Perhaps the quickest and easiest route to a good bagel is simply to hop on the bus to NW11. It is the postcode of good bread. Carmelli is best as somewhere to buy freshly-baked bagels to take away and prep at home — sitting down with tea and the cinnamon and raisin bagel, drenched in butter, is one of life’s simplest but truest pleasures. That said, popping in for the smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel is perhaps a perfect way to start a weekend morning. Others rate Daniel’s (Hallswelle Parade, 12-14 Finchley Road, NW11 0DL, danielsbakery.co.uk), not far away, though lately reports seem to have been mixed. What isn’t offered at either Carmelli or Daniel’s is salt beef, but nearby is The Salt Beef Bar (2 Monkville Parade, NW11 0AL, 020 8731 7375), its red and white frontage on Monkville Parade since 1985. Bagels aren’t the thing here, but the salt beef sandwiches are locally famed, as are the tongue and chopped liver sandwiches. Worth seeking out.
Where to find the best bagels in London, from Brick Lane to Golders Green
