turns out playful bagel flavors alongside classics, all with a fun, vintage-tinged vibe that fits the market perfectly.
I like to scan the case for whatever wild flavor they are doing that week, then have it sliced, toasted, and turned into a sandwich while I people-watch from a nearby table.
Wandering back into the market crowds with crumbs on my shirt and a second bagel tucked in my bag, I am already reclassifying running errands as a very delicious hobby.
Skip’s Bagel Deli – Cincinnati / Symmes Township
The moment I see locals greeting the staff like extended family, I know I have arrived at Skip’s Bagel Deli.
Out in Symmes Township at 12092 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45249, this long-running spot has been serving scratch-made bagels since the 1990s, pairing them with a full Boar’s Head deli menu that keeps breakfast and lunch crowds equally happy.
I like to grab a still-warm everything bagel, decide whether it deserves to be kept simple or loaded with eggs and cheese, and then find a table where I can watch the steady stream of regulars.
Leaving with a dozen bagels tucked under my arm feels less like shopping and more like stocking up on future good moods.
Bagel Street Deli – Athens
Somewhere between the lecture halls and the coffee shops in Athens, the trail of white wrapped bagel sandwiches gives away Bagel Street Deli’s location.
Right off Court Street at 27 S Court St, Athens, OH 45701, Bagel Street Deli is a student and townie staple, steaming and toasting bagelwiches with punny names and overflowing fillings.
I like to stand in line reading the menu like a novella, eventually landing on something packed with veggies, turkey, or breakfast fillings, then watching it get assembled in a matter of minutes.
Stepping back onto Court Street with a hot, foil-wrapped bagel in hand, it feels like I have briefly re-enrolled in college with breakfast as my favorite class.
Bagel & Deli Shop – Oxford
Near Miami University, the late-night glow of Bagel & Deli Shop and the never-ending line of students are as reliable as any campus landmark.
Parked right in the heart of town at 119 E High St, Oxford, OH 45056, this tiny storefront has been crafting wildly creative steamed bagel sandwiches for decades, and the wall of hand-lettered menu names proves it.
I like to step up to the counter, pick one of the legendary combinations, and watch it get piled high on a bagel before disappearing into the steamer and coming out melty and fragrant.
Stepping back onto High Street with a hot sandwich in hand, it suddenly makes sense how a humble bagel shop can earn campus legend status long before most people have even had their first coffee.