Once upon a time there was a small bakery and deli in Sea Point called New York Bagels. It opened in 1949 and for more than 50 years baked some of the best bagels in town - in fact, some of the best bagels on Earth. We're talking genuine, boiled-then-baked, chewy-yet-light, golden-crusted perfection.In the mid-1990s I'd go there almost every weekend to buy bagels, cold cuts and house-made barrel pickles. And when I went to New York on my honeymoon in 1999, I was disappointed by the bagels . New York Bagels bagels were better.In the mid-2000s, New York Bagels expanded into a huge, supermarket-type space. For a while all was well, and then. let's just say it wasn't. In 2013, the place closed down completely.The end of an era? Happily, no, because a year ago New York Bagels was reborn on Harrington Street, in the East City precinct.Bagels - still sold 13 to the dozen - are baked hourly on site, are just as fabulously good as they ever were, and are available in traditional (plain), poppy seed, sesame seed, onion and "everything" varieties.There are myriad filled bagels ranging from the breakfast BART (bacon, avo and slow-roasted tomato) to classic chopped liver and pickle - and smoked salmon trout with cream cheese and thinly sliced red onion, of course.For those not into bagels (hard to imagine, but still) there's a hot beef on rye or their burger.Wash it all down with excellent coffee by Deluxe Coffeeworks - there's also Potion Coffee cold brew and all the usual soft-drinks - and don't leave without a bag of their excellent bagel chips, the best melba toast alternative money can buy.New York Bagels, 44 Harrington Street, Cape Town, 021-820-4359, Monday to Friday 7am to 4pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm, closed on Sunday..