8 Ohio Bagel Bakeries Doing True Kettle-Boil And Hand-Roll
In Ohio you’ll find bagel shops that cling to tradition: dough shaped by hand, boiled before baking, the crust crackly, the interior chew dialed just so. These aren’t bagel factories.
They’re places where staff learn to feel the dough, where the kettle matters, and where mornings smell of malt, salt, and yeast.
Over visits in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and beyond, I’ve watched ovens at dawn, sliders of seed-showered rounds, quiet regulars selecting their dozen. Here are eight Ohio bagel bakeries doing it right, by hand and by boil.
1. The Cleveland Bagel Company
Early light seeps through the windows at Cleveland Bagel Co., where staff press and stretch bagels before they head into the kettle. Their Detroit Avenue shop aims for that glossed crust.
They brand themselves “fresh hot malty boiled hand rolled.” That phrasing is literal: the bagels are boiled after shaping, which yields contrast between.
Lines form just after open. If you want a seed-topped everything bagel with a schmear, arrive early. The ones made later lose that tight exterior you notice in the first bite.
2. Bialy’s Bagels
Perhaps surprising: Bialy’s publicly clarified that their bagels aren’t boiled after baking, contrary to owner lore.
In its signage, the shop mentions the kettle was repaired, hinting at past use.
If your priority is a traditional boiled crust, skip this one. But if you prefer a denser, chewier interior and accept variation, Bialy’s remains a solid local choice with loyal followings.
3. D&R Bagels
Walk in around dawn at D&R Bagels, and you’ll see boards dusted with flour, bagel dough rounds rising before being plunged into boiling water.
They maintain bagel styles passed down over decades, offering classic varieties like plain, sesame, everything, and poppy, all boiled and baked in small batches.
Regulars often pre-order dozens. I did once, and received a box still warm, crust crisp, interior yielding just the way a boiled bagel should.
4. The Lox Bagel Shop
A hint of malt and lye-scented steam drifts in from the baking area at The Lox Bagel Shop. Their hand-rolled rounds gleam after the boil.
Columbus editors and food writers have praised The Lox’s bagels for their balance of chew and crust, particularly in their breakfast sandwiches.
If the shop is busy, wait a bit, most true boiled bagels shine in those early baking windows. Later batches are good, but you feel difference in the crust firmness.
5. Fox’s Bagel & Deli
Under the bakery lights at Fox’s, bagels pass over cooling racks, fresh from oven heat and still whispering steam. The aroma is immediate.
Fox’s started as a deli bakery pairing bagels and smoked fish; locals know it for piled lox sandwiches and strong coffee alongside boiled bagels.
During peak hours, some varieties run out quickly. I found the plain and everything vanish first. If you want sesame or poppy, aim for the first hour.
6. The Bagelry
Doors open early at The Bagelry. The scent of boiled dough and baking rounds carries into the street before dawn.
They emphasize New York–style bagels, hand-rolled and boiled before baking, with a sturdy chew and glossy finish.
Visitors often grab sandwiches to go. I asked staff about the timing: they suggest coming just after opening, when fullness meets freshness. That window yields the best crust.
7. Marx Bagels
Blue Ash and Columbus locations of Marx keep the kettle roaring early. The bagels show the telltale signs: slightly bubbled crust, tight chew.
Marx is a smaller chain, but it holds to core techniques rather than mass shortcuts. Their bagels accommodate schmears and sandwiches without collapsing.
If you swing by midmorning, many of the seeded varieties sell out. I’ve done that, the plain ones, though, still shine well into midday.
8. Sammy’s New York Bagels
A delivery bakery deserves faith in technique. Sammy’s contracts with cafés and delis, supplying hand-rolled, boiled bagels across Columbus.
They operate without classic storefront bustle, but demand among local shops confirms their method. Their rounds arrive to cafés with the gloss of a true boil.
Order early in the week. Some cafés run low by late weekends. I’ve had their bagels delivered warm and ended up splitting an extra half with someone who recognized the kettle signature.