Ordered whitefish salad with lettuce and tomato on sissel rye, pumpernickel with regular cream cheese. Sign out front says top ten bagels in america. It is definitely a good bagel, on par with any good bakery. Their real claim to fame is their combinations. Salmon, whitefish or tuna salad, great. Classics too, egg and cheese, just cream cheese, etc. Only 3 tables, plenty of seating for very small groups. very attentive and quick service.
(5)
Jim S.
Really nice and cute place. You can order a variety of bagels and other cute desserts here. The cool thing about this place is that everything is named after a street in boston, which was really unique. I ordered the Harvard ave on egg roll, which contained honey cream cheese and jam. It was pretty delicious, even to someone who is not a huge fan of cream cheese. To all the cream cheese lovers out there, you will love this place cuz it has SOOO many different types of cream cheese, which unfortunately I cannot appreciate as appropriately.
(4)
Allie B.
Multigrain everything bagel + chive cream cheese = bomb.com I need to become more adventurous and try their other more obscure bagel delicacies ... But seriously dough.... Them bagels dough...that cream cheese. Not sure I'm willing to take the risk and try new items because I'm so pleased with my usual. Boyfriend got the (adventurous) Fenway- egg salad and jalapeño cream cheese on an everything bagel. He inhaled the dang thing in 0.8 seconds . No complaints there A bit crowded during normal breakfast hours - but as a late riser, I have no problem rolling in at 11 and getting whatever I want asap.
(4)
Kaveh Z.
The only reason I am not giving 5 stars is the long wait time. Only one Microwave oven doesn't make sense. The bagel was perfect though
(4)
Steven R.
Man I love the bagels here! We always get our weekly bagels here and have never had a bad experience. They offer tons of different types of bagels and you can't go wrong with any of them. I personally love the cinnamon glazed one though!
(5)
Elly F.
No frills bakery. They have a lot of different bagels. I tried their poppy seed bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon, was good but expensive.
(3)
Kathleen C.
If this review was only for food, I'd give it a 4. However, due to the total confusion of the customers and staff while I was there, this is dropping to a 3. I tried a variety of pastries, some better than others, but the frozen dough thing - fabulous! The service was so strange, though. There was a woman in front of us who had sampled a bunch of items, but apparently hadn't ordered. This was learned after we were asked for our order, and the woman started yelling at the girl behind the counter (and us)...not sure who was helping her with the samples, but it seems that would constitute being helped.... When we finally got to order, the person we ordered from was confused and didn't add all of our items to the order. Then, when she forgot things, instead of adding them, she kept asking if we still wanted them. Of course we wanted them - we ordered them! So, while I might stop in for pastries (ok, probably will), I have a bad taste in my mouth from the service. It stopped me from going back in a second time while in the area and visited a stop down the way instead. However, I'm sure I'll give it another try...sometime....
(3)
Jessica S.
I love bagels from Kupel's! My roommate and I love to come here on Sunday mornings. The size and density of the bagels is perfect and the amount of cream cheese isn't overdone. Paying $6.99 for a poppy seed bagel with cream cheese and lox is a bit pricey, but they do give you enough lox for two people to make up for it. All of the pastries and Jewish desserts look incredible as well, but I have yet to try them. Areas needing improvement: 30 minute wait on a Sunday morning, prices are not written on all baked goods, and apparently ordering a "side of lox" means a side of lox flavored cream cheese instead of the actual salty goodness.
(4)
John P.
Oh Kupel's. So conflicted about this place. Their bagels are outstanding. Like, legitimately outstanding. They are chewy, and have body, but remain soft (a rather difficult dichotomy to embody). All your favorite bagel varieties (poppy, sesame, everything, etc.) are available in both white and whole wheat versions (which is fantastic for the health conscience). I literally order two whole wheat sesame with garlic herb cream cheese when I'm there- it's worth the double dip. With all that said, I never encountered a customer base that is more rude, pushy, or inconsiderate in all of Brookline. I've been in the area for nearly 7 years, and I am routinely amazed at how brazenly obnoxious these older Brookline folks are (rude to the staff, rude to other customers, disregard basic line etiquette, etc.). I'm also amazed that the staff makes it in the morning: most look hung over every time I'm there on a Sunday morning. But hey, if I had to deal with Kupel's rude regulars on a weekly basis, I too would be equally despondent on the job. Bottom line: a great bagel, but only if you can stomach their customers (and poor service).
(3)
Jamie H.
let me preface this review by saying that i love cream cheese. LOVE it. one of my favorite foods (if you will) in the world. kupel's has an amazing variety of cream cheeses, ranging from honey walnut, strawberry, scallion, olive, vegetable, and many others. they also offer light versions of many of the flavors. second to the fact that i love their cream cheese, every time i have the privilege of having a bagel sandwich i think to myself... "no other food in the world is a better vehicle for cream cheese than this bagel." so embarrassing to admit, but so true. chewy, soft, and always enough flavor to make it worth it. i don't know how they manage to get so many sesame seeds onto the surface! the only thing that kupel's is lacking is spicy mustard and mayonnaise. egg sandwiches are just not complete without condiments. and it would be great if they were open on saturdays too!
(4)
Dela B.
I've been to Kupels many times over the past 3 years and I still can't make an accurate assessment of their bagels. In terms of selection, Kupels takes the cake with their countless varieties of cream cheeses, bagel toppings, and whole wheat offerings, but Kupels lacks the consistency that would keep me going regularly and actually recommending it to others. Some days, I would compare Kupels to the amazing Ess-A-Bagel in NYC, and other days, the bagels are so dry that I'd easily prefer a bagel from Dunkin. Not quite sure what the issue is, but I don't really like the feeling of gambling on my bagel quality. If I'm going to make the trek to get a bagel, it had better be better than what I'd get from Shaw's or Dunkin two blocks away.
(3)
Joshua S.
While I was in Boston for a wedding we ended up in Brookline, headed to 4A coffee shop right across the street(we're kinda coffee tourists) We walked in and the place was packed, this lovely younger woman took my order...unfortunately I was looking for a bagel and wasn't in a position to see the bagels or the selection of toppings. So I just ordered a plain bagel with plain cream cheese. Which, seemed to bring a wave of disappointment over the girl taking my order, within about a minute I had my bagel, which is probably one of the best I've came across. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Boston, and I'll definitely try something a little more exciting than plain and plain.
(4)
Jeff D.
Was walking by here after lunch at Dorado and could not resist grabbing two whole wheat everything bagels for breakfast eats for a few days. Yesterday I did not toast it, as the bagel was still nice and moist and chewy. Today it was a bit harder so in the toaster it went. Both were delicious and flavorful and just the right size to fill me up. I can't wait to stop in again and buy some lox to go as well.
(4)
Jane Z.
BEST BAGELS IN BOSTON. Hands down. I love them!! Whenever I buy their bagels and am driving home, they fill my car with their awesome smell. Make sure you go there early, otherwise they'll be out of bagels!
(5)
Kristine S.
I won't deny it... Kupel's makes a tasty bagel. I was delighted to go to a bakery that I could eat with a Jewish friend because it is kosher. Great kosher bagels to nosh on and enjoy with a good friend = winning situation..... except when... The counterperson helping me out looked at me like I had four heads when I was trying to order a "Randy Moss": plain bagel, lox, cream cheese, and onions. They have a special bagel sandwich menu named after Boston sports and other various athletes, and the guy didn't know the menu at all. After repeating what I wanted and even told the guy to look at the second listing on the left on the menu, he was staring at the combo figuring out what to put on my order. It gets busy; there was a lot of trash left on tables that I ended up pushing aside because I couldn't find a trash can (later spotted after eating next to the door). It would probably better for such a busy bakery to have more staff continuously clean around the seating areas. This place would be downright awesome if only it was kept cleaner and the staff was a little more knowledgeable about their offerings and menu. Worth coming back again though just to see if my visit was a one time bad experience.
(2)
Harry H.
Not impressed with the heavy cinnamon rugullah (guess that's the traditional spelling) for $3.42 (8.99/lb). Appreciated the old school place with fat B&Ws and twist bagels, but wouldn't return.
(3)
Stevie P.
I have heard GOOD things about this place. I had my first Kupel's bagel in February with cream cheese and lox (it wasn't toasted because the bagels were served during a class). It was delicious, even though I prefer toasted bagels. My second experience (first time at the bakery) was TERRIBLE. Get ready for a funny story: Sunday morning began with driving to the bakery with my friend (she's never said anything negative about Kupel's). There was a long line, but I knew the wait would be worth it, because, like I said before, I heard RAVE reviews. I ordered THE BIRD (bagel with lox, cream cheese, and capers). It's around 7 dollars, but I love capers and I couldn't wait to try it. My bagel barista asked what kind of bagel I would like and I said "ONION, PLEASE!" (loudly and clearly). I should have watched him as he made my sandwich, because I ended up getting THE CRAWFORD (two eggs, lettuce, onion, and cheese) on a POPPY SEED bagel. What the heck? Totally wrong! The place was loud, but I was close enough and clearly stated my order to him, with eye contact and everything. I'm not the only one with the bad experience... My friend ordered a bagel sandwich. She wanted lettuce, tomato, and onions on it. Her bagel barista says "Sorry, we're out of tomatoes" - um... it's a Sunday and people are hungry for bagels! You can't be "out" of tomatoes - all you have to do is run to the back and get the next batch of sliced tomatoes - but no. We sat down to eat our orders and my friend noticed that there were, in fact, TOMATOES in stock. She just had a lazy bagel barista. I'll go back again - just not on a Sunday. But seriously... how does THE BIRD become THE CRAWFORD, and ONION,PLEASE become POPPY SEED?!
(2)
Ann L.
Whole wheat everything bagel? Yes, please. Amazing cream cheeses available in full flavor and low fat varieties. Line snaked around the tiny store on a Sunday morning. This is not a surprise. Limited seating available, so take your goodies home with you!
(4)
Sam S.
REALLY disappointed. I drove half an hour there and half an hour back only to find that they messed up my order, which was a BASIC order. I ordered each item one at a time, and clearly. I ordered a plain bagel, toasted, with lox and cream cheese and an everything bagel, not toasted, with lox, cream cheese and tomato. Instead, I got a plain bagel with lox and an everything bagel with lox flavored cream cheese. The lox flavored cream cheese was disgusting - it honestly tasted like cat food. The lox was OK, but not great - I have had much better from the supermarket. I also ordered a black and white cookie, expecting it to be made in the traditional style, and it wasn't. The cookie was good, but there was WAY too much frosting, and the frosting was made for a cake, not a cookie. Cake frosting stays soft, whereas cookie frosting should become hard. It was so sweet that I actually had to wipe it off and eat the cookie plain. Finally, I ordered a container of white fish salad to go. I was really disappointed to see that it wasn't made in house like I expected, but instead it was pre packaged. I haven't tasted it yet, but it was still pretty disappointing. All in all, I won't be going back. The bagels are good, but they weren't that busy and still messed up my order. BUMMER.
(3)
Lia B.
I stopped by here on my way to Alexander from MiniLuxe. I'm not usually out in Brookline very often, but I think I will come out of my way to come here! I had a sandwich, I don't remember what it was called, but it was chive cream cheese with cucumbers and onions. It was amazing. I had it on the egg bagel, and I was in HEAVEN. The bagel was perfectly chewy and it rivaled the incredible bagels I've had in New York. We also got a loaf of challah, and it was delicious as well. Soft and slightly sweet, it tasted amazing even two days later! The staff was incredibly friendly and patient with us, even when we debated and changed our order several times. I will definitely be back.
(4)
Britton R.
Bagel's were good, chocolate babka was great, vegan cream cheese available.
(4)
Marissa S.
Best bagel I've had since moving to Boston 3 years ago. Reminded me of the bagel place from where I grew up near Chicago, which nothing compares, hence only 4 stars!
(4)
Monique S.
OMG. I ate the whole thing. Mmm. I passed by this place several times but this is the first time I found it open. I don't even remember what I got. I believe it was an apple flat. It's filled with apple and sprinkled with a generous amount of cinnamon. To make things better, it was only $1.99. Now who can beat that? I didn't mean to eat the whole thing though. It was well worth the calories though. The staff was very friendly and really knew the selections.
(4)
Scott B.
Five stars solely due to this being my favorite bagel and lox ever. I get it on an onion bagel with chive cream cheese.
(5)
Trish K.
I used to love going to this sweet Jewish bagel shop on Sunday mornings with my beau until recently when I'm pretty sure management fired all their mentally capable employees and hired young men and women from half-way houses for the tax breaks. Actually, I'd be insulting those living in half-way houses by saying they work at Kupel's; these clowns probably need to hit rehab first. On a Sunday in November while waiting in line I saw: 1) a male employee turn on his phone/radio in the middle of taking an order and begin rapping an Eminem song; and 2) a female employee accidentally toss a Sharpie marker into a tub of cream cheese. I'll spare you details on how incompetently the employees took orders and goofed around in front of the long line of customers, but you get the idea. The particular young woman who took our order asked us no less than 3 times if we wanted our bagel sandwiches toasted, to which we replied 'yes' each time. Amazingly, our bagel sandwiches were not toasted 15min later. When I asked about flavors of coffee she was surprisingly able to read off the list of flavors, but when I told her how I'd like my coffee she informed me that they were actually all out of those flavors; good to know. Kupel's... oy vey!
(1)
Adam C.
If this is really the best bagel experience in Boston then that's downright tragic. The bagels: not crisp in the slightest on the outside and rather bland overall. I've heard descriptions on Yelp of "white bread", "waxy", "sad" and I'd generally agree with all of those. The service: abysmal. I thought neighborhood places were supposed to be friendly. The teens behind the counter couldn't have been any less interested in doing their jobs. We get it, working at a bagel shop necessitates waking up early. You don't have to let the world at large know how cranky you are every second of the day. I will say that the black & white cookies looked pretty good but I can't put up with the "service" again to find out. I can't think of one reason to go here over a Bruegger's.
(2)
Jason K.
So you're from NY and you want a half descent bagel here in Boston? That's not going to happen at Brueggers..Yuck! This place however will get you a bit closer but still will not live up to NY style bagel stores. Not to mention that on a busy weekend day they will have a line out the door full of brookline yuppies. Just suck it up and take the three hour drive down to NYC for all your bagel needs and then freeze a dozen in your fridge.
(2)
Anya S.
I love love love this place!!! Top ten reasons for Kupels being the absolute best. 1. Best bagels in the city!! 2. Kosher! 3. Cheap!!!! 4. Friendly service! 5. Yummy lox (very reasonably priced) 6. Every spread that you can possibly think off, they've got it. 7. Weekend deals are a real deal. 8. Potato knish. I wish they would hire me, so I can steal that recepie. 9. Chocolate babkas!! Yum! 10. Rugalach!!! BONUS 11. If you want to see me in my natural habitat, come to Kupels, get a bagel, have a seat, Im a regular there.
(5)
Claudio P.
Great bagels, get the salmon, it's totally loaded and delicious. Highly recommended next to Bagel Rising.
(5)
Cris L.
Best bagels in Boston (there aren't a ton of choices, but still...). Not open on Saturday (Shabbat) but otherwise, a super cool bagel shop in Coolidge corner area. The sweet treats are delish too (just take one look at the black and white cookie) but the bagels/smear's are the star of this joint. Their selection is large (for cream cheeses too). Prices are fair and they do take debit/credit cards.
(4)
Hersh N.
Kupels is a perfect example of a neighborhood store. Delicious food. Excellent and caring service. great quality and fresh ingredients. Supports the local economy. Very reasonably priced. The owner is personally working and available most of the times at the store. He will talk to you and make sure you have a good experience. I personally love "The Welker" sandwich. Their selection of cream cheese is delicious and fresh. Much better than Bruegger's. I once went to the store on crutches and the owner just started talking to me. Later on when me and a friend went in to pay for our bagels, we were told it was on the house. Its been more than 2 years now and the owner still comes around and personally says hi. Cant emphasize enough how this is a perfect cornerstone business in the brookline community. A business, that while being at the top of its trade is still able to provide competitive pricing and great quality.
(5)
James O.
(1st time here) Although I like bagels, I have never been crazy about them, so reviewing bagel places is a bit redundant. However, Kupel's definitely has some pluses: +Incredibly cheap (IS THIS BOSTON?!!?) +A great variety of whole wheat bagels (not just the lame plain, sad, brown one) +100% Kosher (legitimately) +Decent cup of coffee I tried "The Truth" bagel sandwich on a whole wheat everything bagel: lox, herb cream cheese, tomatoes, and capers. I absolutely love salmon, especially on a bagel with cream cheese. Unfortunately this salmon was super salty and the cream cheese was literally lathered on. A bit overwhelming for me. The bagel itself was great, crispy, and nicely toasted. This place is very small with limited seating, and a line quickly builds up. But with 4-5 kids cranking out sandwiches, it moves pretty fast. The array of pastries on display look delicious as well. I'll definitely stop by again if I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come back here.
(3)
Eric L.
One of my favorite bagel spots. Try the lox! Good selection of bagels and pastries. I usually get a bagel with cream cheese, but they have bagel sandwiches too. Also, I like their coffee, but it's nothing special. Kosher, so don't ask for bacon or ham (like the ignoramous in line behind me). Small little place with more outdoor seating than indoor. Neither of which could hold more than 10 (on a good day). I recommend it if you like bagels and a more traditional Jewish bakery. Don't expect the huge NY style bagels though (not to say these are small or anything).
(4)
Emily A.
New York bagels these aren't. However, if you're in the hunt for a bagel in the Cambridge/Allston/Brighton/Brookline area, these are probably the best thing you'll find. Yes, the service is a bit...uneven. And yes, you may have to repeat your order three times, or stop and correct them while they're erroneously putting someone else on it. And yes, I've paid four different prices on four occasions for the same exact item (depends on who rings it up, apparently!). BUT it's the only place in my neighborhood where I can get tuna salad on a bagel with capers and onions, which I love, so it earns 3 stars in my book.
(3)
Marshall S.
I was at Kupel's on 11/29/13 at 2:39Pm. I bought a rye bread. I couldn't believe while I was paying for my bread another clerk was filling an order for bagels, dropped a bagel on the very dirty floor and picked it up and placed it in the bag. This is the dirtiest bakery I have ever been in . It even smells dirty, the clerks don't wear gloves.
(1)
Mo C.
I only went for the bagels, simply because I do not particularly enjoy sweet treats. But the pastries that were in the case when you first walked in did make my mouth water a bit. And some of them were HUGE! So to break it down simply, they offer up tasty bagels in many varieties (whole wheat everything is my fav). They also have many condiments (different flavored cream cheeses and more) and also make sandwiches (of the bagel variety of course). You can buy a half dozen or dozen to take home and also offer their cream cheeses in 8 oz or larger containers. Along with the crazy variety of pastries and breads...This place has plenty to offer Much better than Bagel Caboose in Maine, what bugs me about them is they put a semolina crust on the bottom of their bagels. Kupel's has their toppings on the top and bottom of their bagels. Like i said the everything bagel is kind of a big deal!!! one other thing, pronounce Kupels like 'Couples'.
(5)
Kristen C.
Traditional Jewish bakery which means the stars here are of course the bagels. And they are real, and dare I say it, 'New York style' bagels, with a glossy outside and satisfyingly chewy to bite into. All the traditional flavors are there, with a couple less conventional ones such as jalapeno. Probably the best bagels in the city.
(4)
Sarah M.
iIf you can get through the line, they are the BEST BAGELS in Boston. the CHALLAH BREAD is wonderful and the ALMOND COOKIES are extremely addicting, especially with morning coffee. The other pastries aren't that great, but I will always go back for the bagels and cream cheese.
(5)
Michelle L.
I love bagels. Granted, I've never had a New York bagel, but I can spot a bad bagel from a mile away, and I know to look for that chewy texture and denseness, and that special distinctive malty, just plain bagel-y flavor. Growing up in the DC metro area I actually used to get fantastic bagels from the now-sadly-defunct Chesapeake Bagel Bakery. I used to eat them plain, untoasted-- not even with cream cheese, just savoring the bagel on its own merits. I remember the crackle as I tore it open, the steam rising because it was always fresh and warm... Oh, oops. I was supposed to be reviewing Kupel's, wasn't I? Well, I've spent my adult life in Boston searching for something approaching those perfect bagels I remember. And Kupel's comes pretty damn close. Theirs is the first bagel I've had around here that's good enough to not require toasting-- the test of a real bagel and not just bread with a hole in it. I actually had the pleasure of polite, prompt, and unimpatient service during my visit, but then, I came in midmorning on a weekday, not a Sunday, and there was no rush. I was thrilled by the variety of whole wheat options. I tried whole wheat cinnamon and, when I'd finished, promptly ordered two whole wheat poppy seed and two whole wheat everything bagels to see me through the rest of the week. (and oh, they do not skimp on the poppy seeds. Each one is a bonus point in their favor.) I also tried the black and white cookie/cake/whatever. It was astonishingly huge, but a bit dry once I ate it later that day-- not sure if waiting affected the quality or not. Not bad for the price, but doesn't hold a candle to Lyndell's. Ah well. Next time I'll try the babka. (I've wanted to try babka since that episode if Seinfeld and I've STILL never tasted it, though I've had my share of black and white cookies in the interval.)
(4)
Heather S.
So, I happened to be in Brookline after dropping my dvd off at my favorite video store, Movieworks, and I was hungry. Hungry, hungry, HUNGRY! First, I was thinking of getting chicken soup with noodles and matzoh balls at Zaftig's, but I had that earlier in the week. Then, I was rounding the corner, and saw Kupel's. I thought, Jewish neighborhood, bagles, "Bet they're as good as the ones in Brooklyn." Nope! This was the worst FRESH bagel I've ever had in my life. Fresh, as in not frozen Sara Lee bagels, or those ones that come in vending machines and have no shelf-life listed on them. Or, in this case, maybe "fresh," as in a rebellious bagel that refuses to taste good. WTF? It was soft and hard, flat inside, not fluffy & chewy, and when my teeth hit the back layer of the bagel, it was like chewing through cardboard. I stopped myself. Why waste the empty calories that Yahoo! says are in bagels (all bread and no vitamins)? There is no way that they boil their bagels! I should have known. All the cookies in the bakery were flat and pale and looked like statue-replicas of themselves. ICK. This is not even close to a NY bagel. Not even close. Kupel's = Cardboard.
(1)
Rana H.
I'm from NYC and I'm Jewish so I know a good bagel when I see one. That being said, this definitely fulfills my cravings for a good bagel. They are the real bagels, not the small fried hard kind that they sell at Brueggers. Great spreads. I tried the veggie one and it was tasty.
(4)
Ben S.
best bagels in boston-the prices are great and it is for sure worth the line. they have some of the best cream cheeses around oh my god you need to come here. typing this out i'm realizing that i need to go there...tomorrow..it's that good
(5)
Mika S.
I feel bad giving such a popular neighbourhood bakery a two-star rating, but the service here is terrible! I came here on a Saturday last year, ordered a cinnamon raisin bagel toasted with strawberry cream cheese, and was given a plain, un-toasted bagel with regular cream cheese. It was so packed that I left the cafe in a hurry, and didn't realize that I was given the wrong bagel until I was a couple blocks away. I gave Kupels a second chance this past Sunday, and had an even worse experience with the service! My boyfriend and I ordered a toasted Garlic bagel with Salmon cream cheese, a toasted Cinnamon bagel with Honey Walnut cream cheese, a Raspberry Bear Claw and a Chocolate Cinnamon Rugallah. Our server was clearly struggling with our order (although it was hardly a complicated order) and it ended up being over a 10 minute process. He just took off while I was halfway through ordering, and didn't re-appear for a couple minutes; he didn't toast our first bagel, and had to start over; and he forgot our order numerous times. Honestly, I was ready to leave before getting my food. After what felt like forever, we finally got our food and left. As I was about to eat, I realized that the Cinnamon bagel was never toasted and the "Garlic" bagel was not actually a Garlic bagel. Are you kidding me?! I do sympathize with the staff because Kupels is an absolute zoo on the weekends, but this is kind of ridiculous. The mystery bagel with the Salmon cream cheese was by far the best, but the Cinnamon bagel and Honey Walnut cream cheese did not live up to my expectations at all. The Chocolate Cinnamon Rugallah was decent, but not what I was expecting in terms of taste (specifically the chocolate filling). Like I said, I feel bad for giving such a neat little neighbourhood cafe such a low rating, but I can't ignore how poor the service is.
(2)
Jaclyn S.
Went here to a long line on a Saturday afternoon just for a sweet tooth fix. We had 2 hamentashens and rugelach - both tasted traditional and sweet, the hamentashen had less filing that I usually like. I want to go back to try other things, esp ones I haven't heard of!
(4)
JO. C.
The local place that only local people know how tasty baked-goods is. A place doesn't have fancy interior designs, big windows to see through it, nor indie music playing while you eat in the store. The only thing they have, and always, is a dozen baskets of baked-goods. When I visited Kupel's in the first time, I ordered California bagel w/ tofu lox (I am a salmon lover!), and a cup of latte. I ate in the store, watching people come and go. They usually left with at least two bags of their goods, pastries, cookies, bagels, and fancy breads. You can tell they are frequent customers because they know exactly what they what to order in a second. After finishing my bagel, I can't help to line up and order a half-dozen bagels to go. Still now, every time I go to Kupel's, I will order one to eat freshly right there and take more out for the next few days.
(4)
Stacey G.
As a native New Yorker I don't think there are any bagels that compare to NY bagels. This is the only place I have found in Massachusetts that will make a New Yorker smile and say those are some good bagels. Highlights - whole wheat sesame bagel (not made in most bagel shops, yum) - tofu cream cheeses - true feel of a bagel shop (the line on Sunday mornings is long but hang in there it goes by quickly) - pastries: they have one pastry that is like ruggela but it's not cut up individually (many flavors, all delicious)! - the service is excellent!! Everyone is very nice there. Change: The pastry - I wish they did have them in individual portions so I didn't have to eat/ buy the whole thing Make sure you come here because you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Neechi M.
We heard great things about Kupel's so probably went with higher expectations than we should have but it was a decent bagel experience by Boston standards. Here are the main highlights: The Good: 1. They have a good variety of bagel types -- we went at 11:30AM on Sunday and despite the long line still had a lot of selections available so kudos for that. 2. The staff is very nice and accommodating. 3. Salmon was good. Nothing special, just good. 4. Cream cheese was excellent. The Bad: 1. The whole wheat everything bagel has rye seeds on it (gf thinks they were caraway seeds but they tasted like rye to me and I hate rye so wish I knew this beforehand since I've never seen them on a bagel before). The salt bagel tasted good though. 2. The bagels have good crunch to them on the outside but unfortunately aren't soft on the inside. Einstein Bros has better bagels honestly but these ones are bigger. The Ugly: 1. Eggs are microwave Dunkin Donuts style -- pass (wish I knew this before going because we went primarily to have a bacon, egg and cheese) 2. Asked for bacon and the lady looked at me like she had no idea what bacon is. I don't understand why a bagel place wouldn't have bacon so massive points off for this. UPDATE 2/16/15: Apparently Kupel's is kosher so that's why there's no bacon. Oh well, heads up to those who didn't know. 4. $8.99 for a bagel with cream cheese and salmon is quite steep. Conclusion: Pass -- If you're willing to travel (drive, bus) check out Katz Bagels in Chelsea instead of this place. Kupel's is seemingly popular based on its location more than the quality of its food.
(3)
Christine K.
Great ice coffee (fair trade, too) - not burnt like at Starbucks, and very deep/rich. Their lochs bagel sandwich is a must, of course! An extra perk: they sell day-old bread for quite cheap, so get there in the morning for a big ball of egg rolls for $2, or pumpernickel bagels for $3. If only they had wifi, then this would be the perfect little neighborhood bakery to spend the day at.
(4)
Caitlin M.
Went here today with some friends from Philadelphia. We got a mix of bagels and chocolate cheese rugelach. The bagels were delicious but they go heavy on the cream cheese. The rugelach was amazing. The wait was long--don't expect to pop in here on a Sunday morning between 10-1 and not wait. The servers kept checking back to confirm what people wanted on their bagels. They could probably be more efficient in their service, but it's a leisurely Sunday breakfast so I didn't mind. I really want to try some of their challah soon.
(4)
K. Grace K.
Excellent bagels. Plenty if whole wheat options, and many flavored of lite cream cheese. Also basic bagel vegetables available for 25 cents (onion, cucumber, tomatoe). I had a sesame seed bagel and lite jalapeño cream cheese. Loved it. There was a generous amount of cream cheese, but I normally use less. (So maybe that undoes the lite/whole wheat choices. :) )Tasty though. I will get cream cheese on the side next time and maybe split cream cheese with my husband who orders his own bagel. They only sell onion bagels on Fridays and Sundays, their busy days. I came back on Friday and got 6 onion bagels and 8 oz cream cheese to keep at home. Great. I do wish the nutritional info were available. But whole ingredients aren't hard to approximate. Thanks, Kupels, for making the healthy options numerous, attractive, and tasty!
(4)
Justin F.
Kupel's has some of the best bagels I've ever had. I go in wanting a bagel and walk out with a dozen! I've learned they are great toasted and are good days later! Please do not let the line scare you off!! Oh, and their pastries are great as well!
(5)
William F.
Rude staff! The man behind the counter started helping other customers after getting our pastries, and got irritable when we asked him to pay. Then he started helping someone who came in after us. Seems disorganized- we walked out without our food since it took so long.
(1)
Kayla S.
Kupels is literally the best bagels in the Boston area. The staff is a little eh. Some of them seem so disgruntled . but then the other ones seem...I don't want to be mean but...dumb. Dumb meaning I've had a few people just totally butcher the order for simple orders. Not because I did anything weird or said anything to confuae them. I will say Like "can I have a prudential on a plain bagel"for example . so simple. and they will just not make the prudential or leave out ingredients and put it not on a plain bagel. That's just a random complaint. Everything else is awesome! The coffee. The baked goods. The bagels. Ugh it's so awesome. I wants some now!
(5)
Joaquin X.
Yup, the best bagel spot I've ever been to. Worth the long wait in line. Lots of options available. Closed on Saturdays. (Of course!)
(5)
Dinara E.
I cannot believe I just paid $5 for a rugalah that tasted like mold. If I hadn't brought it home already, I would have gone back for a refund! Literally tasted like it was made at the beginning of the week, it's Friday now.
(1)
Meghan G.
Great bagels! Very busy on weekends but line moves fast. Lots of great light cream cheese options that taste great! I'm a fan of the Boylston, which is cream cheese, red onion and tomato.
(4)
William S.
I've been going to Kupel's for years. It's hard to beat classic Jewish baking. The pricing is a bit high, but that's to be expected for kosher food. The bagels and other bread are splendid, but it's the pastries where Kupel's really shines. Poppy filling is a taste right out of my childhood. It's so hard to get the level of sweet to balance right with the flavor, but Kupel's nails it every time. And they homentashen (traditional triangle cookie with fruit filling) are nice and crispy - not the crumbly disappointments you find all too often. One thing that some of the reviewers seem to have missed: this is a kosher bakery. There's no meat of any kind (since they serve dairy and kosher laws forbid the two mixing), and especially no bacon. There's cream cheese and lox, and if that's what you're looking for, it's hard to find better.
(4)
Marcy Z.
Bagels for Jews. No Asiago or cinnamon raisin! Classic bagels and shmears like whitefish salad, chopped liver, lox cream cheese. The pastries are REAL and fresh! No refrigerated dough with corn syrup flavored glaze. Flaky melt in your mouth SERIOUSLY! Carry home a challah bread and use as you normally would pepperidge farm...you won't regret it. We got a little of each of the things mentioned and spent $30.
(5)
Nik A.
Now this is a place you take your granny for breakfast. They have a wide variety of bagel/sandwich options and will make everyone happy. I love having many cream cheese choices.
(3)
Annie K.
This is the most authentic bagel place I have found in the Boston area!! The lines confirm that this Jewish bakery/deli is a jewel to be coveted. Their delicious bagel sandwiches are named after various Boston T stops and are packed with authentic flavor! Their whole wheat poppy, chive cream cheese, and lox sandwich is to die for. Get there early or late to beat the lines but, even if you do get stuck, it's worth the wait!
(5)
Sutanuka L.
Yum yum bagels !!! I love the Coolidge corner bagel. So fresh and the bagels are freshly baked too. They always sell out early!
(5)
Devin S.
I had heard a lot about Kupel's before trying their bagels for myself. I work at another bagel shop in Boston and so I eat a lot of bagels--I felt that I needed to try the fabled "Boston's Best Bagel" for myself. Today I finally did try one of their bagels. And the thing is, my mind wasn't blown. I attribute this to my preconditioning to have high expectations; the egg bagel with honey walnut cream cheese I had was good. But it wasn't outstanding, and the bagel itself was even a little dry. I think the best thing about Kupel's is that there is something for everyone here: a great variety of toppings, spreads, and pastries. Just don't expect a life-altering bagel experience.
(3)
Steph C.
Real bagels!! Everything there is great. Freshly made everyday, with an amazing selection of pastries and variety of bagels. Get there early, cos lots of things sell out by the evening, which is unfortunately when I usually get there after work. But hey, that usually speaks for itself and I can't blame them for selling out if their stuff is that good. The rugallah is AMAZING. Truly. I've tried my fair share from a bunch of places around MA and NY.... And they are pretty close to the top for me. Not too sweet and just the perfect texture!!! Prices can be steep for certain things, but honestly, as a person who works in the food industry, you definitely get what you pay for. Definitely make it out to kupel's at least once a month since I moved north of the city a few years ago!
(5)
Susan M.
This review is for one item only, the raspberry hamentashen. This is not a very good cookie, the filling tasted artificial without any raspberry flavor and the cookie had an off putting overly sweet taste which just didn't blend at all. Terrible In the garbage it went. There is nothing good to say about this cookie do not waste your money.
(1)
Kim B.
Gster and I have lived around the corner from here for about a year, and we have always had our favorite bagel shop on the other side of Brookline (Aka Allston). However, one day I decided to adventure to Brookline. This turned out to be a bad decision. It took me about 10 minutes, and 4 illegal U-Turns to find a parking spot. I naively walked in the door of Kupels, only to find a long, long, long line. I estimated about 20-25 minutes.... it was over an hour. At some point, I thought about leaving, but I had stuck it out for long enough, and really wanted to try it. I also was very very hungover, and the thought of moving was painful. After about 60 minutes in line, all I got was 2 bagels, one with butter and one with cream cheese. They put way way way too much butter on it, and the bagel did not taste anything out of the ordinary. I also was not impressed with the service, as the line should have, and could have moved a lot faster. As a side note, their focus is on sandwiches, deli and Jewish pastry specialty items, none of which I tried. I hate to rate them so harshly on bagels and service alone, however, if 40% of your business is bagels and I was not impressed, it doesn't entice me to go back and try again. All in all, After walking by and dreaming about it for months, i was disappointed.
(2)
Juliane S.
I used to walk by Kupels often when I used to live in the area. Today, during a visit to Brookline, I finally decided to give it a try. If you like lox, tuna, whitefish salad or egg salad in your bagel, then this is your place. Personally, i love lox on my bagel. I went with a more original one called, " Cleveland Circle", which had lox, plain cream cheese, tomato, and onions on an everything bagel. Noms, delicious! I definitely will go back for the bagels and sandwiches. I took a star off because their apple strudel was a huge disappointment. I tried eating it, but the filling was just not good. I basically threw the strudel away cause I knew I wouldn't eat it.
(4)
Haley S.
I really was not impressed by Kupel's Bakery when I came in most recently. I came here a few times as a teenager and really liked the bagels and the wide variety of cream cheese available, but this time, the bagels were not good. I had a plain bagel with honey walnut cream cheese, and had one bite of it before throwing it away. I mean it just wasn't worth the calories to eat more of it. I was really looking forward to it too! I ordered the elephant ears for a family member, and she said they weren't great. She is used to getting them at a bakery in NYC which has the best elephant ears in the universe, so I'm not sure it's a fair comparison for kupels! The challah bread I purchased was also stale. Come on Kupel's! Selling stale challah should be a crime. I was really looking forward to making challah French toast but instead, it was fed to the birds. I don't think I'll be back again. There are plenty of other bakeries that serve up confections that are consistently delicious, so why bother with Kupels?
(2)
Chaz W.
If I want an egg warmed up in a microwave, I go to Subway. If I want someone who doesn't know what sausage is, I go to a vegan grocery store. If I want a small, tasteless bagel, I ask Dunkin donuts for a quarter of their plain bagel. If I want all 3 I go to Kupel's.
(1)
J M.
This place was once awesome but the extremely poor customer service and poor quality food has made the place horrible. The workers handled money and food with their gloved hand which is extremely unsanitary. All this while making the bagels at and almost purposely slow pace. I watched on of the guys take 2mins to arrange the tomatoes on my bagel. All that time and when I took it out of bag it wasn't together at all. Bagels and lox are one of the simple pleasures but they managed to screw that up.
(1)
P. S.
Heard a lot about this place so decided to check it out. Good selections on bagels and pastries. Prices are little too steep. Had everything bagel with veggie cream cheese. Cream cheese was super but the bagel was not that great. It was soft like a subroll. Coffee was 1 Star. Prob. won't be back for that price and quality of bagel.
(3)
Stephanie M.
Delicious cookies and challah bread!
(5)
Laura C.
Extremely delicious bagels, cream cheese and sandwich combos. I used to frequent this place a couple of times a week, and I miss it after moving away. I once got some rugallah pastry that I found to be really disgusting but I think that's how it tastes and maybe I just don't like it. So I go for the bagels only. My favorite is egg salad and jalapeño cream cheese on a whole wheat poppy seed bagel. They have lots of bagel and cream cheese varieties, and also have tofu cream cheese that I've never tried. They are also open pretty early. Love it.
(4)
Josef K.
Don't know how the food is but the worst service ever. Been waiting on line for 45 minutes. What kind of a bagel store is this. Not sure why they can't have more help this is a college town after allm
(2)
Roshini K.
So we've gone by this place a thousand times and finally decided to stop in for bagels...best decision ever. There was a line, but trust me, its worth the wait! I cant for the life of me remember what the name of my sandwich was but i got an onion bagel with garlic and herb cream cheese, cucumbers and red onions. It was so delicous and fresh! My boyfriend got the prudential sandwich which he all but finished in one bite with a huge smile on his face, and he's a hard one to please! We also got a half pound of the infamous chocolate and cream cheese ruggalloh. Cant wait to start digging into that! After Bagel Rising closed in Allston, ive been dying to find a new bagel place that had fresh ingredients, perfect bagels and friendly service and i think ive finally found it! Cant wait to come in for more!
(5)
Grace H.
Great bagels in my opinion (and they have a chocolate danish that is amazing), but the customer service and assembly line preparing orders is terrible. I'm giving Kupel's two stars specifically for that - expect a long wait (sometimes out the door) as each employee takes your order one item at a time, providing mediocre at best customer service and constantly running back and forth to ask you if you're ordering anything else. The process seems to be a bit of cluster. Once they've prepared your order, the individual employee that prepared your order rings you up - wouldn't it make more sense to just have stationary cashiers and other employees that prepare orders and pass them along? (Yes, it would.) I would recommend getting orders to go, as inside/outdoor seating is limited and often occupied.
(2)
Diana T.
Seriously the best bagels in all of greater Boston. I would know because I am a bagel connoisseur; I've tried so many bagel shops all around Boston and I haven't found a place that makes bagels like Kupel's does. Their bagels are hard on the outside but really fluffy and soft on the inside... How a real bagel should be! These are the only bagels in the area that are even comparable to New York style bagels. Also, they have some of the nicest employees I ever met!
(5)
Lily S.
So i'm not much of a bagel connoisseur but i had a pretty solid experience here. Came in mid afternoon the other day while killing some time before meeting a friend and was in serious need of feeding myself. I decided on a plain bagel with lox and cream cheese. Was really pleased with the amount and quality of fish. The scallion cream cheese was delicious and i had to hold myself back to keep from licking my fingers in public. Also, they have like 87 different flavors of cream cheese. 8-9$ for a delicious meal that kept me full the rest of the day seems totally reasonable.
(4)
Kelly C.
After reading other reviews I had some high hopes that this would be one of the better bagels I'd have in Boston. I was fairly disappointed. The bagel was ok but I didn't think they were better than the food store's bakery bagels. I got the cream cheese and lox sandwich. The sandwich was good overall but I didn't think the bagel was anything special. Also, for $10 I expected an amazing sandwich. I probably wouldn't come back here again for a bagel.
(2)
Alex H.
Well, this is an automatic 5 stars just because Boston doesn't have any other bagel place better than this. If we were in NY or even Baltimore, this might only be getting a 3 or 4 star. But what are you gonna do? Drive 4 hours for your bagel to be a little softer!? A couple things to know if bagel bakeries are your thing but you are new here. I believe somewhere on the windows outside it says 'parve.' Don't worry about that at all. This place is not 'parve,' it is dairy! You will not be getting fake cream cheese (unless for some reason you choose their tofu 'cream cheese'. Secondly, it is certified kosher. How such confusion happened, I have no clue. Yes, they have the everything, egg, pumpernickel, etc, and scallion cream cheese and whitefish salad and all that good stuff. They also have those goy flavors such as jalapeno bagel or honey walnut cream cheese. Don't let that scare you. The place is still good. If you are buying other pastries there other than bagels and stuff, you're on your own. I never buy that stuff there so I have no clue.
(5)
Justine M.
I used to enjoy this bakery, but the manager has turned me off Kupel's completely. A few weeks ago I went in for a bagel. To pay, I handed the manager cash over the counter. He dropped a dollar into an open tub of cream cheese, picked up the dollar, wiped it off, and then used that cream cheese on my bagel! I'm not a clean freak by any standard, but even I wouldn't eat that cream cheese after money had been dropped in it. Today, I decided to give Kupel's a second chance.... Bad idea. Right after I'd placed my order, the manager stepped out of the back, wiped his nose with his bare right hand, put a glove on his left hand (handling the glove with the snot-covered right hand), and proceeded to take my bagel out of the toaster... TOUCHING IT WITH BOTH HANDS. Why did you need both hands for this task?! The nice girl behind the counter made me a new bagel when I explained my frustration, but I wish I'd had the guts to call that manager out. How absolutely disgusting!!!! I will never give this restaurant my business again.
(1)
Julia C.
I read rave reviews of Kupel's so I was initially so excited to check it out. My boyfriend and I went on a Sunday morning and the place was PACKED (line out the door). This made us even more excited- we were practically expecting bagels made of gold and silver. My boyfriend ordered a bagel sandwich and I ordered a bagel with cream cheese and lox. We ordered a few pastries to go as well. Ordering was stressful due to the amount of people there, and the staff wasn't too friendly (which I am sure was due to the high number of customers). The sandwich and bagel with lox were pretty good, but nothing out of this world. Unfortunately, my boyfriend's pastry was stale and I can't even remember what I ordered it was so run of the mill. I've only returned once since on a weeknight just for kicks. They were clearly closing, but the staff member helping me was super nice. I ordered a raspberry rugelach and paid quite a hefty sum for it, but it was yummy! Kupel's is good, but not a regular spot for me.
(3)
Molly K.
I used to come here when I was little, and I loved the delicious smell of baked goods as I walked through the door! However, as I've been coming here recently, I have not enjoyed the quality of their products at all :-( I want to enjoy it of course, because I want to support a local business.) It seems like the quality has dropped off, to be honest. A few months ago, some friends from out of town were coming to visit and I bought about $50 worth of goodies from here for my guests. Even among the diversity and wide array of baked foods I bought for them, not one of the pastries was very good or fresh. Like I said, I hate saying this because I want to like Kupels, but the quality was just so not-good! If they step up the quality, even by a little, I will definitely be coming back to my favorite childhood bakery!!
(2)
Sheila S.
Super fresh bagels and pastries with friendly service. Around the Jewish holidays they stock up and are ready to serve many parve treats! The cream cheese they have is whipped and delicious. Prices are pretty reasonable for what you get since many items you can't get elsewhere.
(5)
Victoria P.
I spent maybe 3 minutes in here so my review will be short. Ordered half a dozen bagels and they were all delicious. The guy who packed them up wasn't particularly friendly, but whatever...it's just bagels. I noticed they had tofu cream cheese which I was recently introduced to and loved, but haven't had the chance to try it here. Will be back for more bagels, tofu cream cheese, and possibly some pastries.
(4)
David C.
Ugh, Kupel's, why'd you have to go and ruin my everything bagel with fennel seed? I guess I'm going to have to start asking what exactly "everything" entails when I try new bakeries. It's ok though, your chocolate Rugellah more than made up for it. I ate half a pound of that dense, doughy deliciousness in less than ten minutes, and I regret nothing. Your flat tire was enjoyable as well, although a little odd. I don't think I've ever had a pastry quite like it. I'll be back to try your hamentashen when I come down from this sugar high that I'm riding.
(3)
Dessa R.
Bagels! I miss bagels. I'm sorry to sound like every other New Yorker in Mass, but my experience has been that Boston is just not so good at bagels. Must be the water. Still, I had not given up on finding a great bagel in this city. The line snaked throughout the store. I considered this to be a good sign. We waited patiently, like (kosher) cattle, and finally arrived at one of the smiley teenagers taking orders. I noticed they had many cream cheeses, and many suggested combinations for your bagel. But I already knew what I wanted. It's what I had wanted for days. I got an everything bagel with lox and cream cheese. B got an everything bagel with garlic cream cheese, raw onion, and cucumber. They offered to toast them, but also reminded us that they were still warm from the oven. Sweet! We both enjoyed our bagels very much, and thought the other's was gross. That's just the way the bagel crumbles. But seriously, if your bagel really does crumble, throw it away and buy one from here, 'cause mine was pretty damn good.
(4)
Renee H.
Been meaning to try this place and so glad I finally did. Amazing selection of baked goods. Very hard to choose. Prices are very affordable and we had good service. No card minimum either which was great considering all I got was a cherry Danish for under $2 Definitely going back.
(4)
Bret C.
Very good local business that's been a big part of Brookline for lots of years. Not as amazing as people make it out to be. Bagels are good (cinnamon sugar is a good one) and the bear claws, apple turnovers and raspberry hamentashen are highlights. And remember, they're closed on Saturdays!
(3)
Claire Helene B.
Love love love love love the rye bagels with caraway seeds, and the plain ones = bulging with freshness and lovely finish on the outside. I suppose if I had a taste for other flavors, I'd also love them too. Love the lox and olive cream cheese spreads. You can buy nova here too. The bagel bar can be raised no higher.
(5)
Jenny B.
Kupel's is a great bakery. I love bagels and there's no better bagel in town than Kupel's. They have great schmears too! I know everyone raves about the bagels in New York, but this place is as good, if not better than any bagel that I have had in NY. I love this place. Two thumbs up!
(5)
Olivia L.
Being a fairly new Brooklineite, I have been here just once to get bagels and pastry to take to a brunch party. The counter person seemed impatient with me for not recognizing some of the pastries and asking questions about them. Aside from that somewhat negative encounter, I will say the bagels are tasty. I got a tub of cream cheese here, also, which was a great convenience for me, as I was taking them to a friend's house. It was great not to have to make another stop on the way for cream cheese. The pastries I got were, in my opinion, less tasty. I advise staying with the bagels and you can't go wrong. I will return for some more delicious bagels at a future date!
(4)
R V.
Their chocolate flat tire is a certifiable federal Superfund-level disaster area. The pastry twist is so thin, the chocolate so abundant, and the sugarcoating so thick and impenetrable -- both on top and bottom! -- that, unlike their oddly bread-like Danishes, it can't even pretend to be a breakfast food. It's a hubcap-sized half-dessert, half-scud-missile abomination that ranks up there with Patsy's danishes and Carol Anne's chocolate horns as one of the most ridiculous, irresponsible and wonderful pastries in Greater Boston. Most of their other pastries are either ordinary or flat-out weird (like those hamburger-bun Danishes), but the flat tire alone justifies this place's existence.
(4)
Rani P.
I am not a morning person, yet I become one in order to get a fresh bagel with spread from Kupel's. I was starting to lose hope in Boston- constantly searching for a bagel with the right density, the right size, the right amount of raisins... After three of my Jewish friends listed Kupel's bagels as what they want to eat after Yom Kippur fasting- I knew it would be a life changer. And it was. Don't be surprised to find me sleeping outside the door in order to be eating a bagel within 5 minutes of waking. (I guess it also works to just freeze and toast them when I'm ready...)
(5)
Benjamin I.
My partner and I found this place while on vacation in Boston. The onion bialys and bagels are very good. The first time we went the staff was very friendly. It was a great experience. We came back again just before we left, as we had another bialy craving. We were really a big fan of the garlic and herb cream cheese. Coffee wasn't so great, but there is great coffee right across the street at A4.
(5)
Nitya D.
Yay! Bagel shop with tofu cream cheese! Makes my vegan belly happy. Very friendly staff, variety of soft and dense bagels, with a couple of tofu spreads. For non vegans, they, of course, have several regular cream cheese flavors. Family owned and operated (no longer by the namesake family, however). It's a nice shop with history, character and the only place I'll go to for bagels in Boston.
(4)
Alana F.
Damn good bagels. Damn good schmear.
(5)
Carrie B.
Classic Jewish bakery with bagels, bagel sandwiches (with wide variety of cream cheeses and fixings), rugelach, hamentaschen, babka, etc. Large pastry menu, with many varieties of cookies, brownies, bars, danish, muffins, apple turnovers, etc. Kupel's also sells a wide variety of breads, including the usual challahs (several kinds), rye loaves, and pumpernickel, plus a very small selection of organic artisan-style breads. I've probably tried them all by now, and none have disappointed. Kupels does not, however, bake any crusty breads, so no baguettes or the like. Also, not much in the way of whole grains. The pastry items all seem to be made with white flour, no whole grain scones or muffins. The small selection of organic breads is a small step toward modernizing the offerings, and I'd love to see them do more in that direction.
(4)
Lindsay S.
This is one of the greatest places I've ever been to in Brookline. One day my roommate and I were trekking to some UPS store that was far far away when we stumbled onto this gem. I'm Jewish and when I saw that it was a Jewish bakery I had to go in, so I dragged her inside. The rugelach is to die for. I've seriously never had better. It comes in a variety of flavors, but my favorite is the cinnamon chocolate chip. Also the shop has year round hamentaschen. Ummm YES. Those also come in a wide variety of flavors. Also I love going here in the mornings for a nice bagel sandwich. Every time I'm in Boston, I come in here just to pick up rugelach for my mother. She loves it that much too.
(4)
Cwot W.
This place has the most flavorless baked goods. I can't figure out why it's so busy. I feel like the items taste like the food they eat in the movie "The Matrix" (when they are out of the matrix).
(2)
Carrie C.
Well I have to admit that I can't really give this place a fair review. I stopped in the other day on my way past and didn't see anything that looked appetizing and even though I was the only person in the place the staff didn't even acknowledge my existence. After reading that they were shut down by the health department for rodent feces in their kitchen, I'm glad I bugged out of there. myfoxboston.com/dpp/news…
(1)
Imran G.
Had trouble finding a good bakery with bagels. We got lost in Coolidge Corner and stumbled upon this place, and because we hadn't had bagels in such a long time we decided to step in. Then, we realized how much stuff they had. Great. Not really. We finally decided on a chocolate chip rugellah, and while it was a mediocre pastry at best, the most shocking thing was the price. One rugellah for $5. Wow, that's expensive, right? Apparently the weirder thing is that they charge for the pound for this. Was not aware of this at all... I also wasn't aware of how different I look. The clerk kept staring at me without smile despite my efforts to break the ice. Now that I think about it, I should probably go refresh my Star Wars memory. In "A New Hope" there is a scene at the cantina in which some of the guys just don't like Luke Skywalker. Damn, now I really want to go watch Star Wars Ep IV: A New Hope.
(1)
Teddy S.
Visited 3 times in the past 2 months. Not again. Went for bagels, pastry and challah. Rosenfeld & Bagel Rising make much tastier bagels. Like some of the other reviewers, think the quality has gone down the past few years. The bagels are too light and except for the toppings, have no flavor. The pastry is just ok. Bought assorted items (elephant ears, bubka, etc...) and they lacked any real flavor. Bought 2 bubka's last week (apple & berry) and there is more fruit on a piece of toast than in either bubka. Too bad. Most people seem to be happy with the sandwiches, but I like to buy the bread/pastry and make my own sandwiches.
(2)
ROB L.
We got a dozen bagels here and one pastry. Apparently, we got the wrong pastry. It was about $5 (rugullah is priced by the pound), kinda cheesy, and really dense. Maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea. The bagels were all right. I guess I was comparing them to Noah's bagels in SF, where I go at 7 AM and get a dozen straight out of the oven. These weren't as soft or chewy as I expected them to be, nor were they as dense. They invoked a sense of bagel shaped bread in my mind. I'm glad I stopped in to support the local shop, but my personal tastes in bagels vary from what they make.
(2)
Ryan M.
This spot on Harvard St. has excellent reviews, and there isn't any question as to why. The bagels have a nice firm exterior and a slightly doughy interior. The staff is friendly and prompt as they serve you your choice through the vast selection of shmears, bagels, pastries and goodies. The prices are reasonable, local and family owned. What more could you want? I just wish I lived closer to the Brookline area to take advantage of this spot.
(4)
Karina L.
Pretty yummy bagels and nice outdoor seating for nice days. I much prefer Michael's Deli down the street at Coolidge Corner for bagels, even though they're not primarily a bagel place. I got a sesame bagel with lox spread. The bagels are chewy (just how I like it!), but I think the cream cheese lacked flavor. Compared to other bagel places, there isn't much cream cheese variety. The worst part of my experience was the service. I thought they were having a bad day but, after reading other Yelpers' reviews, it seems like they're permanently in a state of hangover/drug withdrawal. When we walked in, there were no 'Hello' or even acknowledgment of our presence. There's no clear path from where to order and where to pay. We had to wave our hands in front of their faces to get their attention -- they what I ordered twice, forgot to ask me to pay, and then gave me $15 extra in change (which I promptly gave back). They sell bags of day-old bagels and muffins for pretty cheap (comparable to normal supermarket prices). I can imagine that they still taste pretty good.
(3)
Matt R.
They have amazing bagels and challah bread. Their service is unbelievable and you feel right at home when you walk in. They treat a one time customer just like a regular. If I can recommend one item it would have to be their pan challah. It's so fresh that it practically falls apart.
(5)
Ian L.
Holy crap. I asked for an onion sesame bagel with salmon and capers. What I receive is a trash pile of salmon with a veritable orchard of capers cascading down beautiful pink fleshy slopes. Seriously, way more salmon than I ever expected. I expect to see a breaking news update this evening on the extinction of salmon as a result of this sandwich! Their bagels are freaking amazing as far as bagels go, though the everything bagels tend to go quickly. Just be prepared to wait 5 or 10 min in line to order--this place seems to be a popular spot.
(4)
Bria O.
OBSESSED with this place. Everything is amazing and they move the line along quickly. Also great deals on bulk bagels etc. Really friendly employees. Unfortunately closed for Shabbat on Saturday but that's the price you pay for amazing kosher bakery.
(5)
Kim K.
Kupels serves not just bagels but a huge selection of everything - bagels, pastries, muffins, etc. They have good prices and the store is relatively clean. The bagels are good, kinda chewy though.
(4)
Hui Ying C.
Tofu lox bagel was generously creamy and tasted just like the real thing, vegans and non vegans gotta hop on the Kupel train! Apple puff was beyond amazing as well. Friendly staff and awesome food in a summer day :D
(5)
Meizi H.
Their bagels are a bit chewy for my taste. And their croissants might be the worst I've ever tried. They were plain and salty. Maybe it was wrong batch. I ordered half dozen of bagels and they only put five of them in a bag, which I just found out when I got home. I tried their multi-grain, raisin cinnamon, onion and wheat bagels. They were okay. Their services were off whilst they busy chatting with each other. I like to support local shop but their quality of food and service keep me away from it!
(2)
Melissa P.
Of the 26 different types of certified Kosher bagels to choose from, all are handmade and all guaranteed delicious. It seems most of us are accustomed to grocery store-brand flavorless bagels that taste more like Styrofoam than anything else, but Kugel's soft, doughy textured bagels are without chemical additives. Kupel's keeps their food prices surprisingly low. You can get a bagel with cream cheese and a pumpkin-spiced coffee for just $3.19. Check out their weekly deals for other reasonably priced offers. Not only does Kupel's have delicious bagels, but they also have rows upon rows of pastries. Smaller sweets have swamped the market, but Kupel's makes large to extra-large pastries from cheese (pareve) danishes to blueberry muffins to black-and-white cookies, just to name a few. Some bakeries offer an assortment of these very simple bagels, but such variations on the classics often stale and tasteless. Kupel's bagels however, are a different breed - chewy and tinged with a tantalizing freshness.
(4)
Lauren E.
From a Jewish New Yorker carb queen, trust me these soft, doughy bagels are not to be missed on any jaunt through Brookline. The coffee was remarkably good. The service was friendly- there weren't many people in the store while I was there but I can tell this place would get bogged down with lines during breakfast time.
(5)
Anna C.
Thank you for being open today! Best breakfast especially on a snow day! Great bagel and lox deal
(5)
Whitney D.
This bakery is wonderful. The bagels and sandwiches are fantastic. My go to is the Tom Brady--smoke salmon, capers, onion, cream cheese--on a garlic bagel. It's outstanding. I've tried a few variations--the Truth, and this is the best. We've tried a few of the pastries, and they're only ok, which is why I gave this a 4--that and it's closed on Saturdays...obviously understandable, but always a disappointing realization on Saturday mornings. The cookies are good, but the rest is just ok. Maybe it's just that it's being compared to the bagels, which again, are amazing. The staff is usually friendly, they seem a little busy, but I understand. Overall, a great place!!
(4)
Ann G.
I truly don't know where to go with the star rating so I'm sticking with three. The overarching program with this place is the service. The guys behind the counter look like they'd rather be doing anything else but serve you, maintaining a solid scowl and hoarse mumble throughout the ordering experience. With ONE exception - I believe his name is Alex and he is by far the nicest behind-the-counter employee I have ever experienced anywhere. This guy truly exudes happiness and I get really excited every time he takes my order because he simply cares about how you are and wants your experience to be wonderful. So, terrible service except that one guy is super awesome. I'm not a bagel connoisseur so keep that in mind, but I do think the bagels are pretty good. They also load them up with cream cheese and their veggie cream cheese really is quite delicious. My boyfriend loves the variety of sandwiches you can order and reports back that the lox is okay. I've only had their hamentaschen and have to say I really enjoyed them. So, food is A-OK. With that in mind I'll give the place three stars and continue to visit the place.
(3)
K S.
4 stars for the bagels. They are clearly the fair haired child of Kupels. They are always fresh and have the perfect chew, and retain that chewy moist interior when toasted. My personal favorite are the salt bagels. I also get the miami cream cheese which is flavored with little bits of salmon and scallions. I take it home and run it through the mini chopper with side of lox. I end up with a perfectly smoky salmony oniony pinkish cream cheese. I have had the veggie cream cheese as well. Meh. It's like cream cheese blended with Knorr veggie soup/dip mix with extra shredded carrots. I just don't like it but it's not terrible. The baked goods leave a lot to be desired. Where is the love? They are dry and extra sweet. They remind me of things you get at BJ's or Costco. There are a large variety of these items but to me they all taste the same. I have not tried any of the breads but they look glorious. Perhaps for the next snow day I'll grab a loaf for french toast and update my review.
(4)
Roxana F.
This review is for the pastries, not the bagels. I'm a pastry/dessert fanatic, so when I was walking by this place and saw the display case from outside I knew I had to stop in. Their display looks pretty good - lots of delicious LOOKING pastries. One of the young guys working there started talking to me...telling me "we're really popular, look at how many customers we had today" and showed me this long receipt with what I suppose was how many customers he had that day. Okay...strange first impression. Then I said I wanted an apple strudel and asked him how it was, and both the people behind the counter kinda shook their head and said that they wouldn't recommend that because the filling was like baby food. Okay...I like honesty so I appreciated the tip off but still found it kind of strange. So I got the apple claw or something along those lines, it had cinnamon sugar rubbed on the pastry bit and apple inside. Looked amazing...but didn't taste as great. My first bit was nasty. It didn't taste like apple...tasted like it was baked with or sitting near an onion bagel. And I hate onions. The apple filling was too sweet, probably to overcompensate for the rest of the pastry...but I didn't actually taste APPLE. I was biting through chunks of what I assume were apple, but if one were to not know what they were eating, they probably wouldn't have guessed apple. SO if you're in the mood for a pastry/dessert, skip this place and meander down the road to Beacon Street, where you can find Brookline Party Favors and Finale.
(2)
Elizabeth S.
I want to be in love, but, I'm just.... not. Why: 1) I miss New York. I miss New York bagels. I only lived there for a year, and those bagels ruined me for life. (Is it really in the water, like Kramer says?) 2) I'm never sure what is parve and what isn't parve at Kupel's. I am a big fan of dairy, and a tad creeped out by parve. Words of Kupel's wisdom: 1) Get the Shaq. Cream cheese, lox, tomato & lettuce, best bang for yo' buck. 2) Be careful who you order from. Today my bagel-mate had pretty much the worst server ever: "Is it okay if the eggs are cold? I forgot to warm them up." [blank stare] "It'll take like 45 seconds." "That'd be cool, thanks." Umm... who prefers their eggs cold? He then tossed all the toppings on the bagel in such a way that they all fell out upon eating. My girl was great, though - perfectly made bagel sandwich. All of the baked goods look delicious but I never know which are parve... I'm assuming most of them are. I bought one once and bit into it and realized it was NOT cheese. Byebye pastry. Moral of the story: if you keep kosher, this is the place to be (and the constant crowds agree). If you don't, it's still a fine bagel place for Boston standards. I'ma keep looking for my dream bagel.
(2)
Ian C.
I've been in Boston for two years now, and I've been struggling to find a decent bagel. I happened upon this place last week, and my faith in Boston's ability to supply delicious bagels has been restored! Their cream cheese was delicious (homemade!) but the best part was the bagels themselves. Chewy in the center, but the perfect amount of crust. The taste was exceptional. I got an egg bagel as part of a sandwich with salmon, onions, and cream cheese, and it was perfect. The ingredients balanced each other out just right. I also got a Challah to go, and it was delicious. I finished it in literally two days... I just couldn't stop eating it! That staff at Kupel's was really nice and patient. They were really helpful and helped me pick out the perfect sandwich, and even offered me a free bottle of water. Needless to say, I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Marina B.
Extensive selection and some interesting options to choose from. The Ray Ray has cream cheese and jelly. Odd combination, maybe. Delicious, yes. Not really anywhere to sit, so it's better to take out and eat elsewhere. A nice local option if you're sick of the more typical chains.
(4)
Allie L.
I love their bagels here. No, they're not like the Bagels in New York, but I've yet to find a place here in Boston that can make that claim. There are tons of sandwich options, or you can create your own. The staff is generally pretty friendly and competent. Sundays are crazy so I suggest going on Friday and picking up a dozen bagels and toppings to avoid the lines.
(4)
Katia M.
Maybe I'm spoiled because of the New York Bagel I grew up near, where my best friend's mom would buy salt bagels. She'd butter and broil them for us in the oven, and they were the best bagels I have ever had, before or since, counting ones in actual New York. What I'm trying to say is, I think I know bagels. Chewy inside, crisp skin, boiled, yeah. Anyway, I like bread, so it's not that round bread bagels offend me, it's just that I know better. I'd rather have the good stuff. And, um, these aren't round bread. Plus, they have whole wheat everything AND tofutti spreads, so what can I say, I'm in love. Getting a half doz for the work week here is a wonderful Sunday activity, just know that it will be busy as heck and you'll probably be asked what you want before you can even see all the options. Fear not. You'll get served.
(5)
Taylor V.
If I lived closer to Kupel's Bakery, I would be there every single day. We are from Rhode Island and we do not have any Jewish bakeries in the state which I constantly crave. I have always heard stories about Jewish bakeries and deli's in Brooklyn, where my family is from, and RI has nothing! We visited Kupel's after a weekend in Boston and it was everything I could have ever dreamed of and more. The bagels were perfect and came in a variety of flavors. There are a billion different cream cheese flavors, knish (potato being my favorite), pastries, coffee and a great sandwich menu. The sandwiches are named after local athletes like Tom Brady. The smoked salmon was so fresh and the bagels with cream cheese just melted in your mouth. I took home a dozen bagels, smoked salmon and potato knish's for my grandparents and they bagged my salmon and cream cheese on ice for the ride back. They said it was exactly like their days in Brooklyn and even froze some bagels to save for a later date. We cannot wait to go back to Kupels. I think the staff knew I was a "tourist" because I was way too enthusiastic about being there but I couldn't help it! :)
(5)
Jeremy K.
I love this little hidden jewel in Brookline... They have great food and it's very authentic. The people working there are friendly and always eager to help you out. They have bagels, lots of them. And theirs are delicious! Big and tasty! They have all kinds of them, you name it, they have it. They also have cookies of all sorts including various sorts of humentachen. That's awesome too. Their signature cake which I have yet to try is their bubka. Any Seinfield fan out there owes it to themselves and get one. I didn't do that, shame on me. I will next time I swing by though. Their food is freshly baked and their prices are great! Awesome place!
(4)
Jeremy B.
Good bagels, very close to the real thing. No, you will never find the real thing outside of NY, so don't expect to.
(4)
Meghan O.
Kupel's has incredible bagels, and the young staff is very helpful. I recently picked up 5 dozen bagels to serve to volunteers at an event - the cashier was very patient with me and volunteers were thrilled to enjoy such a delicious breakfast!
(5)
Robert M.
After reading all of these reviews, I should have stuck with the bagels. I thought a bakery was supposed to be good at everything but I've been burned there twice now, and it isn't going to happen again. Not going back. Black and White cookie or "half moon" cookie, twice, had a stale bottom and some weird overture of something I thought was salmon like. (But I didn't see the lox in the same display case) The raspberry bear claw was not at all flavorful and the potato knishes weren't all that great either. I'm going to have to find someplace else for other than bagels.
(2)
Miriam L.
Bagels...or bed pillows. You decide. This is not just another "I am from NY/NJ and miss their bagels rant." This is a case of extreme disappointment. Admittedly, I missed my mom, I missed real bagels and I needed something for breakfast. Much to my absolute delight, they even had salt bagels (I have low blood pressure, shut it). The salt certainly looked a little...meager. To say the least. The bagel looked a little...pale. To say the least. Yet I cheerily tripped out of the store ready for the bagel equivalent to a hug. It was not to be. I cut into the bagel. I noticed a distinct lack of "crust" - comes from boiling it a certain way I suppose. (I don't make bagels for a living.) And only after slicing the bagel in half, vertically did I realize... This bagel was masquerading as a bed pillow. I don't know what it is with this state, but bagels - REAL bagels - are not supposed to be puffy, white and bready. This offering was a good twice the size a bagel should be. It had no crust. At all. It had no semblance of a shell - nevermind that it was actually, in reality, barely salted. And the taste? I could have been eating store-bought white bread. I took the second half and proceeded to cut it into four thin slices to make what we "down south" call "Bagel Chips." I could have made them thinner and churned out six, but it was early, and I didn't want to cut myself while suffering from low blood sugar due to an inedible bagel. Anyone who has had a real bagel knows that you should really only be able to get two or three good thin slices from a bagel half. I rest my case.
(1)
Dara C.
I tried in vain to come up with a list of things I would do for a fresh, hot Kupel's bagel. However, halfway through, I realized the list of things I WOULDN'T do for a fresh, hot Kupel's bagel was much easier to assemble. Namely, I wouldn't kill a kitten, and I wouldn't ever like Scott Brown. I think that's it, though.
(5)
Mike M.
People usually rave about the bagels here, but the man, or woman (who knows really?)knows how to make some rugelach. My fav so far has been cinnamon chocolate, aka, "get your fat ass to gym tomorrow Mike". Thankfully they price by the lb, otherwise, I'd be on the Dr. Phil show as a cherry picker struggles to pull me out of my bedroom. Don't waste your time with the homentasch, cookies, or the bear claw. It's all about the rugelach!!
(4)
Kathy A.
Fantastic bagels and smear. They have all sorts of flavors and added a new sunflower seed type. I also love that they have a whole wheat option for some of the different flavors. The best deal is getting the day old bagels or pastries that taste almost as good and are so much cheaper.
(4)
Andrea S.
I don't miss Brookline, but I miss Kupel's. Those bagels are so damn good. Plus, two dozen day old bagels for $1? How can you possibly go wrong. So what if you arent 100% sure what they are. Also, it's cheap. Honestly I would go in, get two bagel sandwiches, two drinks and a thing full of cookies for $7. Are you sure? Did you want more? It all comes out in the wash though, because they rang me up once for like $18 on a $2 item. Somebody probably falls for it sometimes. It can be a little rough in the line when you are hungover, but those glorious bagels are totally worth it.
(5)
Sarah A.
So, I am finally just getting around to this update, but I am knocking a star off my original review for a scary experience I had with Kupel's bagels back in March. It was right around St. Patrick's Day and I don't know, maybe they had some left over festive St. Patrick's Day green batter that some how made its way into a pumpernickel bagel (that's what I'd like to think), but I sliced open my big, beautiful pumpernickel bagel, to find a large section of GREEN. Now, I am just going to go along with the St. Patrick's Day green batter theory (maybe someone's half Irish or something) but I also must entertain the frightening thought that this was (gasp) MOLD in the bagel. So, ever since then, I've been a little traumatized and have been avoiding Kupels and favoring the asiago cheese bagels at Panera. I do still really like their bagels... sans green stuff. On another note, the challah is awesome. Holla for the challah!
(3)
John A.
The other morning I woke up with a raging hangover. I stumbled into the kitchen and much to my dismay, I was out of coffee! So of course I was in panic mode when I remembered, "Hey isn't there a little bakery at the end of the street?" I strapped on my boots and warmest winter clothes then stepped out into the January cold in hopes that the imagined bakery at the end of the street existed and had coffee. And there it was...Kupel's Yes, they had coffee and it was delicious. They also had tasty bagels and quality customer service. All of this made my headache and frozen limbs seem ok.
(4)
John S.
Simply the best. My wife and I can always agree to go to this place for breakfast. Seriously, best bagels and cream cheeses in Boston (technically it's not in Boston though) that I have experienced. As for all of the other pastries, I rarely delve into those. I had some rugelach once and it was extremely rich and expensive. But, I'm not so knowledgable about Jewish pastries. Anyway, eat bagels here!
(5)
Shira K.
These are apparently the best bagels in Brookline, which is sort of sad, given the demographics of the neighborhood. They're fine. The service is excellent; the men who work here are lovely and patient. The selection of cream cheese is great, and fresh. They have hamentashen and chocolate chip cookies that remind me so much of my Hebrew school days. That is to say, not that great in an objective sense, but somehow, viscerally satisfying.
(3)
Steph H.
I really wanted to like Kupel's Bakery and tried their bagels three different times. All three times the bagel was dry and the garlic on the bagel was burnt, so not very impressed. I actually did a blind taste test with Brueggers, and Brueggers won hands down. Even my dog preferred the Brueggers bagels (I don't feed my dog bagels, but wanted a second opinion).
(2)
Lindsey R.
Delicious bagels and very generous amounts of amazing lox, but disappointing customer service every time. Today they were out of veggie cream cheese, jalepeno bagels, capers and onions. Why be open if your out of so many items?! Staff continually gives wrong bagels, doesn't accommodate needs, and is not friendly. Unfortunately this local is taking her business elsewhere after giving it several tries
(2)
Marcy K.
In grad school days #$^&^ years ago, Kupel's and I were best buds. We'd get together every Sunday morning, especially if friends were around, and "he" never disappointed. The bagels were superb, the people behind the counters were friendly, the black and whites were to die for, and the wait was even palatable. He treated me nicely. Because of more discriminating tastes, I suppose, Kupel's isn't my best pal anymore, and I can't even say we're friends. I went in to see the old guy today for old time's sake, so I could buy some Jewish rye to complement some kosher corned beef and pastrami that I will be purchasing this week. I also bought some chocolate chip rugelach (usually purchased at Reins in Vernon, CT) and challah rolls (usually purchased at Cheryl Ann's in Brookline) as well as a whole wheat sesame bagel (usually purchased at Bagels Plus, in Acton). Big mistake on all three fronts. The challah rolls were tasteless, the bagel was hard, the rugelach was dry, and the rye bread....well, just wasn't what I'm used to. I like rye bread crisp on the outside and in the shape of a football, and this was neither. And I like it to taste like rye bread. Looked like Wonder Bread with a slight tannish color. I know many other yelpers sing this place praises, which is great, but I'll stick to my old standbys, which are 1,000 times better for the products I purchased. Wish I could find a decent place to buy rye bread. The best place that sells it is in NY, but am not heading in to Yonkers or the Bronx anytime soon...unless someone wants to send me a ticket to the World Series. I know, I know. Am feeling a little guilty giving this place 2 stars, while most other people gave it 4 or 5, but I won't be swayed. Go, Yankees!
(2)
Oleana B.
I don't know why I have never been in here. I have been walking by this place for years but somehow it must have been an awkward time for bagels. I got a bagel with lox, tomato and cream cheese and an iced coffee. Everything was amazing. Really fresh lox, a very generous amount of cream cheese and excellent bagel. The coffee was delicious. My brother got something called 'babka' which is bread with chocolate baked in. It looked very good. They also had challah and a bunch of bread on display that looked fabulous. What I got was so good that I was seriously considering going back again the same day and getting the same thing but that somehow did not seem right. Anyway this is my new go-to bagel place.
(5)
Andrea E.
I, too, am a native NYer, but I'm not a bagel snob. Who can afford to be? Still the bagels here are just no better than you'd get at a grocery store or a plain old goyishe bagel place. I got a piece of apple strudel, pretty psyched to dig into it that night. It was SO bad, that it was worth having paid for it just because I got to imitate my father had he ever been given something so disgusting passed off as strudel. I got to mash it and make faces and say things to the imaginary waitress like, "You actually have the nerve to call this strudel? Where the hell are the apples? There is not one goddam apple in this thing!!" And there really weren't; it was a brown mash of something that I would only be flattering by saying it had the vague taste of cinnamon. Depending on when you go, you'll be served by a surly jerk or a nice kid, you'll have to take your chances. Or not.
(2)
Ryan M.
I have the amazing privilege of living right down the street from Kupel's which is really a gift and a curse. On one hand I have the ability to get delicious bagel sandwiches whenever I want but on the other hand I don't have the patience/bankroll to dine out here for breakfast every day. It's a real problem I've been having. Kupel's offers some delicious bagel sandwiches named after past and present Boston sports figures and some of the best pastries in the area and is a staple of Brookline weekends. The only drawbacks I could name for Kupel's is that it is Kosher so it's closed on Saturdays and does not have sandwiches with meat and cheese touching (complaints from a Catholic boy) and that the lines on Sunday can be about 30 minutes long in the morning (complaints from an impatient boy). Other than those two things you will be pleased by the delicious bagels that Kupel's has to offer.
(4)
Renee M.
I am kind of snobby when it comes to bagels and pizza because New Jersey and New York seriously have the best bagels and pizza ever! It's a fact! Anyway, that being said, Kupel's bagels come pretty damn close to the bagels I cherish from home. This place is an authentic Jewish bakery (closed on Saturdays, I learned that the hard way!) with bagels, challah and many other kinds of pastries. I always get an everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese and while it is a little pricey it is always worth it. Yum. My friend got challah from here once too and it was fresh and delicious. Only complaint is that there is usually nowhere to sit as it is very small inside and there are limited tables and chairs. Oh well, that's why I only come here on nice days!
(4)
Lauren S.
"Oy, I'm having nightmares of honeycake and challah flying over my head!" I love Kupel's. I love the staff, I love the fact that nearly every flavor of bagel comes in whole wheat, I love sitting outside and eating a bagel on a sunny morning in Brookline. I'm not going to lie, as someone who grew up in New Jersey, I can't say Kupel's bagels top my list or even make it into the top five, but they are certainly decent, fast and can be topped with yummy spreads and comfort toppings. Nothing better on a Sunday morning!
(4)
Amy L.
I love the bagels from Kupel's :) always fresh and they have best lox in the city. I usually stop by to grab a breakfast and all the staffs are always friendly and fast. I always get their whole wheat bagel or onion bagel with the lox. everything else is very tasty and fresh. good place for grab n go breakfast! :)
(4)
Caitlin M.
I wanted to love this bagel. I wanted this place to fill my New York bagel and lox need but sadly it pales in comparison. I love the prices and the selection but the bagel itself is not that great. I loved that they had a wide variety of whole wheat bagels and their pastry selection looked okay too. The line is long and it takes awhile and it would be worth it if the bagel was better. I enjoyed the lox and they customized my order which was great. I want to like the bagels here so much that I will try it again but feel I will have to wait for New York or Montreal for my bagel fix.
(3)
Scott F.
As a longtime Bostonian and Jew, Kupel's has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Back when the Jews were wandering through the desert, they'd often stop by Kupel's for a bagel 'n' lox. These guys are open New Years Day, Xmas Day, and usually at 6 AM. The bagels are soft and lovely on the inside, generously flavored, and nice 'n' chewy on the outside. Despite what some loud-mouthed NYer will tell you, these're how bagels should be. They've usually got a special going with 1/2 dozen bagels, lox, and cream chese for about $10. Best deal going ... get that, show up at my house for breakfast, you'll be loved. Purists argue that toasting a bagel is a sign of ignorance, but with all the flavoring these guys put in, they come alive with a light toasting. I tend to rhapsodize about the Cissel/Rye bagels. Their onion bagels are pretty damn impressive too. If you prefer cinnamon raisin, you're a horrible person. There, I said it. Those aren't bagels. Feh. They've got lots of pastries, but not all are perfect and wonderful (hence 4 out of 5 stars). Stick to more "traditional" Jewish stuff and you'll be safe. Their hamentaschen are so good, they're made year round. I prefer the apricot, but the raspberry runs a close second. There's a lot going on, and the place is often busy, so know have your order ready to go. They won't waste your time, don't waste theirs. Also - you can call ahead for big orders, parties, etc. They'll have your order waiting and ready to go. Much better than going in and annoying the others in line as you order 3 dozen bagels, and a couple of these, and some of those, and that other thing on the end, and a .....
(4)
Max W.
Kupel's is an old style bakery, bagel, and coffee shop. The food is traditional New York Jewish style, and fabulous. It's a bit chaotic inside, the place is closed Friday evenings and Saturdays, and it's not as pretty as many of the new "chic" food places in Boston. But it's tastier, cheaper, and quicker. In a town where 90% of the bagels are terrible, Kupel's are pretty good. Not as good as you'll find in the Mid-Atlantic, but pretty good. The pastries aren't all the best that you'll find anywhere, but most of them are good and some are great. The rugallah is the best I've ever had. If you want a real treat, try the cinnamon chocolate chip. It's heaven.
(5)
s. c.
I've finally found my neighborhood bakery. When a corner bakery sells souvenir t-shirts, you know there's something special there. I love fresh bread, and hate paying a lot of money at the grocery for stuff I could make at home. But a bag of day-olds (8 bagels) for $2? Fresh rye bread for $2.79?! ELEPHANT EARS BIGGER THAN MY FACE?! Don't mind if I do... this week, and the week after that... I always get a bagel and something for my pantry or treat cabinet for the rest of the week. Tasty, affordable, and a wonderful local business. The place is really hopping on Sunday mornings - it can feel a little overwhelming and claustrophobic, but a bagel with cream cheese (and maybe, some adventurous day, tofu lox) is one of my favorite comfort foods.
(4)
Rachel G.
The pile of chain bagel places in Brookline meant that I didn't get to Kupel's until I'd been living in the city for almost 5 years (shame on me). I wouldn't put too much stock in the New Yorkers' gripes about the quality of the bagels, mostly because I think New Yorkers need to climb down from those impossibly-high horses they always seem to ride into Boston on, but as a Philly-based lifetime bagel eater, I was impressed with Kupel's variety and their bagels' stalwart, chewy texture. Any place that makes whole-wheat everything bagels, swirls chive and lox cream cheese together (the Miami Lox spread), and is willing to serve me both of those things plus red onions, cucumbers, and tomato for under $5 is a place I will happily revisit. Service was good on a busy Sunday around 10AM--just don't plan on dining in, as there's only a couple small tables tucked into the front of the store and they're usually swarming with babies and strollers. They also observe the Sabbath, so no Saturday service.
(4)
J A.
Pretty much the best bagels, Rugallahs, Challah and other Jewish pastries in the Boston area. The wait can be excessive at times so be prepared or come early.
(4)
Renee H.
These are the bagels I dream of....that is all. Oh wait, no its not! I get to try a new schmere every time, what could be better! AND they all come in light variations as well....mmmm.....bagels....
(5)
Rachel M.
This place has been a mainstay in my life since childhood. I am happy to report that Kupel's has only gotten BETTER in the past few years, and still carries all the treats I loved as a kid. Get the half-and-half cookies, the hamentaschen, the babke, the bagels and the challah. Yum!
(4)
Kristine M.
Some of the best bagels in the area. I think Rosenfeld's is closer to NY bagels, personally, but Kupel's are pretty darn good. The thing that will keep me coming back, however, are the potato knishes!! They are HUGE, delicious, and CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!!! A potato knish + an apple = a perfect work lunch for about two bucks. Whenever I'm in Coolidge Corner, I'm going to stock up on their wonderful knishes. Next I'll have to try their ruggulah!
(4)
Aluminum Chefs, C and T.
Kupels has been a mainstay of my bagel education for years. Their bagels are awesome, their cream cheese is awesome - but there are a few things you should know before you start ordering: 1) There will always be a line. Deal with it. It's not fast either. 2) Their pastries are, unfortunately, not very good. They look great, but just are not up to snuff - especially with Clear Flour down the street. 3) Please know what you want when you get to the front of the line - don't "um" them to death when you get up there - just order your bagel and scram. That said, their Bagels are perfect and their selection of flavored cream cheeses is pretty impressive. They don't do a great job toasting bagels, but just buy a dozen and a tub of cream cheese and do it at home. It's worth the rules. Oh, they're also closed Saturday. It's the Shabbas, dude.
(4)
Daniel M.
By themselves, the bagels at Kupel's rate three stars. Bagel for bagel, there are more flavors here than just about anywhere in the Boston area. Moreover...beyond the vast quantity, these are the freshest and tastiest that I've tried outside of NYC. Even if everything else about Kupel's was wrong, they'd still stand out because of their bagels. Particularly noteworthy is the vast selection of spreads behind the counter. From the generic regular cream cheese to the tofutti It's a better variety than I've experienced around here. Even the standard types, such as the chive, seem to stand out. The selection of baked goods is good - not outstanding, but very good. Customer service can be a bit slow at times, but in a relatively small place with a lot of people working behind the counter and a constant stream of customers coming through the door, that's understandable. Very worthwhile and always a satisfying trip.
(4)
Iggy G.
Pretty good pastries, but incredibly unfriendly.
(1)
Meera Z.
I used to live a block away from Kupels, and to be completely honest with you I never fell in love. They never wowed me - they were always just okay. The bagels are not soft and chewy, sometimes I'd got as far as saying they're dry! EW. I do, however, think that they have an amazing sandwich and cream cheese selection. I also think that their dozen bagels, cream cheese tub, and lox deal (I think for $9 or 10?) is great! Then again, when the bagels aren't awesome it's not worth it cos I don't want to eat 12 of them. If you're in the area and want a bagel then definitely check them out at least, but I wouldn't trek all the way over here just to try them! Oh yeah - and I get that they're Jewish and are celebrating Sabbath - but being closed on Saturday's just sucks!
(3)
Maggie D.
Kupel's is right at the end of my street, and so naturally I stumbled in one morning in search of a cure for my incessant hangover, and was delighted to see what I'd found... Seriously: every flavor of bagel... in WHOLE WHEAT! So many options, so little time. More often than not when you go in to Kupel's in the morning and ask for your bagel toasted, they'll tell you it's still warm from the oven. What more do you want? My only complaint is that they are closed on Saturdays, but I can clearly live with that.
(4)
Sabine S.
They won't let you use the bathroom even if you are seven months' pregnant and have a toddler on your hands. Is that even legal these days?
(1)
Michelle K.
Take it from a New Yawker, Kupel's has the best bagels in Boston! By a landslide. They're doughy and delicious and well decorated! My favorite bagel type is Everything. And Kupel's shines above the rest by giving a generous coating of everything toppings all over the bagel, not just on the top. This is an important distinction from Rosenfeld's Everythings (often mistaken for the best bagels in town) because theirs had just a few seeds on the top, and sadly they fell off when I cut and spread cream cheese on my bagel. If I wanted a plain, I'd have ordered a plain. Well, this is not the case at Kupel's. Even if you eat just the bottom half, you'll still get all the delicious flavor. Kupel's has a humongous selection of flavored "shmears" (try the honey walnut mmmm) and even though it's put in 8 oz containers, it's also sold by weight, so ask for less and try 2! The raspberry rugelach and the lox I chose were a little disappointing, but I cannot praise the bagels enough. (Closed on Saturdays)
(5)
Chelsea B.
I really wanted to LOVE this place as it has gotten so many amazing reviews but I gotta say I did not LOVE it with a capital L, which is what I expected. I think it is fine but after making the trip out to Coolidge Corner multiple times now just for Kupel's, only to come home and be semi-disappointed with how the food tastes, I think I am only going to go there from now on if it happens to be convenient or if I am with people who adamantly want to go eat there. I will say the prices are AWESOME. $3 for a bagel with a lot of schtuff on it was a great surprise. Sorry to all you Kupel's lovers, I really wanted to love it but I just simply like it.
(3)
MaryTyler M.
I know this isn't Kupel's fault, but every effing time I go here someone cuts me so obnoxiously that it would seriously be a WRAP if they weren't elderly, or with their children. I have been additionally afraid to stand up for myself because the staff never says boo, which made me think thse folks were regulars and that I should respect their years of patronage. But now I've been racking up miles at this place, so eff that. The next time I get shoved by baby stroller I am going to eat that baby's bagel. Also, the bagels are really good. A huge selection of them, as well as of toppings and cream cheeses (hello, tofu-lox). And they're def your one-stop destination for Herring Snacks.
(4)
Melissa A.
Meh. Bleh. Blah. That's what I think about Kupel's. I've tried to like this place. I've really tried. I've gone there a handful of times, and am disappointed every time. First off, their service is really slow, so don't go there if you're ever in a hurry, even if you're the 2nd person in line. It will still take forever. Second, their bagels are blah. Yes, they have a lot of flavors, but the ones I've had have been somewhat bland and quite dry, even when I get the bagel at 8am. Very chewy, which isn't a bad thing, but a chewy bagel doesn't mean it has to be dry. I have had some of their cream cheese, which is good, and the only reason they deserve any stars at all. Their pastries are blah as well. I got an apple pocket once and I thought it was also quite dry and didn't have as much apple filling in it as it should. So overall, I've been disappointed on various occasions by Kupel's. I really wanted this to be a great place, too, because I live so close. Alas, I will be getting my bagels elsewhere.
(1)
Han K.
The only decent bagel in Boston I'm convinced. Reminds me a lot of Long Island style of bagel joints, no frils, tons of choices in bagels, bialys, and of course tons of different cream cheese. The bagels got a nice chew to them, it should hurt your jaw to eat a full bagel and these deliver.
(5)
Lady M.
Love Kupel's! Best way to start a summer (or whatever!..but it's nice to sit outside) saturday when you're just a little hungover but ready to explore Allston a bit. Lots of options for bagels AND toppings, which includes fresh veggies like cucumbers (yum) and tofutti cream cheese (yum again). Decent coffee too, major plus. If I was still living in Brookline, I'd definitely frequent Kupel's more often this summer.
(5)
Andra Z.
It's been a while since I wrote my first review of Kupel's. Time apparently does heal all wounds. My negativity in the last review stemmed from the service at Kupel's. Turns out, the more you go the nicer you are! And, if you're not pushy, picky or overall obnoxious, the staff is more than willing to give you anything you want--gasp! I love their bagels, their cream cheese and all their assorted baked treats. And, let's face it, how many times in my life am I going to live across the street from a stellar bagel shop? I'm guessing this is it. Kupel's, I love you!!
(5)
Doug F.
I like Kupel's. The 4 stars is for the selection of cream cheese, which is very tasty and hard to find elsewhere. They have a good selection of pastries as well. Otherwise, I agree with the reviewer who mentioned slow (I'd call it relaxed) service and bagels that just aren't that good. They're bland and dry no matter when I go and no matter what flavor I get. Kupel's is still better than Shaw's, but the Rosenfeld Bagel Company in Newton has superior bagels.
(4)
luke b.
Hmm. Yeah... I dunno about the rest y'all but i don't find this place appetizing at all. As a Jew, I feel i know a thing or two about bagels. Bagels and circumcision... but we're talking bagels here... I've been to Kupel's twice and have NOT been happy. My bagels have not been soft on the inside, crisp yet chewy on the outside. My schmears have been bland and flavorless and have actually given me a stomach ache. To sum up... FEH! Love, Luke
(1)
Romulo R.
A nice bagel joint. recommended by a good friend, I really like their menu. The bagel was very tasty and service was fast. It was relatively busy but that was no biggie.
(4)
Alaina B.
If you asked me a year ago to rate Kupel's, I would have given them five stars hands down. Sure, not the best bagels I've ever had, but I grew up near NYC so there's really no comparison. However, for the Boston area, this was as close as you could get. Lately however I've noticed the quality of the service and the food have dropped. It seems busier in there now, and there are a lot more people working there to accommodate that. This has made the service a bit lacking sometimes, as it can get confusing. The spreads are still the best, and the bagels are still good for the area but I've noticed a drop in quality. Still better than bagels from chain places and most other bakeries around here that I've seen, though. The pastries are hit and miss, but the bread is always good. They usually have good specials where you can get a half dozen bagels, some cream cheese, and some lox for around $6.99 which you should definitely take advantage of. Also the sandwiches they make are decent. As for bagel types to recommend: salt, egg, and garlic have been my favorites. They make jalapeno bagels but I have yet to try them. Oh and while currently this place rates "good for kids," as the place is small and can get crowded kids may feel very cramped in here. Kids will definitely like the food, but don't plan on keeping them inside for very long depending on their age and their ability to sit still! We went with three kids, ages six through ten, and it was a bit of a nightmare at some points!
(4)
Nicole P.
I heart cream cheese and Kupel's has about 100 different flavors! Definitely the best spot around for a Sunday bagel and cream cheese. (Not open Saturdays) There are many different types of bagels too- I like the whole grain with maple cream cheese personally. They also have tasty baked goods like danish, challah, cookies and other pasteries- also cold cuts, lox etc. There are only a few tables so not the best place to sit and eat.
(4)
Orly M.
My family makes a pilgrimage here every Sunday morning. My dad gets up at the butt crack of dawn to stock up. Kupel's has the best bagels in Boston -- nice big, fat NY style bagels. If you think they're ordinary, stick to your finagle a bagel or whatever crap, more doughy goodness for me! Awesome cream cheese and good lox. Note: not all lox is made alike. However, go to the butcherie down the street for your lox and save some moolah. Kupel's is a great place for a nosh. Back in my vegan days, I remember appreciating that Kupel's had options for me. The perks of a Jewish bakery -- there's insentive not to use dairy in baked goods so they can be consumed with meat. I'm not a big pastry person, but my parents looove the elephant ears here. And I think I remember some mighty fine half moons from my childhood. As a kid, I woke up at the asscrack of dawn to go to Kupel's w/my Dad so I could get a mint brownie. So shout out to you, mint brownie!
(5)
A W.
For a treif-eating Jew, the idea of a pareve cookie is a little "mehhh." However, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my half-moon cookie. And the bagels? Wow, don't even get me started. They were perfectly chewy while retaining moisture. I WILL be back here.
(5)
Nora B.
I didn't think whitefish salad sandwiches could be tastier than at Michael's deli, but Kupels actually has the edge here. They have a number of good sandwiches at pretty reasonable prices. Also a bargain is the ginormous half moon (aka black and white) cookie. For $1.99, you get what really amounts to a small cake with a heap of frosting, which you should really share with one or perhaps two other people. The chocolate side tastes a bit like a hostess cupcake, and I mean that in the most positive way.
(4)
Jane L.
I actually didn't expect much from Kupel's, albiet the positive reviews, being that I am from NY. I went on a Tuesday morning - granted, there was a line but it was my turn to order in no time. I got a WW bagel with tofu cream cheese and a small coffee - all came out to a whoppin' $4.45. Pretty expensive, if you ask me. The bagel was fine - moist and chewy - the way a bagel should be. I wouldn't mind returning to this Kosher bakery during my next visit.
(3)
Ben G.
This place has the best bagels in all of Boston. Although i have some friends from NY that dislike this place, claiming that its not as good as bagels in NYC. but thats just because New Yorkers think everything is better in NY. They have a wide selction of bagels, cream cheeses and pastries. But the most noteworthy aspect of Kupels is the Bubka. thats right folks, remember from Sienfeld? Cinnamon is a lesser bubkah. If you've never had bubka before, you owe it to yourself to go to kupels, get a chocolate bubka. While your there, get some bagels and some chive cream cheese and start living. By the way this place is shomer shabbat ( they're not open friday night- saturday night) so don't try to roll up saturday morning all hung over expecting to get bostons best bagels.
(4)
Creative N.
This is hands down the best bagel I've ever had. Some very good friends (Sarah & Trav) move from San Diego to Boston a couple years ago and when we went to visit them the first time, they took us to Kupel's (which was right down the block from their first place) and we've been in love ever since (our friends have since moved to Jamaica Plain and we still hit Kupel's every time we're in town). As a side note, this is the same Kupel's that my friends (same Sarah referenced above) parents took her to as a baby when they moved back east! The smell radiating from this place as soon as you get on the same block is AMAZING! Fresh bread, yeast and everything else yummy. Mmmm, writing this is motivating me to get back to Boston ASAP to get me some Kupel's (and visit friends)! I tend to love their everything bagel's and their smoked salon but I've had almost all their bagels and they are all delicious. Fresh made, consistently delicious and very nice staff that is patient when you go to place your order and something else catches your eye and causes you pause in the ordering process! Also, if you're ever so inclined (which I am), they sell a 5lb birthday bagel! As soon as I can convince them to ship it to me in San Diego, I'm going to make it happen!
(5)
Diana L.
So, I'm not sure that what I ate at Kupel's was actually a bagel. I think it might have been, I dunno, drywall. Waxy exterior, dry interior, no flavor. When I read all these crazy good reviews of Kupel's, I'd thought I'd stumbled upon the H & H of Boston. Yeah, no. They have 4.5 stars on Yelp. That's like false advertising. Someone needs to say something about the jank food here. I shake my fist angrily at Kupel's-- arrrrrgh! The "Breakfast Special" of a bagel with egg, cheese and tomato plus a cup of coffee? At $2.99 it's cheap, I'll give you that. But it didn't taste good. T got a poppyseed bagel with cream cheese (ya know, to keep it simple) and it was so dry and tasteless she had to throw it away. This is the same woman who is constantly trying to feed me nearly expired foods to avoid wasting it. The coffee-- not even worth mentioning, except to say, blegh. The "chocolate stick" (chosen because it was almost sold out) tasted like a chocolate scented candle. Waxy and flavorless. Bad. Just bad.
(2)
Alexis B.
I'm kinda of a snob when it comes to bagels because I'm grew up in New York. And seriously NY has the best bagels ever! I've missed them for a long time. When I go home I bring back 2 dozen. It lasts a week in my house! Well now I can get my fix. I was super hungover on Sunday and a everything bagel with chive cream cheese seemed to be my only cure. I drove my holy hangover Batman self to this wonderful place. I got a bagel for myself and a 1/2 dozen to bring home to the bf and roomie. Well the bagel rocked. It cured my hangover and my bagel fix. From now on I won't support any other Boston bagelry besides them! YAYYYY!
(5)
Naomi U.
An authentic (if therefore boring) bagel place. I think the bagels at Bagels by Us are tastier...but that is always a matter of preference...Kupel's are tougher (in a good way...more gluten content?) Beware the hours are also 'traditional' so check if they're open before going.
(3)
Eve L.
Here's what I like about Kupel's: Their rugelah. It's the best I've found in Boston. It's really, really good. Here's what I don't like about Kupel's: Their challah. It just isn't sweet enough, and it's too bready and not eggy enough. Also, their complete incompetence about taking large orders. We were considering having rugelah instead of wedding cake, and we wanted to order it from Kupel's. But they refused to take our order, refused to take our order, kept saying "call us back in a week, call us back in a week." I mean, what's so hard about WRITING DOWN A FUCKING ORDER? Eventually, we gave up and decided to just get cannolis from Bova's, which it turned out, were a big hit. Their loss, obviously. They could have had a big fat order for our wedding. Dumb asses. With business sense like that, it's hard to see how they're still in business.
(3)
Alex L.
Went here for breakfast this morning and had the Tom Brady (atlantic smoked salmon, tomato, chive cream cheese and tomato on a sesame seed bagel). I can honestly say if was one of the best bagel sandwiches I've ever had. Service was quick and attentive and prices are pretty reasonable given the quality of food. There are lots of goodies to peruse and very discounted bags of day old bagels that I will definitely be bad to take advantage of. Highly recommend.
(4)
Jonathan G.
It's not right to have that last review there. Yes, this place is not H & H bagels. But, come on, waxy eterior and no flavor? Ridiculous. I go here often and I am never disappointed. When I bring in bagel's to my students, they clamor for and demand that it be Kupel's. Their cream cheese is good, they always have fresh lox, they have a wide variety of delicious bagels (I am a fan of the California bagels, especially), and their baked goods rule. On top of that, where else can you get good fresh rye bread in Brookline? Nowhere! With that said, their babka's are a little weak on the fruit filling and their coffee is kinda chalky. But who goes for the coffee? If you are judging this place on cranky NY person standards, than you will probably be disappointed. The bagels are smaller and drier than your typical melt in your mouth NY variety. However, they are better than anywhere else within a 10 mile radius, and they are locally owned and operated.
(4)
Dave D.
Love the bagels here! I'm a sucker for Lox cream cheese and I love theirs! The price is somewhat pricey, but given the location its understandable. They have pretty decent service, its not going to knock your socks off buts they are polite. If you want bagels, you gotta go to a Kosher bakery, why not go to the real deal!?
(5)
Dale N.
Tried the plain bagel with plain cream cheese. Very decent while hot and fresh, average the next day when toasted. I would definitely get bagels here again, but I am still in search of a perfect, delicious bagel.
(4)
Kristin S.
I'm a New Yorker on a mission to find a bagel in Boston that is made correctly...boiled, not baked. I thought I had found that in Kupel's..... when I first started going there about 4 years ago the bagels were great. However, lately the quality has gone down hill. The insides aren't as soft and they don't toast and/or freeze as well. The real reason for the low rating is for something other than the bagels. I was waiting in line one day looking at the case of cookies and pastries and I realized that the poppyseeds were moving. Poppyseeds don't move. They were bugs. All over several different kinds of the baked goods. I thought maybe it was a fluke and went back only to see the same thing. Gross. No more Kupel's even if they are the only boiled bagel in town. :(
(1)
Rebecca H.
Definitely the place to start a perfect Sunday morning. I ordered a black and white bagel with light miami lox cream cheese, tomato, and onion. It was the best bagel of my life. Go here for the bagels. I've ordered baked good before and wasn't as impressed (hermit cookies that we just okay-- I'm spoiled because my grandfather bakes the best hermits, an elephant ear that was pretty good I suppose, and a black-and-white cookie that tasted like it DEFINITELY was baked too close to the lox-- fishy taste + frosting = garbage can). There is usually a line, but it moves quickly and is completely worth it (I reiterate: for the bagels).
(5)
Laine K.
I thought this place was good, however, after discovering Bagelville in Quincy market, I realized that I did not know what a good bagel is!!! These bagels are very dense and already the next day they get hard. Not worth the money at all. Plus, the customer service is ridiculous. People who work there look like the last thing they want to do is work and be there, especially male workers are very rude.
(1)
D M.
My beef with the south? NO GOOD BAGELS! They've got good buiscits, though! I have been sitting here thinking about my lack of breakfast here today, and I thought of bagels.....mmmm, bagels! This is my #1 place to get bagels ever! They make hands down the best bagels I have tasted. I've spent a lot of time with people who know a thing or two about bagels (my first taste of Boston was working and living in Brookline Village) and these are boiled to bagel-y perfection. My favorites are the everything, which is wonderfully salty and they do make good sandwiches with said bagels. They are everything you want in a good bagel, and they have a wide assortment of cream cheese, and if you're a keeper of all things kosher, this is a good place to go. I've never tried any of the baked goods such as the cookies and sweet treats. This is definitely also what you'd expect a bagel shop to look like as well.....it's very simple and open early in the morning.
(5)
Joseph G.
The best cream cheese in MA! Ordinary bagels, nothing you should go out of your way for. Weak and tasteless coffee.
(3)
Dachary C.
Note: This review pertains solely to the baked goods at Kupel's, not the bagels. I hadn't planned to visit Kupel's and found myself there by chance, so I didn't know anything about it before I had arrived. I was initially impressed by the quantity and variety of baked goods - they had so many different types of things, and it all looked soooo tasty. I'm a fan of rugulah, so I had to try that... and there's my never-ending quest for a good peanut-butter cookie. My friend got three other types of baked goods, all of which looked very yummy (and she graciously permitted me to nibble from them.) I wasn't particularly impressed by the taste and quality of the baked goodies. I've gotta say, it was just average. The peanut butter cookie was too dry and fell apart when I tried to break off a piece - not hard and crunchy, perse, just dry. As for the rugulah - I like the stuff at Rosie's Bakery better (please don't kill me!) The bites of the stuff my friend had were interesting, but nothing heart-stopping. After seeing the variety and quantity of items at Kupel's, I've gotta admit to being disappointed by the taste. Pros: fabulous selection and price. Cons: average baked goods. Next time, I'll have to try a bagel.
(3)
Jeremy W.
Good bagels have always been hard to find outside of NYC, and that was especially true in San Francisco. When we moved back to the Boston area we found Kupel's in our neighborhood right away, and these are some good bagels! This is the kind of place you can hit up at 6 am on a Sunday and you will already have company. Definitely nice to have a real (and local) bagel place nearby.
(4)
Dianna B.
First, be aware that there is a system to ordering, and you must be ready for your order. On Sundays, there is a line out the door, but it moves fast. Stand in the line, know what you want, know who is ahead of you. When the next server (of about 3-5 of them) is free, very clearly state your order -- if there are multiple people in your party, a single person should order -- and inch along towards the cashier. At the cashier, pay, tip and leave. And then enjoy........bagles that are chewy on the outside, soft on the inside and are still warm from the oven. Try the onion & herb. Note, there are only a few small tables inside. Don't bother getting the coffee. On cool fall days, site outside on one of the Harvard St benches and eat 'em while they're hot.
(5)
Michelle P.
Forget about New York City Bagels....Kupels is where REAL bagels are made. My apolgies to my girl in the Bronx, but I don't think she'll be reading this anytime soon! Their garlic bagels with their veggie spread is a breakfast, beyond champions. I miss their fresh bagels, that are toasted to order and lavishly spread with the cream cheese. They put it on so thick, and you get crunchy pieces of vegetables. I think over the course of 9 months (that I worked in that area) I tried every single combination that they had to offer. Actually I doubt that is even possible. I know I tried more than I can remember. Their hamentashen and knishes are delish as well. Though I have to say that Rugelach at Catering By Andrew's is devine esepcially when you are lucky enough to get it fresh.
(5)
Jen L.
To anyone giving this place lower than 3 stars: are you freaking serious? Okay so they're not as good as New York bagels (I do think it has something to do with the water, but maybe I'm crazy). But they are excellent for Boston. I have lived here for 3 years and can tell you that this is the best there is. Sure, I still smuggle home a dozen from H&H to eat and freeze after a NYC trip but if I need a quick bagel fix in the Boston area, Kupel's is where I go.
(4)
Julie T.
I am really not a big fan of Kupel's whatsoever. I'm not a big fan of their pastries or their bagels and maybe I'm just kind of lame, but it always seems very messy when I come in there. The pastries taste old and never seem fresh and the bagels don't seem to be anything special. The cream cheese is good and toppings are plentiful, but I could just as well go to Bagel Rising and get a better bagel and in fact, I could actually get a bagel sandwich! Their coffee is weak too, by the way. I know plenty of people love it and I'm sure they love it for good reason, but for me? This is a no go.
(1)
Jenny N.
I'm sad I haven't been able to catch them when they have fresh bagels in stock. I'll have to try a weekend morning...But I did try a hefty stick of chocolate rugallah last night (I think it must have weighed 1/4 lb.!) and when I pointed at a 'hermit' cookie to ask what was in it, the counter guy shoved one in my hand and waved me off, urging me to try it. It was kind of funny, but I guess they were in a hurry to close up for the day. I liked the rugallah much better (a bit unusual because they use whole chocolate chips in it), but I'm definitely coming back to try the bagels some time!
(4)
LKT T.
I used to stop by this place all the time on the way to my bus stop in Coolidge Corner. I thought I better patronize my local mom & pop businesses even though I'm no Jew. I liked their pastry which I would get every morning. I never tried other stuff on their menu but I can tell you I love their pastry. If I ever move back to CC, I would definitely frequent the place again.
(3)
Lindsay K.
Just moved to Brookline. As soon as I saw this place, I knew I'd like it. Unpretentious and delicious. Day-old bagels for $2.00 is my JAM!!!
(4)
Paul F.
Last year I was there I got cream cheese. The counter person overfilled the container and then used his finger to get the excess off. He then put his finger in his mouth and ate the cream cheese. I refused the cream cheese and left. I was the there yesterday and asked for a sissel bread. The server had no clue what a sissel bread was. The other people didn't know either. Being a Jewish bakery, a sissel bread is a common item. The problem is the store has a captive audience and the help are poorly managed and tained. The bager are a disgrace. Try Katz Bagels in Chelsea, a real bagel. Kupel's are on par with supermarket bagels.
(1)
Alexandra R.
I love kupel's. Their challah is out of this world! If I could fit it in me, I could probably eat a whole one in one sitting. Now I have to go get one, brb. They have lots of different kinds of bagels and a lot of the time you can tell who made the batch because they are different, but not in a bad way! Their hamantaschen with the poppy seed filling is awesome, like whoa.
(5)
Busy L.
Bagels were fair at best. Dry on the inside and not crusty on the outside or chewy. Bruegger's is more authentic and that's not saying alot or a good comparison considering it's a chain... Also bought some rugallah for $8.99/lb. 3 pieces set me back over $10. Holy cow. Again, nothing exciting that I would run back to get more. Bought a blueberry loaf and have yet to try. My guess is it'll be just OK.
(2)
Michael W.
Always a great bagel and I have to say I like when they run out of my favorites because it forces me to try something new. Garlic and everything bagels are a must. Sunday morning is not the same with out walk to kupel's and a everything bagel with Miami lox cream cheese and smoked salmon. The tuna salad and white fish are also great... don't worry about the line, it goes fast and while you wait you can pick out some good rugalach
(5)
Karrie W.
Tofu & chive cream cheese on a whole wheat everything bagel is so good that I've yet to try something different. Family & friends rave about the baked goods, and they certainly look fabulous.
(5)
Dalina C.
Solid place to get bagels. My roommates and I usually go on Sunday mid-mornings. The line is usually fairly long, so patience is key. There is a good assortment of bagels and cream cheese (love their jalepeno cream cheese!). Everyone who works there is nice and pleasant, although some are a little more generous with fillings than others. I also think I'm charged a different amount every time I go in there even if I get the same exact thing, but whatever, it all evens out in the end. It's still a good deal at about $2 per bagel w/cream cheese.
(4)
Byron M.
I used to live in Coolidge Corner and I love Kupel's. As others can attest to, there bagels are really good, and you do not need to toast them. In fact, when they are fresh and warm, they are oh soo good. If you are in the area, you may want to check them out.
(4)
Finn M.
Kupel's gets five stars because their bagels are, quite literally, "as good as it gets." I've got friends from New York who claim that it is literally impossible to beat a New York bagel ("it's something in the water!"), but I don't believe 'em, and that's mainly because I can go to Kupel's and get fresh, perfect bagels: a little crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. They're great toasted with any spread you can think of (and believe me, they've got a lot of them) or just eating them plain right out of the oven. I've never had any of their other baked good, and to be quite honest, I don't care. They have like 20-30 different bagel varieties and they're all awesome. It's authentically kosher/pareve, which I love as well. No idea what the people who claim these don't taste "fresh" are talking about.
(5)
Arezu S.
First time there. The employees were gruff and unhelpful, seemed in a hurry to rush us out. The chocolate babka wasn't particularly chocolate-y. I asked for a chocolate arugalach (however you spell that), didn't realize until I got home that they gave me raspberry. Wasn't terribly expensive, but I didn't feel welcome there.
(2)
Erin G.
Kupels! My very first experience of Kupels was heading over there one morning around 8AM. I was going on one of my famous (to me at least) 8+ mile journeys around boston and i figured since the place was already packed, i should grab a bite there and be on my way. i waited in line checking out the immense selection and drooled as fresh hot bagels were dumped into each bin. I decided on just a plain jalepeno bagel, not toasted, not even cut, definitely no cream cheese. it was hot, it was filled with jalepenos and it was delicious. the perfect wake up call.
(4)
Allie G.
Love, love, love Kupel's. I'm not a huge bagel snob (carbs, mmmm) BUT I think theirs are especially yummy. Veggie cream cheese (even reduced fat version) is excellent. Here's a heads-up: the weekend specials are a real deal, usually saving you at least 30-40% off of what you'd spend buying stuff separately. Just be sure to check the white-board before placing your order. You can eat there (two tables, I think) if you don't mind folks reaching over your head to accept their bags o' bagels--but it's probably a better place to stop in and get stuff to bring home or to a picnic.
(4)
Eli R.
How things have changed! For years I lived in Brookline and came to Kupel's often. It was wonderful. I no longer live in the area, but two weeks ago, just before the High Holy Days, I was visiting Boston and decided to stop by. It was sad. The bagels and the pastries were fine, but the people behind the counter were rude, inattentive, and clueless. I got my order and left. Two days later I went back, hoping that it was an accident. No such luck. When a teenager in a funny hat started coughing on a rugelach being bought by a lady in front of me, I simply had to turn around and leave. Seriously? This is what it has become? I could not recommend it until something majorly changes about the service.
(1)
allgimbel c.
Went here last week for the first time in years. These are the real deal and the college guy behind the counter was super friendly. I felt like I got my money's worth. (Everything bagel with lox spread and tomato, toasted, thank you.) Definitely worth straying from Bruegger's and Finagle...these are head and shoulders above those imposters. If you can't go here...check out the Iggy's outlet in Alewife Circle -- you'll have to go elsewhere for your schmear, though. Though I haven't tried them, lots of old school bakery items here too (rugelach, anyone?). I predict a return visit soon.
(5)
Mary M.
I wish I liked this place better, which is an oblique way of saying that I wish the bagels were better. Still, they do have a grand variety of flavors without (quite) slipping into the madness of chocolate chip or french toast bagels or any of that foolishness. The bagels are decent, the rugelach is okay, the cream cheese is leaden...it's all right.
(3)
Gee M.
I love Kupels in the morning--very early at 6 am on Sunday. The guy at the counter always remembers me and treats me right. The bagels are very good--yes I' ve had better, but still a real bagel and with lox and cream cheese, you have one great breakfast.
(4)
Jonah P.
Best bagels in all of Boston! There are so many chain bagel establishments in the area and they all SUCK! Kupel's is the only place in the area that is similar to a traditional New York bagel shop. The bagels are big and chewy and fresh. I wouldn't say the service is overly friendly but certainly not rude, though you need to know what you want when it's your time to order. They have a few small tables but there are a couple parks close by and I used to prefer to eat at those parks when weather permitted. Very close to Harvard/Comm so skip bagel rising and walk the five minutes to Kupels if you live in the area.
(5)
Kelly N Z R.
Love the bagels, love the tofutti cream cheese! This is the only bagel shop I know of that offers it. If you know of another, please let me know, but in the meanwhile, these delicious bagels are well worth the trek out to Brookline.
(5)
Julie N.
The bagels here are okay. I don't think they're as flavorful as they could be and I think Bagel World (although a little outside of the city) is way better. They also do not have meat for their sandwiches (for religious reasons), but the cream cheese is really good. It's always super crowded, but they wait on you pretty quickly. I've bought other bakery items from here and they are definitely not that great. The people who work here are also not too swift. They are always fooling around and never listen to what you say. I think they could use a little more training or a lesson in listening skills because my bagel is never toasted like I ask. If you're looking for bagels, I may find a different location.
(3)
Anne A.
The first thing to remember is that Kupel's isn't open on Saturday. More than once I've walked by, looking for a bagel and coffee, and stared mornfully at the closed doors. That said, these are the best bagels around. I usually order one of their whole-wheat bagels (everything, sesame, or raisin) to eat, and a dozen to last me through the week. If you get a whole dozen, it's cheaper to get excellent bagels here than "meh" ones at the supermarket. The baked goods are okay, but compared to the bagels are a disappointment. Also, while most of the employees are sharp and on the ball (they have to be --- there's usually lines out the door Sunday morning), if you get Sam expect to have your order and/or the cost of your order screwed up. I've had her serve me three times and things have never gone right.
(4)
Chris C.
The only bagel place, in the area, that didn't have it's menu, logo and interior determined in some board room by a bunch of money hungry men in bejewelled yarmulkes (okay, that's just how I imagine the board rooms of bruegger's and finagle). Not enough good things can be said about a friendly place where the people serving you have contact with or are the people who run a business. The bagels are fresh and delicious as is everything else I've tried here. Prices are comparatively dirt cheap and the service was super friendly.
(5)
Kylie S.
Kupel's bagels are divine. Oh am I happy I have moved back to the East Coast where they know how to make bagels. I love the whole wheat sesame bagels. At first I thought they looked too fat but they fit in the toaster oven and the taste and texture was just right.
(5)
Diane I.
i almost lived down the street from here... and i'm glad it didn't work out. this place is amazing... no self control when it comes to their pastries.
(5)
Mike D.
My favorite part about Kupel's is that they've ruined breakfast for several New Yorkers who should have known better than to buy bagels outside of New York if they're really the purists they claim to be. My second favorite part about them is their bagels, which aren't as good as the best I've had in New York but are certainly better than the worst and even the mediocre ones I ate there... and way better than any other bagels I've bought around here.
(4)
Lacey P.
They have black and white cookies. They have giant chocolate flat tires. They have tofu cream cheese. They have old Jewish men arguing. What else would one need for breakfast? Worth the trek from anywhere.
(5)
Courtney E.
I'm not a big bagel person, but I could be after seeing the selection at Kupels. They even have a wide selection of toppings, including the low-fat versions. I tried the Everything bagel toasted with cream cheese, which could have been better if it was actually warm. Even if it wasn't baked fresh out of the oven, I like it to taste as if it could be. Otherwise, for the price (like $1.50), it can't be beat, and their other baked goods, like the Rugallah is in itself, worth a special trip. Don't pass up on this place!!
(5)
Aya S.
Kupel's has been my go-to place for a quick breakfast on Sundays. There's always a line, but the service is fast. I've come across a few grumpy employees, but the spreads and cream cheese are fantastic! Cheap, quick, and fresh.
(4)
Stockton M.
Agree that their bagel's are more authentic than the bready/doughy local chains, but just not up to NY/NJ standards. Decent selection of jewish pasteries and chalah.
(3)
fred j.
These bagels are just alright. More like a hard roll shaped like a bagel. It's the same consistancy ( HARD DRY FROM OUTSIDE RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER) not like it should be ( CRISP CRUST WITH A NICE MOIST CHEWY CENTER ). I know how popular this place is, but I like my bagels and these are barely bagels. I'm not sure they even boil their bagels.
(2)
Jacob E.
The bagels are pretty good, and since nowhere else in the area is even close to acceptable, they get my vote. As a rigorously non-observant Jew, I wish that they would ease up on all the sabbath-observing. Being closed on saturday reduces the number of chances I have to go there by 50%.
(4)
Flora R.
classic ny style bakery. consistently good bagels and all the tasty spreads you could want. every time my mom comes to town this is a required breakfast stop. they also have a good variety of cookies and breads, but most people are there for the bagels. it's packed on sunday morning - but totally worth the wait.
(5)
Kate B.
Believe the hype. These are the best bagels in Boston. My fave is an everything bagel with hummus and tomato. With the long line (that moves fast) and limited table space, the store does get cramped. I recommend grabbing a bagel and heading a few blocks down Harvard Street. You'll come across a small park where you can sit and smugly enjoy your delicious bagel while you watch the masses wait in line for overpriced fare at Zaftigs.
(5)
sheryl l.
I forgot my wallet and Kupels had enough faith in me to bring back the money another day. I was very touched by that. I of course paid for it the next day. Thanks Kupels!
(5)
Fatty F.
Yesterday was an unusual situation, because I was in Brookline. Don't usually spend too much time there. So I stopped in to Kupels. It's an attractive enough looking place with some appetizing stuff and I loved the old timey sticker on the window from 1968 or 1969 that says by law I've got to leave my dog outside. Anyhow, I got this cookie. It was kinda terrible. Also this large pastry called a chocolate flat tire. Again an item that looked better than it tasted. I've got some Jewish friends who know I love Challah. They feed me Challah when i visit and usualy before I leave their heavily Jewish populated hood I buy myself a loaf or two to go. The Challah at Kupel's is the worst I've ever had.
(3)
Laura A.
since i moved here i have been bemoaning the lack of a decent bagel. i'm from the new york area (the dirty jerz) where bagels are plentiful and made correctly i.e. not overly doughy and bready, the way it mostly is here. not so at kupel's. probably the best bagel you'll find in the city (although rosenfeld's in newton centre runs a close second). kupel's does it up right. highly recommended. you know a bagel place is legit when they close on fridays and don't open again until sunday!
(5)
Mahogany G.
This is my first memory of a bagel. I mean a REAL bagel. I had just moved to the states and before Kupel's had only eaten the Thomas' bagels from supermarkets. This is where I learned that a bagel is more than just bread - it's something to be savoured. Something to look forward to on a Saturday morning. This is where I first tried flavoured cream cheese. I have such fond memories of this place and can't wait to get back to Brookline to get me some Kupel's bagels.
(5)
Sus M.
they have a bunch of dope breakfast sandwiches. bagels were aight. they are probably really good when they've just been made, but all bagels are, yknow? the coffee was subpar, i actually threw my iced coffee away after one sip.
(2)
kate L.
the only place that has cinnamon glazed bagels. The bagels are always cooked fresh and sometimes they have tasty cookies or other treats. The place has gone down hill a little bit but I still eat there all the time!
(3)
Robin G.
We went here instead of Bagel Rising and were extremely disappointing. The bagel almost tasted stale and the cream cheese was flavorless. I will not go back for a bagel, but might try something else as the pastries looked good. Then again the bagel looked good before I ate it.
(2)
John W.
please pardon my hyperbolic and alliterative exclamation: Kupel's serves Boston's best bagels, hands down!
(5)
Brian D.
Some people say that Rosenfeld's in Newton has better bagels, but I show those people my middle finger. Excellent variety of bagels including numerous whole wheat choices. Great flavored cream cheese. Reasonable prices. Try a tomato bagel with hummus. Plus it is just down 100 ft down the street from Ana's Taqueria and the Daily Catch. Three great food experiences so close to one another. It is almost disturbing.
(5)
Aaron M.
Just finished having breakfast there. The sandwiches were tasty (Randy Moss and an egg salad both on bagels) and the atmosphere had a nice NYC feel to it. I've been looking for a good bagel place in Boston and may just have found it. Also tried the humentashin which was also tasty.
(4)
Anonymous P.
Good bagels but not NYC quality. Surly service.
(4)
Ryan F.
I love bagels, and to tell you the truth i wasnt too impressed with kupels. ive only been there once so maybe i just caught it at a bad time and need to give it another chance. The bagels arent bad, but not as good as i was expecting after reading all the reviews. I would rather bagel rising down the street any day.
(3)
So S.
BEST BAGELS IN BOSTON!! This is locally known for being one of the best in taste and freshness for old style Bagels. You have never tasted anything like this. Tons of variety! If you love bagels, you have to check this out. Near the T collidge corner stop, brookline (birthplace of JFK), so you have no excuses to taste what Boston is all about!
(5)
Emily F.
I waited in line here for about 20 minutes on a Sunday morning, which was fine because I thought it was going to be really good. I'd read not to bother with the pastries, so I ordered an everything bagel with chive cream cheese. My bagel was doughy and undercooked and the server asked me about six times if I was sure that was all I wanted and then rudely threw my change on the counter. I live in Coolidge Corner and won't bother going past Breugger's next time I'm in the mood for a bagel
(2)
Ann G.
I truly don't know where to go with the star rating so I'm sticking with three. The overarching program with this place is the service. The guys behind the counter look like they'd rather be doing anything else but serve you, maintaining a solid scowl and hoarse mumble throughout the ordering experience. With ONE exception - I believe his name is Alex and he is by far the nicest behind-the-counter employee I have ever experienced anywhere. This guy truly exudes happiness and I get really excited every time he takes my order because he simply cares about how you are and wants your experience to be wonderful. So, terrible service except that one guy is super awesome. I'm not a bagel connoisseur so keep that in mind, but I do think the bagels are pretty good. They also load them up with cream cheese and their veggie cream cheese really is quite delicious. My boyfriend loves the variety of sandwiches you can order and reports back that the lox is okay. I've only had their hamentaschen and have to say I really enjoyed them. So, food is A-OK. With that in mind I'll give the place three stars and continue to visit the place.
(3)
Kelly C.
After reading other reviews I had some high hopes that this would be one of the better bagels I'd have in Boston. I was fairly disappointed. The bagel was ok but I didn't think they were better than the food store's bakery bagels. I got the cream cheese and lox sandwich. The sandwich was good overall but I didn't think the bagel was anything special. Also, for $10 I expected an amazing sandwich. I probably wouldn't come back here again for a bagel.
(2)
Diana T.
Seriously the best bagels in all of greater Boston. I would know because I am a bagel connoisseur; I've tried so many bagel shops all around Boston and I haven't found a place that makes bagels like Kupel's does. Their bagels are hard on the outside but really fluffy and soft on the inside... How a real bagel should be! These are the only bagels in the area that are even comparable to New York style bagels. Also, they have some of the nicest employees I ever met!
(5)
Alex H.
Well, this is an automatic 5 stars just because Boston doesn't have any other bagel place better than this. If we were in NY or even Baltimore, this might only be getting a 3 or 4 star. But what are you gonna do? Drive 4 hours for your bagel to be a little softer!? A couple things to know if bagel bakeries are your thing but you are new here. I believe somewhere on the windows outside it says 'parve.' Don't worry about that at all. This place is not 'parve,' it is dairy! You will not be getting fake cream cheese (unless for some reason you choose their tofu 'cream cheese'. Secondly, it is certified kosher. How such confusion happened, I have no clue. Yes, they have the everything, egg, pumpernickel, etc, and scallion cream cheese and whitefish salad and all that good stuff. They also have those goy flavors such as jalapeno bagel or honey walnut cream cheese. Don't let that scare you. The place is still good. If you are buying other pastries there other than bagels and stuff, you're on your own. I never buy that stuff there so I have no clue.
(5)
Justine M.
I used to enjoy this bakery, but the manager has turned me off Kupel's completely. A few weeks ago I went in for a bagel. To pay, I handed the manager cash over the counter. He dropped a dollar into an open tub of cream cheese, picked up the dollar, wiped it off, and then used that cream cheese on my bagel! I'm not a clean freak by any standard, but even I wouldn't eat that cream cheese after money had been dropped in it. Today, I decided to give Kupel's a second chance.... Bad idea. Right after I'd placed my order, the manager stepped out of the back, wiped his nose with his bare right hand, put a glove on his left hand (handling the glove with the snot-covered right hand), and proceeded to take my bagel out of the toaster... TOUCHING IT WITH BOTH HANDS. Why did you need both hands for this task?! The nice girl behind the counter made me a new bagel when I explained my frustration, but I wish I'd had the guts to call that manager out. How absolutely disgusting!!!! I will never give this restaurant my business again.
(1)
Julia C.
I read rave reviews of Kupel's so I was initially so excited to check it out. My boyfriend and I went on a Sunday morning and the place was PACKED (line out the door). This made us even more excited- we were practically expecting bagels made of gold and silver. My boyfriend ordered a bagel sandwich and I ordered a bagel with cream cheese and lox. We ordered a few pastries to go as well. Ordering was stressful due to the amount of people there, and the staff wasn't too friendly (which I am sure was due to the high number of customers). The sandwich and bagel with lox were pretty good, but nothing out of this world. Unfortunately, my boyfriend's pastry was stale and I can't even remember what I ordered it was so run of the mill. I've only returned once since on a weeknight just for kicks. They were clearly closing, but the staff member helping me was super nice. I ordered a raspberry rugelach and paid quite a hefty sum for it, but it was yummy! Kupel's is good, but not a regular spot for me.
(3)
Molly K.
I used to come here when I was little, and I loved the delicious smell of baked goods as I walked through the door! However, as I've been coming here recently, I have not enjoyed the quality of their products at all :-( I want to enjoy it of course, because I want to support a local business.) It seems like the quality has dropped off, to be honest. A few months ago, some friends from out of town were coming to visit and I bought about $50 worth of goodies from here for my guests. Even among the diversity and wide array of baked foods I bought for them, not one of the pastries was very good or fresh. Like I said, I hate saying this because I want to like Kupels, but the quality was just so not-good! If they step up the quality, even by a little, I will definitely be coming back to my favorite childhood bakery!!
(2)
Sheila S.
Super fresh bagels and pastries with friendly service. Around the Jewish holidays they stock up and are ready to serve many parve treats! The cream cheese they have is whipped and delicious. Prices are pretty reasonable for what you get since many items you can't get elsewhere.
(5)
Victoria P.
I spent maybe 3 minutes in here so my review will be short. Ordered half a dozen bagels and they were all delicious. The guy who packed them up wasn't particularly friendly, but whatever...it's just bagels. I noticed they had tofu cream cheese which I was recently introduced to and loved, but haven't had the chance to try it here. Will be back for more bagels, tofu cream cheese, and possibly some pastries.
(4)
David C.
Ugh, Kupel's, why'd you have to go and ruin my everything bagel with fennel seed? I guess I'm going to have to start asking what exactly "everything" entails when I try new bakeries. It's ok though, your chocolate Rugellah more than made up for it. I ate half a pound of that dense, doughy deliciousness in less than ten minutes, and I regret nothing. Your flat tire was enjoyable as well, although a little odd. I don't think I've ever had a pastry quite like it. I'll be back to try your hamentashen when I come down from this sugar high that I'm riding.
(3)
Dessa R.
Bagels! I miss bagels. I'm sorry to sound like every other New Yorker in Mass, but my experience has been that Boston is just not so good at bagels. Must be the water. Still, I had not given up on finding a great bagel in this city. The line snaked throughout the store. I considered this to be a good sign. We waited patiently, like (kosher) cattle, and finally arrived at one of the smiley teenagers taking orders. I noticed they had many cream cheeses, and many suggested combinations for your bagel. But I already knew what I wanted. It's what I had wanted for days. I got an everything bagel with lox and cream cheese. B got an everything bagel with garlic cream cheese, raw onion, and cucumber. They offered to toast them, but also reminded us that they were still warm from the oven. Sweet! We both enjoyed our bagels very much, and thought the other's was gross. That's just the way the bagel crumbles. But seriously, if your bagel really does crumble, throw it away and buy one from here, 'cause mine was pretty damn good.
(4)
Lily S.
So i'm not much of a bagel connoisseur but i had a pretty solid experience here. Came in mid afternoon the other day while killing some time before meeting a friend and was in serious need of feeding myself. I decided on a plain bagel with lox and cream cheese. Was really pleased with the amount and quality of fish. The scallion cream cheese was delicious and i had to hold myself back to keep from licking my fingers in public. Also, they have like 87 different flavors of cream cheese. 8-9$ for a delicious meal that kept me full the rest of the day seems totally reasonable.
(4)
Renee H.
Been meaning to try this place and so glad I finally did. Amazing selection of baked goods. Very hard to choose. Prices are very affordable and we had good service. No card minimum either which was great considering all I got was a cherry Danish for under $2 Definitely going back.
(4)
Bret C.
Very good local business that's been a big part of Brookline for lots of years. Not as amazing as people make it out to be. Bagels are good (cinnamon sugar is a good one) and the bear claws, apple turnovers and raspberry hamentashen are highlights. And remember, they're closed on Saturdays!
(3)
Claire Helene B.
Love love love love love the rye bagels with caraway seeds, and the plain ones = bulging with freshness and lovely finish on the outside. I suppose if I had a taste for other flavors, I'd also love them too. Love the lox and olive cream cheese spreads. You can buy nova here too. The bagel bar can be raised no higher.
(5)
Jenny B.
Kupel's is a great bakery. I love bagels and there's no better bagel in town than Kupel's. They have great schmears too! I know everyone raves about the bagels in New York, but this place is as good, if not better than any bagel that I have had in NY. I love this place. Two thumbs up!
(5)
Olivia L.
Being a fairly new Brooklineite, I have been here just once to get bagels and pastry to take to a brunch party. The counter person seemed impatient with me for not recognizing some of the pastries and asking questions about them. Aside from that somewhat negative encounter, I will say the bagels are tasty. I got a tub of cream cheese here, also, which was a great convenience for me, as I was taking them to a friend's house. It was great not to have to make another stop on the way for cream cheese. The pastries I got were, in my opinion, less tasty. I advise staying with the bagels and you can't go wrong. I will return for some more delicious bagels at a future date!
(4)
ROB L.
We got a dozen bagels here and one pastry. Apparently, we got the wrong pastry. It was about $5 (rugullah is priced by the pound), kinda cheesy, and really dense. Maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea. The bagels were all right. I guess I was comparing them to Noah's bagels in SF, where I go at 7 AM and get a dozen straight out of the oven. These weren't as soft or chewy as I expected them to be, nor were they as dense. They invoked a sense of bagel shaped bread in my mind. I'm glad I stopped in to support the local shop, but my personal tastes in bagels vary from what they make.
(2)
R V.
Their chocolate flat tire is a certifiable federal Superfund-level disaster area. The pastry twist is so thin, the chocolate so abundant, and the sugarcoating so thick and impenetrable -- both on top and bottom! -- that, unlike their oddly bread-like Danishes, it can't even pretend to be a breakfast food. It's a hubcap-sized half-dessert, half-scud-missile abomination that ranks up there with Patsy's danishes and Carol Anne's chocolate horns as one of the most ridiculous, irresponsible and wonderful pastries in Greater Boston. Most of their other pastries are either ordinary or flat-out weird (like those hamburger-bun Danishes), but the flat tire alone justifies this place's existence.
(4)
Rani P.
I am not a morning person, yet I become one in order to get a fresh bagel with spread from Kupel's. I was starting to lose hope in Boston- constantly searching for a bagel with the right density, the right size, the right amount of raisins... After three of my Jewish friends listed Kupel's bagels as what they want to eat after Yom Kippur fasting- I knew it would be a life changer. And it was. Don't be surprised to find me sleeping outside the door in order to be eating a bagel within 5 minutes of waking. (I guess it also works to just freeze and toast them when I'm ready...)
(5)
Benjamin I.
My partner and I found this place while on vacation in Boston. The onion bialys and bagels are very good. The first time we went the staff was very friendly. It was a great experience. We came back again just before we left, as we had another bialy craving. We were really a big fan of the garlic and herb cream cheese. Coffee wasn't so great, but there is great coffee right across the street at A4.
(5)
Nitya D.
Yay! Bagel shop with tofu cream cheese! Makes my vegan belly happy. Very friendly staff, variety of soft and dense bagels, with a couple of tofu spreads. For non vegans, they, of course, have several regular cream cheese flavors. Family owned and operated (no longer by the namesake family, however). It's a nice shop with history, character and the only place I'll go to for bagels in Boston.
(4)
Alana F.
Damn good bagels. Damn good schmear.
(5)
Carrie B.
Classic Jewish bakery with bagels, bagel sandwiches (with wide variety of cream cheeses and fixings), rugelach, hamentaschen, babka, etc. Large pastry menu, with many varieties of cookies, brownies, bars, danish, muffins, apple turnovers, etc. Kupel's also sells a wide variety of breads, including the usual challahs (several kinds), rye loaves, and pumpernickel, plus a very small selection of organic artisan-style breads. I've probably tried them all by now, and none have disappointed. Kupels does not, however, bake any crusty breads, so no baguettes or the like. Also, not much in the way of whole grains. The pastry items all seem to be made with white flour, no whole grain scones or muffins. The small selection of organic breads is a small step toward modernizing the offerings, and I'd love to see them do more in that direction.
(4)
Lindsay S.
This is one of the greatest places I've ever been to in Brookline. One day my roommate and I were trekking to some UPS store that was far far away when we stumbled onto this gem. I'm Jewish and when I saw that it was a Jewish bakery I had to go in, so I dragged her inside. The rugelach is to die for. I've seriously never had better. It comes in a variety of flavors, but my favorite is the cinnamon chocolate chip. Also the shop has year round hamentaschen. Ummm YES. Those also come in a wide variety of flavors. Also I love going here in the mornings for a nice bagel sandwich. Every time I'm in Boston, I come in here just to pick up rugelach for my mother. She loves it that much too.
(4)
Cwot W.
This place has the most flavorless baked goods. I can't figure out why it's so busy. I feel like the items taste like the food they eat in the movie "The Matrix" (when they are out of the matrix).
(2)
Carrie C.
Well I have to admit that I can't really give this place a fair review. I stopped in the other day on my way past and didn't see anything that looked appetizing and even though I was the only person in the place the staff didn't even acknowledge my existence. After reading that they were shut down by the health department for rodent feces in their kitchen, I'm glad I bugged out of there. myfoxboston.com/dpp/news…
(1)
Imran G.
Had trouble finding a good bakery with bagels. We got lost in Coolidge Corner and stumbled upon this place, and because we hadn't had bagels in such a long time we decided to step in. Then, we realized how much stuff they had. Great. Not really. We finally decided on a chocolate chip rugellah, and while it was a mediocre pastry at best, the most shocking thing was the price. One rugellah for $5. Wow, that's expensive, right? Apparently the weirder thing is that they charge for the pound for this. Was not aware of this at all... I also wasn't aware of how different I look. The clerk kept staring at me without smile despite my efforts to break the ice. Now that I think about it, I should probably go refresh my Star Wars memory. In "A New Hope" there is a scene at the cantina in which some of the guys just don't like Luke Skywalker. Damn, now I really want to go watch Star Wars Ep IV: A New Hope.
(1)
Teddy S.
Visited 3 times in the past 2 months. Not again. Went for bagels, pastry and challah. Rosenfeld & Bagel Rising make much tastier bagels. Like some of the other reviewers, think the quality has gone down the past few years. The bagels are too light and except for the toppings, have no flavor. The pastry is just ok. Bought assorted items (elephant ears, bubka, etc...) and they lacked any real flavor. Bought 2 bubka's last week (apple & berry) and there is more fruit on a piece of toast than in either bubka. Too bad. Most people seem to be happy with the sandwiches, but I like to buy the bread/pastry and make my own sandwiches.
(2)
Ryan M.
This spot on Harvard St. has excellent reviews, and there isn't any question as to why. The bagels have a nice firm exterior and a slightly doughy interior. The staff is friendly and prompt as they serve you your choice through the vast selection of shmears, bagels, pastries and goodies. The prices are reasonable, local and family owned. What more could you want? I just wish I lived closer to the Brookline area to take advantage of this spot.
(4)
Karina L.
Pretty yummy bagels and nice outdoor seating for nice days. I much prefer Michael's Deli down the street at Coolidge Corner for bagels, even though they're not primarily a bagel place. I got a sesame bagel with lox spread. The bagels are chewy (just how I like it!), but I think the cream cheese lacked flavor. Compared to other bagel places, there isn't much cream cheese variety. The worst part of my experience was the service. I thought they were having a bad day but, after reading other Yelpers' reviews, it seems like they're permanently in a state of hangover/drug withdrawal. When we walked in, there were no 'Hello' or even acknowledgment of our presence. There's no clear path from where to order and where to pay. We had to wave our hands in front of their faces to get their attention -- they what I ordered twice, forgot to ask me to pay, and then gave me $15 extra in change (which I promptly gave back). They sell bags of day-old bagels and muffins for pretty cheap (comparable to normal supermarket prices). I can imagine that they still taste pretty good.
(3)
Matt R.
They have amazing bagels and challah bread. Their service is unbelievable and you feel right at home when you walk in. They treat a one time customer just like a regular. If I can recommend one item it would have to be their pan challah. It's so fresh that it practically falls apart.
(5)
Ian L.
Holy crap. I asked for an onion sesame bagel with salmon and capers. What I receive is a trash pile of salmon with a veritable orchard of capers cascading down beautiful pink fleshy slopes. Seriously, way more salmon than I ever expected. I expect to see a breaking news update this evening on the extinction of salmon as a result of this sandwich! Their bagels are freaking amazing as far as bagels go, though the everything bagels tend to go quickly. Just be prepared to wait 5 or 10 min in line to order--this place seems to be a popular spot.
(4)
Bria O.
OBSESSED with this place. Everything is amazing and they move the line along quickly. Also great deals on bulk bagels etc. Really friendly employees. Unfortunately closed for Shabbat on Saturday but that's the price you pay for amazing kosher bakery.
(5)
Kim K.
Kupels serves not just bagels but a huge selection of everything - bagels, pastries, muffins, etc. They have good prices and the store is relatively clean. The bagels are good, kinda chewy though.
(4)
Hui Ying C.
Tofu lox bagel was generously creamy and tasted just like the real thing, vegans and non vegans gotta hop on the Kupel train! Apple puff was beyond amazing as well. Friendly staff and awesome food in a summer day :D
(5)
Meizi H.
Their bagels are a bit chewy for my taste. And their croissants might be the worst I've ever tried. They were plain and salty. Maybe it was wrong batch. I ordered half dozen of bagels and they only put five of them in a bag, which I just found out when I got home. I tried their multi-grain, raisin cinnamon, onion and wheat bagels. They were okay. Their services were off whilst they busy chatting with each other. I like to support local shop but their quality of food and service keep me away from it!
(2)
Melissa P.
Of the 26 different types of certified Kosher bagels to choose from, all are handmade and all guaranteed delicious. It seems most of us are accustomed to grocery store-brand flavorless bagels that taste more like Styrofoam than anything else, but Kugel's soft, doughy textured bagels are without chemical additives. Kupel's keeps their food prices surprisingly low. You can get a bagel with cream cheese and a pumpkin-spiced coffee for just $3.19. Check out their weekly deals for other reasonably priced offers. Not only does Kupel's have delicious bagels, but they also have rows upon rows of pastries. Smaller sweets have swamped the market, but Kupel's makes large to extra-large pastries from cheese (pareve) danishes to blueberry muffins to black-and-white cookies, just to name a few. Some bakeries offer an assortment of these very simple bagels, but such variations on the classics often stale and tasteless. Kupel's bagels however, are a different breed - chewy and tinged with a tantalizing freshness.
(4)
Lauren E.
From a Jewish New Yorker carb queen, trust me these soft, doughy bagels are not to be missed on any jaunt through Brookline. The coffee was remarkably good. The service was friendly- there weren't many people in the store while I was there but I can tell this place would get bogged down with lines during breakfast time.
(5)
Anna C.
Thank you for being open today! Best breakfast especially on a snow day! Great bagel and lox deal
(5)
Whitney D.
This bakery is wonderful. The bagels and sandwiches are fantastic. My go to is the Tom Brady--smoke salmon, capers, onion, cream cheese--on a garlic bagel. It's outstanding. I've tried a few variations--the Truth, and this is the best. We've tried a few of the pastries, and they're only ok, which is why I gave this a 4--that and it's closed on Saturdays...obviously understandable, but always a disappointing realization on Saturday mornings. The cookies are good, but the rest is just ok. Maybe it's just that it's being compared to the bagels, which again, are amazing. The staff is usually friendly, they seem a little busy, but I understand. Overall, a great place!!
(4)
Meghan O.
Kupel's has incredible bagels, and the young staff is very helpful. I recently picked up 5 dozen bagels to serve to volunteers at an event - the cashier was very patient with me and volunteers were thrilled to enjoy such a delicious breakfast!
(5)
Robert M.
After reading all of these reviews, I should have stuck with the bagels. I thought a bakery was supposed to be good at everything but I've been burned there twice now, and it isn't going to happen again. Not going back. Black and White cookie or "half moon" cookie, twice, had a stale bottom and some weird overture of something I thought was salmon like. (But I didn't see the lox in the same display case) The raspberry bear claw was not at all flavorful and the potato knishes weren't all that great either. I'm going to have to find someplace else for other than bagels.
(2)
Andrea S.
I don't miss Brookline, but I miss Kupel's. Those bagels are so damn good. Plus, two dozen day old bagels for $1? How can you possibly go wrong. So what if you arent 100% sure what they are. Also, it's cheap. Honestly I would go in, get two bagel sandwiches, two drinks and a thing full of cookies for $7. Are you sure? Did you want more? It all comes out in the wash though, because they rang me up once for like $18 on a $2 item. Somebody probably falls for it sometimes. It can be a little rough in the line when you are hungover, but those glorious bagels are totally worth it.
(5)
MaryTyler M.
I know this isn't Kupel's fault, but every effing time I go here someone cuts me so obnoxiously that it would seriously be a WRAP if they weren't elderly, or with their children. I have been additionally afraid to stand up for myself because the staff never says boo, which made me think thse folks were regulars and that I should respect their years of patronage. But now I've been racking up miles at this place, so eff that. The next time I get shoved by baby stroller I am going to eat that baby's bagel. Also, the bagels are really good. A huge selection of them, as well as of toppings and cream cheeses (hello, tofu-lox). And they're def your one-stop destination for Herring Snacks.
(4)
Melissa A.
Meh. Bleh. Blah. That's what I think about Kupel's. I've tried to like this place. I've really tried. I've gone there a handful of times, and am disappointed every time. First off, their service is really slow, so don't go there if you're ever in a hurry, even if you're the 2nd person in line. It will still take forever. Second, their bagels are blah. Yes, they have a lot of flavors, but the ones I've had have been somewhat bland and quite dry, even when I get the bagel at 8am. Very chewy, which isn't a bad thing, but a chewy bagel doesn't mean it has to be dry. I have had some of their cream cheese, which is good, and the only reason they deserve any stars at all. Their pastries are blah as well. I got an apple pocket once and I thought it was also quite dry and didn't have as much apple filling in it as it should. So overall, I've been disappointed on various occasions by Kupel's. I really wanted this to be a great place, too, because I live so close. Alas, I will be getting my bagels elsewhere.
(1)
Han K.
The only decent bagel in Boston I'm convinced. Reminds me a lot of Long Island style of bagel joints, no frils, tons of choices in bagels, bialys, and of course tons of different cream cheese. The bagels got a nice chew to them, it should hurt your jaw to eat a full bagel and these deliver.
(5)
Lady M.
Love Kupel's! Best way to start a summer (or whatever!..but it's nice to sit outside) saturday when you're just a little hungover but ready to explore Allston a bit. Lots of options for bagels AND toppings, which includes fresh veggies like cucumbers (yum) and tofutti cream cheese (yum again). Decent coffee too, major plus. If I was still living in Brookline, I'd definitely frequent Kupel's more often this summer.
(5)
Andra Z.
It's been a while since I wrote my first review of Kupel's. Time apparently does heal all wounds. My negativity in the last review stemmed from the service at Kupel's. Turns out, the more you go the nicer you are! And, if you're not pushy, picky or overall obnoxious, the staff is more than willing to give you anything you want--gasp! I love their bagels, their cream cheese and all their assorted baked treats. And, let's face it, how many times in my life am I going to live across the street from a stellar bagel shop? I'm guessing this is it. Kupel's, I love you!!
(5)
Doug F.
I like Kupel's. The 4 stars is for the selection of cream cheese, which is very tasty and hard to find elsewhere. They have a good selection of pastries as well. Otherwise, I agree with the reviewer who mentioned slow (I'd call it relaxed) service and bagels that just aren't that good. They're bland and dry no matter when I go and no matter what flavor I get. Kupel's is still better than Shaw's, but the Rosenfeld Bagel Company in Newton has superior bagels.
(4)
luke b.
Hmm. Yeah... I dunno about the rest y'all but i don't find this place appetizing at all. As a Jew, I feel i know a thing or two about bagels. Bagels and circumcision... but we're talking bagels here... I've been to Kupel's twice and have NOT been happy. My bagels have not been soft on the inside, crisp yet chewy on the outside. My schmears have been bland and flavorless and have actually given me a stomach ache. To sum up... FEH! Love, Luke
(1)
Romulo R.
A nice bagel joint. recommended by a good friend, I really like their menu. The bagel was very tasty and service was fast. It was relatively busy but that was no biggie.
(4)
Alaina B.
If you asked me a year ago to rate Kupel's, I would have given them five stars hands down. Sure, not the best bagels I've ever had, but I grew up near NYC so there's really no comparison. However, for the Boston area, this was as close as you could get. Lately however I've noticed the quality of the service and the food have dropped. It seems busier in there now, and there are a lot more people working there to accommodate that. This has made the service a bit lacking sometimes, as it can get confusing. The spreads are still the best, and the bagels are still good for the area but I've noticed a drop in quality. Still better than bagels from chain places and most other bakeries around here that I've seen, though. The pastries are hit and miss, but the bread is always good. They usually have good specials where you can get a half dozen bagels, some cream cheese, and some lox for around $6.99 which you should definitely take advantage of. Also the sandwiches they make are decent. As for bagel types to recommend: salt, egg, and garlic have been my favorites. They make jalapeno bagels but I have yet to try them. Oh and while currently this place rates "good for kids," as the place is small and can get crowded kids may feel very cramped in here. Kids will definitely like the food, but don't plan on keeping them inside for very long depending on their age and their ability to sit still! We went with three kids, ages six through ten, and it was a bit of a nightmare at some points!
(4)
Orly M.
My family makes a pilgrimage here every Sunday morning. My dad gets up at the butt crack of dawn to stock up. Kupel's has the best bagels in Boston -- nice big, fat NY style bagels. If you think they're ordinary, stick to your finagle a bagel or whatever crap, more doughy goodness for me! Awesome cream cheese and good lox. Note: not all lox is made alike. However, go to the butcherie down the street for your lox and save some moolah. Kupel's is a great place for a nosh. Back in my vegan days, I remember appreciating that Kupel's had options for me. The perks of a Jewish bakery -- there's insentive not to use dairy in baked goods so they can be consumed with meat. I'm not a big pastry person, but my parents looove the elephant ears here. And I think I remember some mighty fine half moons from my childhood. As a kid, I woke up at the asscrack of dawn to go to Kupel's w/my Dad so I could get a mint brownie. So shout out to you, mint brownie!
(5)
A W.
For a treif-eating Jew, the idea of a pareve cookie is a little "mehhh." However, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my half-moon cookie. And the bagels? Wow, don't even get me started. They were perfectly chewy while retaining moisture. I WILL be back here.
(5)
Nora B.
I didn't think whitefish salad sandwiches could be tastier than at Michael's deli, but Kupels actually has the edge here. They have a number of good sandwiches at pretty reasonable prices. Also a bargain is the ginormous half moon (aka black and white) cookie. For $1.99, you get what really amounts to a small cake with a heap of frosting, which you should really share with one or perhaps two other people. The chocolate side tastes a bit like a hostess cupcake, and I mean that in the most positive way.
(4)
Jane L.
I actually didn't expect much from Kupel's, albiet the positive reviews, being that I am from NY. I went on a Tuesday morning - granted, there was a line but it was my turn to order in no time. I got a WW bagel with tofu cream cheese and a small coffee - all came out to a whoppin' $4.45. Pretty expensive, if you ask me. The bagel was fine - moist and chewy - the way a bagel should be. I wouldn't mind returning to this Kosher bakery during my next visit.
(3)
Ben G.
This place has the best bagels in all of Boston. Although i have some friends from NY that dislike this place, claiming that its not as good as bagels in NYC. but thats just because New Yorkers think everything is better in NY. They have a wide selction of bagels, cream cheeses and pastries. But the most noteworthy aspect of Kupels is the Bubka. thats right folks, remember from Sienfeld? Cinnamon is a lesser bubkah. If you've never had bubka before, you owe it to yourself to go to kupels, get a chocolate bubka. While your there, get some bagels and some chive cream cheese and start living. By the way this place is shomer shabbat ( they're not open friday night- saturday night) so don't try to roll up saturday morning all hung over expecting to get bostons best bagels.
(4)
Nicole P.
I heart cream cheese and Kupel's has about 100 different flavors! Definitely the best spot around for a Sunday bagel and cream cheese. (Not open Saturdays) There are many different types of bagels too- I like the whole grain with maple cream cheese personally. They also have tasty baked goods like danish, challah, cookies and other pasteries- also cold cuts, lox etc. There are only a few tables so not the best place to sit and eat.
(4)
Creative N.
This is hands down the best bagel I've ever had. Some very good friends (Sarah & Trav) move from San Diego to Boston a couple years ago and when we went to visit them the first time, they took us to Kupel's (which was right down the block from their first place) and we've been in love ever since (our friends have since moved to Jamaica Plain and we still hit Kupel's every time we're in town). As a side note, this is the same Kupel's that my friends (same Sarah referenced above) parents took her to as a baby when they moved back east! The smell radiating from this place as soon as you get on the same block is AMAZING! Fresh bread, yeast and everything else yummy. Mmmm, writing this is motivating me to get back to Boston ASAP to get me some Kupel's (and visit friends)! I tend to love their everything bagel's and their smoked salon but I've had almost all their bagels and they are all delicious. Fresh made, consistently delicious and very nice staff that is patient when you go to place your order and something else catches your eye and causes you pause in the ordering process! Also, if you're ever so inclined (which I am), they sell a 5lb birthday bagel! As soon as I can convince them to ship it to me in San Diego, I'm going to make it happen!
(5)
Diana L.
So, I'm not sure that what I ate at Kupel's was actually a bagel. I think it might have been, I dunno, drywall. Waxy exterior, dry interior, no flavor. When I read all these crazy good reviews of Kupel's, I'd thought I'd stumbled upon the H & H of Boston. Yeah, no. They have 4.5 stars on Yelp. That's like false advertising. Someone needs to say something about the jank food here. I shake my fist angrily at Kupel's-- arrrrrgh! The "Breakfast Special" of a bagel with egg, cheese and tomato plus a cup of coffee? At $2.99 it's cheap, I'll give you that. But it didn't taste good. T got a poppyseed bagel with cream cheese (ya know, to keep it simple) and it was so dry and tasteless she had to throw it away. This is the same woman who is constantly trying to feed me nearly expired foods to avoid wasting it. The coffee-- not even worth mentioning, except to say, blegh. The "chocolate stick" (chosen because it was almost sold out) tasted like a chocolate scented candle. Waxy and flavorless. Bad. Just bad.
(2)
Alexis B.
I'm kinda of a snob when it comes to bagels because I'm grew up in New York. And seriously NY has the best bagels ever! I've missed them for a long time. When I go home I bring back 2 dozen. It lasts a week in my house! Well now I can get my fix. I was super hungover on Sunday and a everything bagel with chive cream cheese seemed to be my only cure. I drove my holy hangover Batman self to this wonderful place. I got a bagel for myself and a 1/2 dozen to bring home to the bf and roomie. Well the bagel rocked. It cured my hangover and my bagel fix. From now on I won't support any other Boston bagelry besides them! YAYYYY!
(5)
Naomi U.
An authentic (if therefore boring) bagel place. I think the bagels at Bagels by Us are tastier...but that is always a matter of preference...Kupel's are tougher (in a good way...more gluten content?) Beware the hours are also 'traditional' so check if they're open before going.
(3)
Eve L.
Here's what I like about Kupel's: Their rugelah. It's the best I've found in Boston. It's really, really good. Here's what I don't like about Kupel's: Their challah. It just isn't sweet enough, and it's too bready and not eggy enough. Also, their complete incompetence about taking large orders. We were considering having rugelah instead of wedding cake, and we wanted to order it from Kupel's. But they refused to take our order, refused to take our order, kept saying "call us back in a week, call us back in a week." I mean, what's so hard about WRITING DOWN A FUCKING ORDER? Eventually, we gave up and decided to just get cannolis from Bova's, which it turned out, were a big hit. Their loss, obviously. They could have had a big fat order for our wedding. Dumb asses. With business sense like that, it's hard to see how they're still in business.
(3)
Alex L.
Went here for breakfast this morning and had the Tom Brady (atlantic smoked salmon, tomato, chive cream cheese and tomato on a sesame seed bagel). I can honestly say if was one of the best bagel sandwiches I've ever had. Service was quick and attentive and prices are pretty reasonable given the quality of food. There are lots of goodies to peruse and very discounted bags of day old bagels that I will definitely be bad to take advantage of. Highly recommend.
(4)
Jonathan G.
It's not right to have that last review there. Yes, this place is not H & H bagels. But, come on, waxy eterior and no flavor? Ridiculous. I go here often and I am never disappointed. When I bring in bagel's to my students, they clamor for and demand that it be Kupel's. Their cream cheese is good, they always have fresh lox, they have a wide variety of delicious bagels (I am a fan of the California bagels, especially), and their baked goods rule. On top of that, where else can you get good fresh rye bread in Brookline? Nowhere! With that said, their babka's are a little weak on the fruit filling and their coffee is kinda chalky. But who goes for the coffee? If you are judging this place on cranky NY person standards, than you will probably be disappointed. The bagels are smaller and drier than your typical melt in your mouth NY variety. However, they are better than anywhere else within a 10 mile radius, and they are locally owned and operated.
(4)
Dave D.
Love the bagels here! I'm a sucker for Lox cream cheese and I love theirs! The price is somewhat pricey, but given the location its understandable. They have pretty decent service, its not going to knock your socks off buts they are polite. If you want bagels, you gotta go to a Kosher bakery, why not go to the real deal!?
(5)
Dale N.
Tried the plain bagel with plain cream cheese. Very decent while hot and fresh, average the next day when toasted. I would definitely get bagels here again, but I am still in search of a perfect, delicious bagel.
(4)
Kristin S.
I'm a New Yorker on a mission to find a bagel in Boston that is made correctly...boiled, not baked. I thought I had found that in Kupel's..... when I first started going there about 4 years ago the bagels were great. However, lately the quality has gone down hill. The insides aren't as soft and they don't toast and/or freeze as well. The real reason for the low rating is for something other than the bagels. I was waiting in line one day looking at the case of cookies and pastries and I realized that the poppyseeds were moving. Poppyseeds don't move. They were bugs. All over several different kinds of the baked goods. I thought maybe it was a fluke and went back only to see the same thing. Gross. No more Kupel's even if they are the only boiled bagel in town. :(
(1)
Rebecca H.
Definitely the place to start a perfect Sunday morning. I ordered a black and white bagel with light miami lox cream cheese, tomato, and onion. It was the best bagel of my life. Go here for the bagels. I've ordered baked good before and wasn't as impressed (hermit cookies that we just okay-- I'm spoiled because my grandfather bakes the best hermits, an elephant ear that was pretty good I suppose, and a black-and-white cookie that tasted like it DEFINITELY was baked too close to the lox-- fishy taste + frosting = garbage can). There is usually a line, but it moves quickly and is completely worth it (I reiterate: for the bagels).
(5)
Laine K.
I thought this place was good, however, after discovering Bagelville in Quincy market, I realized that I did not know what a good bagel is!!! These bagels are very dense and already the next day they get hard. Not worth the money at all. Plus, the customer service is ridiculous. People who work there look like the last thing they want to do is work and be there, especially male workers are very rude.
(1)
D M.
My beef with the south? NO GOOD BAGELS! They've got good buiscits, though! I have been sitting here thinking about my lack of breakfast here today, and I thought of bagels.....mmmm, bagels! This is my #1 place to get bagels ever! They make hands down the best bagels I have tasted. I've spent a lot of time with people who know a thing or two about bagels (my first taste of Boston was working and living in Brookline Village) and these are boiled to bagel-y perfection. My favorites are the everything, which is wonderfully salty and they do make good sandwiches with said bagels. They are everything you want in a good bagel, and they have a wide assortment of cream cheese, and if you're a keeper of all things kosher, this is a good place to go. I've never tried any of the baked goods such as the cookies and sweet treats. This is definitely also what you'd expect a bagel shop to look like as well.....it's very simple and open early in the morning.
(5)
Joseph G.
The best cream cheese in MA! Ordinary bagels, nothing you should go out of your way for. Weak and tasteless coffee.
(3)
Dachary C.
Note: This review pertains solely to the baked goods at Kupel's, not the bagels. I hadn't planned to visit Kupel's and found myself there by chance, so I didn't know anything about it before I had arrived. I was initially impressed by the quantity and variety of baked goods - they had so many different types of things, and it all looked soooo tasty. I'm a fan of rugulah, so I had to try that... and there's my never-ending quest for a good peanut-butter cookie. My friend got three other types of baked goods, all of which looked very yummy (and she graciously permitted me to nibble from them.) I wasn't particularly impressed by the taste and quality of the baked goodies. I've gotta say, it was just average. The peanut butter cookie was too dry and fell apart when I tried to break off a piece - not hard and crunchy, perse, just dry. As for the rugulah - I like the stuff at Rosie's Bakery better (please don't kill me!) The bites of the stuff my friend had were interesting, but nothing heart-stopping. After seeing the variety and quantity of items at Kupel's, I've gotta admit to being disappointed by the taste. Pros: fabulous selection and price. Cons: average baked goods. Next time, I'll have to try a bagel.
(3)
Jeremy W.
Good bagels have always been hard to find outside of NYC, and that was especially true in San Francisco. When we moved back to the Boston area we found Kupel's in our neighborhood right away, and these are some good bagels! This is the kind of place you can hit up at 6 am on a Sunday and you will already have company. Definitely nice to have a real (and local) bagel place nearby.
(4)
Dianna B.
First, be aware that there is a system to ordering, and you must be ready for your order. On Sundays, there is a line out the door, but it moves fast. Stand in the line, know what you want, know who is ahead of you. When the next server (of about 3-5 of them) is free, very clearly state your order -- if there are multiple people in your party, a single person should order -- and inch along towards the cashier. At the cashier, pay, tip and leave. And then enjoy........bagles that are chewy on the outside, soft on the inside and are still warm from the oven. Try the onion & herb. Note, there are only a few small tables inside. Don't bother getting the coffee. On cool fall days, site outside on one of the Harvard St benches and eat 'em while they're hot.
(5)
Michelle P.
Forget about New York City Bagels....Kupels is where REAL bagels are made. My apolgies to my girl in the Bronx, but I don't think she'll be reading this anytime soon! Their garlic bagels with their veggie spread is a breakfast, beyond champions. I miss their fresh bagels, that are toasted to order and lavishly spread with the cream cheese. They put it on so thick, and you get crunchy pieces of vegetables. I think over the course of 9 months (that I worked in that area) I tried every single combination that they had to offer. Actually I doubt that is even possible. I know I tried more than I can remember. Their hamentashen and knishes are delish as well. Though I have to say that Rugelach at Catering By Andrew's is devine esepcially when you are lucky enough to get it fresh.
(5)
Jen L.
To anyone giving this place lower than 3 stars: are you freaking serious? Okay so they're not as good as New York bagels (I do think it has something to do with the water, but maybe I'm crazy). But they are excellent for Boston. I have lived here for 3 years and can tell you that this is the best there is. Sure, I still smuggle home a dozen from H&H to eat and freeze after a NYC trip but if I need a quick bagel fix in the Boston area, Kupel's is where I go.
(4)
Julie T.
I am really not a big fan of Kupel's whatsoever. I'm not a big fan of their pastries or their bagels and maybe I'm just kind of lame, but it always seems very messy when I come in there. The pastries taste old and never seem fresh and the bagels don't seem to be anything special. The cream cheese is good and toppings are plentiful, but I could just as well go to Bagel Rising and get a better bagel and in fact, I could actually get a bagel sandwich! Their coffee is weak too, by the way. I know plenty of people love it and I'm sure they love it for good reason, but for me? This is a no go.
(1)
Jenny N.
I'm sad I haven't been able to catch them when they have fresh bagels in stock. I'll have to try a weekend morning...But I did try a hefty stick of chocolate rugallah last night (I think it must have weighed 1/4 lb.!) and when I pointed at a 'hermit' cookie to ask what was in it, the counter guy shoved one in my hand and waved me off, urging me to try it. It was kind of funny, but I guess they were in a hurry to close up for the day. I liked the rugallah much better (a bit unusual because they use whole chocolate chips in it), but I'm definitely coming back to try the bagels some time!
(4)
LKT T.
I used to stop by this place all the time on the way to my bus stop in Coolidge Corner. I thought I better patronize my local mom & pop businesses even though I'm no Jew. I liked their pastry which I would get every morning. I never tried other stuff on their menu but I can tell you I love their pastry. If I ever move back to CC, I would definitely frequent the place again.
(3)
Caitlin M.
I wanted to love this bagel. I wanted this place to fill my New York bagel and lox need but sadly it pales in comparison. I love the prices and the selection but the bagel itself is not that great. I loved that they had a wide variety of whole wheat bagels and their pastry selection looked okay too. The line is long and it takes awhile and it would be worth it if the bagel was better. I enjoyed the lox and they customized my order which was great. I want to like the bagels here so much that I will try it again but feel I will have to wait for New York or Montreal for my bagel fix.
(3)
Steph H.
I really wanted to like Kupel's Bakery and tried their bagels three different times. All three times the bagel was dry and the garlic on the bagel was burnt, so not very impressed. I actually did a blind taste test with Brueggers, and Brueggers won hands down. Even my dog preferred the Brueggers bagels (I don't feed my dog bagels, but wanted a second opinion).
(2)
Scott F.
As a longtime Bostonian and Jew, Kupel's has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Back when the Jews were wandering through the desert, they'd often stop by Kupel's for a bagel 'n' lox. These guys are open New Years Day, Xmas Day, and usually at 6 AM. The bagels are soft and lovely on the inside, generously flavored, and nice 'n' chewy on the outside. Despite what some loud-mouthed NYer will tell you, these're how bagels should be. They've usually got a special going with 1/2 dozen bagels, lox, and cream chese for about $10. Best deal going ... get that, show up at my house for breakfast, you'll be loved. Purists argue that toasting a bagel is a sign of ignorance, but with all the flavoring these guys put in, they come alive with a light toasting. I tend to rhapsodize about the Cissel/Rye bagels. Their onion bagels are pretty damn impressive too. If you prefer cinnamon raisin, you're a horrible person. There, I said it. Those aren't bagels. Feh. They've got lots of pastries, but not all are perfect and wonderful (hence 4 out of 5 stars). Stick to more "traditional" Jewish stuff and you'll be safe. Their hamentaschen are so good, they're made year round. I prefer the apricot, but the raspberry runs a close second. There's a lot going on, and the place is often busy, so know have your order ready to go. They won't waste your time, don't waste theirs. Also - you can call ahead for big orders, parties, etc. They'll have your order waiting and ready to go. Much better than going in and annoying the others in line as you order 3 dozen bagels, and a couple of these, and some of those, and that other thing on the end, and a .....
(4)
Max W.
Kupel's is an old style bakery, bagel, and coffee shop. The food is traditional New York Jewish style, and fabulous. It's a bit chaotic inside, the place is closed Friday evenings and Saturdays, and it's not as pretty as many of the new "chic" food places in Boston. But it's tastier, cheaper, and quicker. In a town where 90% of the bagels are terrible, Kupel's are pretty good. Not as good as you'll find in the Mid-Atlantic, but pretty good. The pastries aren't all the best that you'll find anywhere, but most of them are good and some are great. The rugallah is the best I've ever had. If you want a real treat, try the cinnamon chocolate chip. It's heaven.
(5)
s. c.
I've finally found my neighborhood bakery. When a corner bakery sells souvenir t-shirts, you know there's something special there. I love fresh bread, and hate paying a lot of money at the grocery for stuff I could make at home. But a bag of day-olds (8 bagels) for $2? Fresh rye bread for $2.79?! ELEPHANT EARS BIGGER THAN MY FACE?! Don't mind if I do... this week, and the week after that... I always get a bagel and something for my pantry or treat cabinet for the rest of the week. Tasty, affordable, and a wonderful local business. The place is really hopping on Sunday mornings - it can feel a little overwhelming and claustrophobic, but a bagel with cream cheese (and maybe, some adventurous day, tofu lox) is one of my favorite comfort foods.
(4)
Rachel G.
The pile of chain bagel places in Brookline meant that I didn't get to Kupel's until I'd been living in the city for almost 5 years (shame on me). I wouldn't put too much stock in the New Yorkers' gripes about the quality of the bagels, mostly because I think New Yorkers need to climb down from those impossibly-high horses they always seem to ride into Boston on, but as a Philly-based lifetime bagel eater, I was impressed with Kupel's variety and their bagels' stalwart, chewy texture. Any place that makes whole-wheat everything bagels, swirls chive and lox cream cheese together (the Miami Lox spread), and is willing to serve me both of those things plus red onions, cucumbers, and tomato for under $5 is a place I will happily revisit. Service was good on a busy Sunday around 10AM--just don't plan on dining in, as there's only a couple small tables tucked into the front of the store and they're usually swarming with babies and strollers. They also observe the Sabbath, so no Saturday service.
(4)
J A.
Pretty much the best bagels, Rugallahs, Challah and other Jewish pastries in the Boston area. The wait can be excessive at times so be prepared or come early.
(4)
Renee H.
These are the bagels I dream of....that is all. Oh wait, no its not! I get to try a new schmere every time, what could be better! AND they all come in light variations as well....mmmm.....bagels....
(5)
Rachel M.
This place has been a mainstay in my life since childhood. I am happy to report that Kupel's has only gotten BETTER in the past few years, and still carries all the treats I loved as a kid. Get the half-and-half cookies, the hamentaschen, the babke, the bagels and the challah. Yum!
(4)
Kristine M.
Some of the best bagels in the area. I think Rosenfeld's is closer to NY bagels, personally, but Kupel's are pretty darn good. The thing that will keep me coming back, however, are the potato knishes!! They are HUGE, delicious, and CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!!! A potato knish + an apple = a perfect work lunch for about two bucks. Whenever I'm in Coolidge Corner, I'm going to stock up on their wonderful knishes. Next I'll have to try their ruggulah!
(4)
Aluminum Chefs, C and T.
Kupels has been a mainstay of my bagel education for years. Their bagels are awesome, their cream cheese is awesome - but there are a few things you should know before you start ordering: 1) There will always be a line. Deal with it. It's not fast either. 2) Their pastries are, unfortunately, not very good. They look great, but just are not up to snuff - especially with Clear Flour down the street. 3) Please know what you want when you get to the front of the line - don't "um" them to death when you get up there - just order your bagel and scram. That said, their Bagels are perfect and their selection of flavored cream cheeses is pretty impressive. They don't do a great job toasting bagels, but just buy a dozen and a tub of cream cheese and do it at home. It's worth the rules. Oh, they're also closed Saturday. It's the Shabbas, dude.
(4)
Lindsey R.
Delicious bagels and very generous amounts of amazing lox, but disappointing customer service every time. Today they were out of veggie cream cheese, jalepeno bagels, capers and onions. Why be open if your out of so many items?! Staff continually gives wrong bagels, doesn't accommodate needs, and is not friendly. Unfortunately this local is taking her business elsewhere after giving it several tries
(2)
Daniel M.
By themselves, the bagels at Kupel's rate three stars. Bagel for bagel, there are more flavors here than just about anywhere in the Boston area. Moreover...beyond the vast quantity, these are the freshest and tastiest that I've tried outside of NYC. Even if everything else about Kupel's was wrong, they'd still stand out because of their bagels. Particularly noteworthy is the vast selection of spreads behind the counter. From the generic regular cream cheese to the tofutti It's a better variety than I've experienced around here. Even the standard types, such as the chive, seem to stand out. The selection of baked goods is good - not outstanding, but very good. Customer service can be a bit slow at times, but in a relatively small place with a lot of people working behind the counter and a constant stream of customers coming through the door, that's understandable. Very worthwhile and always a satisfying trip.
(4)
Iggy G.
Pretty good pastries, but incredibly unfriendly.
(1)
Meera Z.
I used to live a block away from Kupels, and to be completely honest with you I never fell in love. They never wowed me - they were always just okay. The bagels are not soft and chewy, sometimes I'd got as far as saying they're dry! EW. I do, however, think that they have an amazing sandwich and cream cheese selection. I also think that their dozen bagels, cream cheese tub, and lox deal (I think for $9 or 10?) is great! Then again, when the bagels aren't awesome it's not worth it cos I don't want to eat 12 of them. If you're in the area and want a bagel then definitely check them out at least, but I wouldn't trek all the way over here just to try them! Oh yeah - and I get that they're Jewish and are celebrating Sabbath - but being closed on Saturday's just sucks!
(3)
Maggie D.
Kupel's is right at the end of my street, and so naturally I stumbled in one morning in search of a cure for my incessant hangover, and was delighted to see what I'd found... Seriously: every flavor of bagel... in WHOLE WHEAT! So many options, so little time. More often than not when you go in to Kupel's in the morning and ask for your bagel toasted, they'll tell you it's still warm from the oven. What more do you want? My only complaint is that they are closed on Saturdays, but I can clearly live with that.
(4)
Sabine S.
They won't let you use the bathroom even if you are seven months' pregnant and have a toddler on your hands. Is that even legal these days?
(1)
Michelle K.
Take it from a New Yawker, Kupel's has the best bagels in Boston! By a landslide. They're doughy and delicious and well decorated! My favorite bagel type is Everything. And Kupel's shines above the rest by giving a generous coating of everything toppings all over the bagel, not just on the top. This is an important distinction from Rosenfeld's Everythings (often mistaken for the best bagels in town) because theirs had just a few seeds on the top, and sadly they fell off when I cut and spread cream cheese on my bagel. If I wanted a plain, I'd have ordered a plain. Well, this is not the case at Kupel's. Even if you eat just the bottom half, you'll still get all the delicious flavor. Kupel's has a humongous selection of flavored "shmears" (try the honey walnut mmmm) and even though it's put in 8 oz containers, it's also sold by weight, so ask for less and try 2! The raspberry rugelach and the lox I chose were a little disappointing, but I cannot praise the bagels enough. (Closed on Saturdays)
(5)
Chelsea B.
I really wanted to LOVE this place as it has gotten so many amazing reviews but I gotta say I did not LOVE it with a capital L, which is what I expected. I think it is fine but after making the trip out to Coolidge Corner multiple times now just for Kupel's, only to come home and be semi-disappointed with how the food tastes, I think I am only going to go there from now on if it happens to be convenient or if I am with people who adamantly want to go eat there. I will say the prices are AWESOME. $3 for a bagel with a lot of schtuff on it was a great surprise. Sorry to all you Kupel's lovers, I really wanted to love it but I just simply like it.
(3)
Lindsay K.
Just moved to Brookline. As soon as I saw this place, I knew I'd like it. Unpretentious and delicious. Day-old bagels for $2.00 is my JAM!!!
(4)
Paul F.
Last year I was there I got cream cheese. The counter person overfilled the container and then used his finger to get the excess off. He then put his finger in his mouth and ate the cream cheese. I refused the cream cheese and left. I was the there yesterday and asked for a sissel bread. The server had no clue what a sissel bread was. The other people didn't know either. Being a Jewish bakery, a sissel bread is a common item. The problem is the store has a captive audience and the help are poorly managed and tained. The bager are a disgrace. Try Katz Bagels in Chelsea, a real bagel. Kupel's are on par with supermarket bagels.
(1)
Alexandra R.
I love kupel's. Their challah is out of this world! If I could fit it in me, I could probably eat a whole one in one sitting. Now I have to go get one, brb. They have lots of different kinds of bagels and a lot of the time you can tell who made the batch because they are different, but not in a bad way! Their hamantaschen with the poppy seed filling is awesome, like whoa.
(5)
Busy L.
Bagels were fair at best. Dry on the inside and not crusty on the outside or chewy. Bruegger's is more authentic and that's not saying alot or a good comparison considering it's a chain... Also bought some rugallah for $8.99/lb. 3 pieces set me back over $10. Holy cow. Again, nothing exciting that I would run back to get more. Bought a blueberry loaf and have yet to try. My guess is it'll be just OK.
(2)
Michael W.
Always a great bagel and I have to say I like when they run out of my favorites because it forces me to try something new. Garlic and everything bagels are a must. Sunday morning is not the same with out walk to kupel's and a everything bagel with Miami lox cream cheese and smoked salmon. The tuna salad and white fish are also great... don't worry about the line, it goes fast and while you wait you can pick out some good rugalach
(5)
Karrie W.
Tofu & chive cream cheese on a whole wheat everything bagel is so good that I've yet to try something different. Family & friends rave about the baked goods, and they certainly look fabulous.
(5)
Dalina C.
Solid place to get bagels. My roommates and I usually go on Sunday mid-mornings. The line is usually fairly long, so patience is key. There is a good assortment of bagels and cream cheese (love their jalepeno cream cheese!). Everyone who works there is nice and pleasant, although some are a little more generous with fillings than others. I also think I'm charged a different amount every time I go in there even if I get the same exact thing, but whatever, it all evens out in the end. It's still a good deal at about $2 per bagel w/cream cheese.
(4)
Byron M.
I used to live in Coolidge Corner and I love Kupel's. As others can attest to, there bagels are really good, and you do not need to toast them. In fact, when they are fresh and warm, they are oh soo good. If you are in the area, you may want to check them out.
(4)
Finn M.
Kupel's gets five stars because their bagels are, quite literally, "as good as it gets." I've got friends from New York who claim that it is literally impossible to beat a New York bagel ("it's something in the water!"), but I don't believe 'em, and that's mainly because I can go to Kupel's and get fresh, perfect bagels: a little crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. They're great toasted with any spread you can think of (and believe me, they've got a lot of them) or just eating them plain right out of the oven. I've never had any of their other baked good, and to be quite honest, I don't care. They have like 20-30 different bagel varieties and they're all awesome. It's authentically kosher/pareve, which I love as well. No idea what the people who claim these don't taste "fresh" are talking about.
(5)
Arezu S.
First time there. The employees were gruff and unhelpful, seemed in a hurry to rush us out. The chocolate babka wasn't particularly chocolate-y. I asked for a chocolate arugalach (however you spell that), didn't realize until I got home that they gave me raspberry. Wasn't terribly expensive, but I didn't feel welcome there.
(2)
Erin G.
Kupels! My very first experience of Kupels was heading over there one morning around 8AM. I was going on one of my famous (to me at least) 8+ mile journeys around boston and i figured since the place was already packed, i should grab a bite there and be on my way. i waited in line checking out the immense selection and drooled as fresh hot bagels were dumped into each bin. I decided on just a plain jalepeno bagel, not toasted, not even cut, definitely no cream cheese. it was hot, it was filled with jalepenos and it was delicious. the perfect wake up call.
(4)
Allie G.
Love, love, love Kupel's. I'm not a huge bagel snob (carbs, mmmm) BUT I think theirs are especially yummy. Veggie cream cheese (even reduced fat version) is excellent. Here's a heads-up: the weekend specials are a real deal, usually saving you at least 30-40% off of what you'd spend buying stuff separately. Just be sure to check the white-board before placing your order. You can eat there (two tables, I think) if you don't mind folks reaching over your head to accept their bags o' bagels--but it's probably a better place to stop in and get stuff to bring home or to a picnic.
(4)
Eli R.
How things have changed! For years I lived in Brookline and came to Kupel's often. It was wonderful. I no longer live in the area, but two weeks ago, just before the High Holy Days, I was visiting Boston and decided to stop by. It was sad. The bagels and the pastries were fine, but the people behind the counter were rude, inattentive, and clueless. I got my order and left. Two days later I went back, hoping that it was an accident. No such luck. When a teenager in a funny hat started coughing on a rugelach being bought by a lady in front of me, I simply had to turn around and leave. Seriously? This is what it has become? I could not recommend it until something majorly changes about the service.
(1)
allgimbel c.
Went here last week for the first time in years. These are the real deal and the college guy behind the counter was super friendly. I felt like I got my money's worth. (Everything bagel with lox spread and tomato, toasted, thank you.) Definitely worth straying from Bruegger's and Finagle...these are head and shoulders above those imposters. If you can't go here...check out the Iggy's outlet in Alewife Circle -- you'll have to go elsewhere for your schmear, though. Though I haven't tried them, lots of old school bakery items here too (rugelach, anyone?). I predict a return visit soon.
(5)
Mary M.
I wish I liked this place better, which is an oblique way of saying that I wish the bagels were better. Still, they do have a grand variety of flavors without (quite) slipping into the madness of chocolate chip or french toast bagels or any of that foolishness. The bagels are decent, the rugelach is okay, the cream cheese is leaden...it's all right.
(3)
Gee M.
I love Kupels in the morning--very early at 6 am on Sunday. The guy at the counter always remembers me and treats me right. The bagels are very good--yes I' ve had better, but still a real bagel and with lox and cream cheese, you have one great breakfast.
(4)
Jonah P.
Best bagels in all of Boston! There are so many chain bagel establishments in the area and they all SUCK! Kupel's is the only place in the area that is similar to a traditional New York bagel shop. The bagels are big and chewy and fresh. I wouldn't say the service is overly friendly but certainly not rude, though you need to know what you want when it's your time to order. They have a few small tables but there are a couple parks close by and I used to prefer to eat at those parks when weather permitted. Very close to Harvard/Comm so skip bagel rising and walk the five minutes to Kupels if you live in the area.
(5)
Kelly N Z R.
Love the bagels, love the tofutti cream cheese! This is the only bagel shop I know of that offers it. If you know of another, please let me know, but in the meanwhile, these delicious bagels are well worth the trek out to Brookline.
(5)
Julie N.
The bagels here are okay. I don't think they're as flavorful as they could be and I think Bagel World (although a little outside of the city) is way better. They also do not have meat for their sandwiches (for religious reasons), but the cream cheese is really good. It's always super crowded, but they wait on you pretty quickly. I've bought other bakery items from here and they are definitely not that great. The people who work here are also not too swift. They are always fooling around and never listen to what you say. I think they could use a little more training or a lesson in listening skills because my bagel is never toasted like I ask. If you're looking for bagels, I may find a different location.
(3)
Anne A.
The first thing to remember is that Kupel's isn't open on Saturday. More than once I've walked by, looking for a bagel and coffee, and stared mornfully at the closed doors. That said, these are the best bagels around. I usually order one of their whole-wheat bagels (everything, sesame, or raisin) to eat, and a dozen to last me through the week. If you get a whole dozen, it's cheaper to get excellent bagels here than "meh" ones at the supermarket. The baked goods are okay, but compared to the bagels are a disappointment. Also, while most of the employees are sharp and on the ball (they have to be --- there's usually lines out the door Sunday morning), if you get Sam expect to have your order and/or the cost of your order screwed up. I've had her serve me three times and things have never gone right.
(4)
Chris C.
The only bagel place, in the area, that didn't have it's menu, logo and interior determined in some board room by a bunch of money hungry men in bejewelled yarmulkes (okay, that's just how I imagine the board rooms of bruegger's and finagle). Not enough good things can be said about a friendly place where the people serving you have contact with or are the people who run a business. The bagels are fresh and delicious as is everything else I've tried here. Prices are comparatively dirt cheap and the service was super friendly.
(5)
Kylie S.
Kupel's bagels are divine. Oh am I happy I have moved back to the East Coast where they know how to make bagels. I love the whole wheat sesame bagels. At first I thought they looked too fat but they fit in the toaster oven and the taste and texture was just right.
(5)
Diane I.
i almost lived down the street from here... and i'm glad it didn't work out. this place is amazing... no self control when it comes to their pastries.
(5)
Mike D.
My favorite part about Kupel's is that they've ruined breakfast for several New Yorkers who should have known better than to buy bagels outside of New York if they're really the purists they claim to be. My second favorite part about them is their bagels, which aren't as good as the best I've had in New York but are certainly better than the worst and even the mediocre ones I ate there... and way better than any other bagels I've bought around here.
(4)
Lacey P.
They have black and white cookies. They have giant chocolate flat tires. They have tofu cream cheese. They have old Jewish men arguing. What else would one need for breakfast? Worth the trek from anywhere.
(5)
Courtney E.
I'm not a big bagel person, but I could be after seeing the selection at Kupels. They even have a wide selection of toppings, including the low-fat versions. I tried the Everything bagel toasted with cream cheese, which could have been better if it was actually warm. Even if it wasn't baked fresh out of the oven, I like it to taste as if it could be. Otherwise, for the price (like $1.50), it can't be beat, and their other baked goods, like the Rugallah is in itself, worth a special trip. Don't pass up on this place!!
(5)
Aya S.
Kupel's has been my go-to place for a quick breakfast on Sundays. There's always a line, but the service is fast. I've come across a few grumpy employees, but the spreads and cream cheese are fantastic! Cheap, quick, and fresh.
(4)
Stockton M.
Agree that their bagel's are more authentic than the bready/doughy local chains, but just not up to NY/NJ standards. Decent selection of jewish pasteries and chalah.
(3)
fred j.
These bagels are just alright. More like a hard roll shaped like a bagel. It's the same consistancy ( HARD DRY FROM OUTSIDE RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER) not like it should be ( CRISP CRUST WITH A NICE MOIST CHEWY CENTER ). I know how popular this place is, but I like my bagels and these are barely bagels. I'm not sure they even boil their bagels.
(2)
Jacob E.
The bagels are pretty good, and since nowhere else in the area is even close to acceptable, they get my vote. As a rigorously non-observant Jew, I wish that they would ease up on all the sabbath-observing. Being closed on saturday reduces the number of chances I have to go there by 50%.
(4)
Flora R.
classic ny style bakery. consistently good bagels and all the tasty spreads you could want. every time my mom comes to town this is a required breakfast stop. they also have a good variety of cookies and breads, but most people are there for the bagels. it's packed on sunday morning - but totally worth the wait.
(5)
Kate B.
Believe the hype. These are the best bagels in Boston. My fave is an everything bagel with hummus and tomato. With the long line (that moves fast) and limited table space, the store does get cramped. I recommend grabbing a bagel and heading a few blocks down Harvard Street. You'll come across a small park where you can sit and smugly enjoy your delicious bagel while you watch the masses wait in line for overpriced fare at Zaftigs.
(5)
sheryl l.
I forgot my wallet and Kupels had enough faith in me to bring back the money another day. I was very touched by that. I of course paid for it the next day. Thanks Kupels!
(5)
Fatty F.
Yesterday was an unusual situation, because I was in Brookline. Don't usually spend too much time there. So I stopped in to Kupels. It's an attractive enough looking place with some appetizing stuff and I loved the old timey sticker on the window from 1968 or 1969 that says by law I've got to leave my dog outside. Anyhow, I got this cookie. It was kinda terrible. Also this large pastry called a chocolate flat tire. Again an item that looked better than it tasted. I've got some Jewish friends who know I love Challah. They feed me Challah when i visit and usualy before I leave their heavily Jewish populated hood I buy myself a loaf or two to go. The Challah at Kupel's is the worst I've ever had.
(3)
Laura A.
since i moved here i have been bemoaning the lack of a decent bagel. i'm from the new york area (the dirty jerz) where bagels are plentiful and made correctly i.e. not overly doughy and bready, the way it mostly is here. not so at kupel's. probably the best bagel you'll find in the city (although rosenfeld's in newton centre runs a close second). kupel's does it up right. highly recommended. you know a bagel place is legit when they close on fridays and don't open again until sunday!
(5)
Mahogany G.
This is my first memory of a bagel. I mean a REAL bagel. I had just moved to the states and before Kupel's had only eaten the Thomas' bagels from supermarkets. This is where I learned that a bagel is more than just bread - it's something to be savoured. Something to look forward to on a Saturday morning. This is where I first tried flavoured cream cheese. I have such fond memories of this place and can't wait to get back to Brookline to get me some Kupel's bagels.
(5)
Sus M.
they have a bunch of dope breakfast sandwiches. bagels were aight. they are probably really good when they've just been made, but all bagels are, yknow? the coffee was subpar, i actually threw my iced coffee away after one sip.
(2)
kate L.
the only place that has cinnamon glazed bagels. The bagels are always cooked fresh and sometimes they have tasty cookies or other treats. The place has gone down hill a little bit but I still eat there all the time!
(3)
Robin G.
We went here instead of Bagel Rising and were extremely disappointing. The bagel almost tasted stale and the cream cheese was flavorless. I will not go back for a bagel, but might try something else as the pastries looked good. Then again the bagel looked good before I ate it.
(2)
John W.
please pardon my hyperbolic and alliterative exclamation: Kupel's serves Boston's best bagels, hands down!
(5)
Brian D.
Some people say that Rosenfeld's in Newton has better bagels, but I show those people my middle finger. Excellent variety of bagels including numerous whole wheat choices. Great flavored cream cheese. Reasonable prices. Try a tomato bagel with hummus. Plus it is just down 100 ft down the street from Ana's Taqueria and the Daily Catch. Three great food experiences so close to one another. It is almost disturbing.
(5)
Aaron M.
Just finished having breakfast there. The sandwiches were tasty (Randy Moss and an egg salad both on bagels) and the atmosphere had a nice NYC feel to it. I've been looking for a good bagel place in Boston and may just have found it. Also tried the humentashin which was also tasty.
(4)
Anonymous P.
Good bagels but not NYC quality. Surly service.
(4)
Ryan F.
I love bagels, and to tell you the truth i wasnt too impressed with kupels. ive only been there once so maybe i just caught it at a bad time and need to give it another chance. The bagels arent bad, but not as good as i was expecting after reading all the reviews. I would rather bagel rising down the street any day.
(3)
So S.
BEST BAGELS IN BOSTON!! This is locally known for being one of the best in taste and freshness for old style Bagels. You have never tasted anything like this. Tons of variety! If you love bagels, you have to check this out. Near the T collidge corner stop, brookline (birthplace of JFK), so you have no excuses to taste what Boston is all about!
(5)
Emily F.
I waited in line here for about 20 minutes on a Sunday morning, which was fine because I thought it was going to be really good. I'd read not to bother with the pastries, so I ordered an everything bagel with chive cream cheese. My bagel was doughy and undercooked and the server asked me about six times if I was sure that was all I wanted and then rudely threw my change on the counter. I live in Coolidge Corner and won't bother going past Breugger's next time I'm in the mood for a bagel
(2)
Marina B.
Extensive selection and some interesting options to choose from. The Ray Ray has cream cheese and jelly. Odd combination, maybe. Delicious, yes. Not really anywhere to sit, so it's better to take out and eat elsewhere. A nice local option if you're sick of the more typical chains.
(4)
Allie L.
I love their bagels here. No, they're not like the Bagels in New York, but I've yet to find a place here in Boston that can make that claim. There are tons of sandwich options, or you can create your own. The staff is generally pretty friendly and competent. Sundays are crazy so I suggest going on Friday and picking up a dozen bagels and toppings to avoid the lines.
(4)
Katia M.
Maybe I'm spoiled because of the New York Bagel I grew up near, where my best friend's mom would buy salt bagels. She'd butter and broil them for us in the oven, and they were the best bagels I have ever had, before or since, counting ones in actual New York. What I'm trying to say is, I think I know bagels. Chewy inside, crisp skin, boiled, yeah. Anyway, I like bread, so it's not that round bread bagels offend me, it's just that I know better. I'd rather have the good stuff. And, um, these aren't round bread. Plus, they have whole wheat everything AND tofutti spreads, so what can I say, I'm in love. Getting a half doz for the work week here is a wonderful Sunday activity, just know that it will be busy as heck and you'll probably be asked what you want before you can even see all the options. Fear not. You'll get served.
(5)
Taylor V.
If I lived closer to Kupel's Bakery, I would be there every single day. We are from Rhode Island and we do not have any Jewish bakeries in the state which I constantly crave. I have always heard stories about Jewish bakeries and deli's in Brooklyn, where my family is from, and RI has nothing! We visited Kupel's after a weekend in Boston and it was everything I could have ever dreamed of and more. The bagels were perfect and came in a variety of flavors. There are a billion different cream cheese flavors, knish (potato being my favorite), pastries, coffee and a great sandwich menu. The sandwiches are named after local athletes like Tom Brady. The smoked salmon was so fresh and the bagels with cream cheese just melted in your mouth. I took home a dozen bagels, smoked salmon and potato knish's for my grandparents and they bagged my salmon and cream cheese on ice for the ride back. They said it was exactly like their days in Brooklyn and even froze some bagels to save for a later date. We cannot wait to go back to Kupels. I think the staff knew I was a "tourist" because I was way too enthusiastic about being there but I couldn't help it! :)
(5)
Jeremy K.
I love this little hidden jewel in Brookline... They have great food and it's very authentic. The people working there are friendly and always eager to help you out. They have bagels, lots of them. And theirs are delicious! Big and tasty! They have all kinds of them, you name it, they have it. They also have cookies of all sorts including various sorts of humentachen. That's awesome too. Their signature cake which I have yet to try is their bubka. Any Seinfield fan out there owes it to themselves and get one. I didn't do that, shame on me. I will next time I swing by though. Their food is freshly baked and their prices are great! Awesome place!
(4)
Jeremy B.
Good bagels, very close to the real thing. No, you will never find the real thing outside of NY, so don't expect to.
(4)
Miriam L.
Bagels...or bed pillows. You decide. This is not just another "I am from NY/NJ and miss their bagels rant." This is a case of extreme disappointment. Admittedly, I missed my mom, I missed real bagels and I needed something for breakfast. Much to my absolute delight, they even had salt bagels (I have low blood pressure, shut it). The salt certainly looked a little...meager. To say the least. The bagel looked a little...pale. To say the least. Yet I cheerily tripped out of the store ready for the bagel equivalent to a hug. It was not to be. I cut into the bagel. I noticed a distinct lack of "crust" - comes from boiling it a certain way I suppose. (I don't make bagels for a living.) And only after slicing the bagel in half, vertically did I realize... This bagel was masquerading as a bed pillow. I don't know what it is with this state, but bagels - REAL bagels - are not supposed to be puffy, white and bready. This offering was a good twice the size a bagel should be. It had no crust. At all. It had no semblance of a shell - nevermind that it was actually, in reality, barely salted. And the taste? I could have been eating store-bought white bread. I took the second half and proceeded to cut it into four thin slices to make what we "down south" call "Bagel Chips." I could have made them thinner and churned out six, but it was early, and I didn't want to cut myself while suffering from low blood sugar due to an inedible bagel. Anyone who has had a real bagel knows that you should really only be able to get two or three good thin slices from a bagel half. I rest my case.
(1)
Dara C.
I tried in vain to come up with a list of things I would do for a fresh, hot Kupel's bagel. However, halfway through, I realized the list of things I WOULDN'T do for a fresh, hot Kupel's bagel was much easier to assemble. Namely, I wouldn't kill a kitten, and I wouldn't ever like Scott Brown. I think that's it, though.
(5)
Mike M.
People usually rave about the bagels here, but the man, or woman (who knows really?)knows how to make some rugelach. My fav so far has been cinnamon chocolate, aka, "get your fat ass to gym tomorrow Mike". Thankfully they price by the lb, otherwise, I'd be on the Dr. Phil show as a cherry picker struggles to pull me out of my bedroom. Don't waste your time with the homentasch, cookies, or the bear claw. It's all about the rugelach!!
(4)
Kathy A.
Fantastic bagels and smear. They have all sorts of flavors and added a new sunflower seed type. I also love that they have a whole wheat option for some of the different flavors. The best deal is getting the day old bagels or pastries that taste almost as good and are so much cheaper.
(4)
Sarah A.
So, I am finally just getting around to this update, but I am knocking a star off my original review for a scary experience I had with Kupel's bagels back in March. It was right around St. Patrick's Day and I don't know, maybe they had some left over festive St. Patrick's Day green batter that some how made its way into a pumpernickel bagel (that's what I'd like to think), but I sliced open my big, beautiful pumpernickel bagel, to find a large section of GREEN. Now, I am just going to go along with the St. Patrick's Day green batter theory (maybe someone's half Irish or something) but I also must entertain the frightening thought that this was (gasp) MOLD in the bagel. So, ever since then, I've been a little traumatized and have been avoiding Kupels and favoring the asiago cheese bagels at Panera. I do still really like their bagels... sans green stuff. On another note, the challah is awesome. Holla for the challah!
(3)
John A.
The other morning I woke up with a raging hangover. I stumbled into the kitchen and much to my dismay, I was out of coffee! So of course I was in panic mode when I remembered, "Hey isn't there a little bakery at the end of the street?" I strapped on my boots and warmest winter clothes then stepped out into the January cold in hopes that the imagined bakery at the end of the street existed and had coffee. And there it was...Kupel's Yes, they had coffee and it was delicious. They also had tasty bagels and quality customer service. All of this made my headache and frozen limbs seem ok.
(4)
John S.
Simply the best. My wife and I can always agree to go to this place for breakfast. Seriously, best bagels and cream cheeses in Boston (technically it's not in Boston though) that I have experienced. As for all of the other pastries, I rarely delve into those. I had some rugelach once and it was extremely rich and expensive. But, I'm not so knowledgable about Jewish pastries. Anyway, eat bagels here!
(5)
Shira K.
These are apparently the best bagels in Brookline, which is sort of sad, given the demographics of the neighborhood. They're fine. The service is excellent; the men who work here are lovely and patient. The selection of cream cheese is great, and fresh. They have hamentashen and chocolate chip cookies that remind me so much of my Hebrew school days. That is to say, not that great in an objective sense, but somehow, viscerally satisfying.
(3)
Marcy K.
In grad school days #$^&^ years ago, Kupel's and I were best buds. We'd get together every Sunday morning, especially if friends were around, and "he" never disappointed. The bagels were superb, the people behind the counters were friendly, the black and whites were to die for, and the wait was even palatable. He treated me nicely. Because of more discriminating tastes, I suppose, Kupel's isn't my best pal anymore, and I can't even say we're friends. I went in to see the old guy today for old time's sake, so I could buy some Jewish rye to complement some kosher corned beef and pastrami that I will be purchasing this week. I also bought some chocolate chip rugelach (usually purchased at Reins in Vernon, CT) and challah rolls (usually purchased at Cheryl Ann's in Brookline) as well as a whole wheat sesame bagel (usually purchased at Bagels Plus, in Acton). Big mistake on all three fronts. The challah rolls were tasteless, the bagel was hard, the rugelach was dry, and the rye bread....well, just wasn't what I'm used to. I like rye bread crisp on the outside and in the shape of a football, and this was neither. And I like it to taste like rye bread. Looked like Wonder Bread with a slight tannish color. I know many other yelpers sing this place praises, which is great, but I'll stick to my old standbys, which are 1,000 times better for the products I purchased. Wish I could find a decent place to buy rye bread. The best place that sells it is in NY, but am not heading in to Yonkers or the Bronx anytime soon...unless someone wants to send me a ticket to the World Series. I know, I know. Am feeling a little guilty giving this place 2 stars, while most other people gave it 4 or 5, but I won't be swayed. Go, Yankees!
(2)
Oleana B.
I don't know why I have never been in here. I have been walking by this place for years but somehow it must have been an awkward time for bagels. I got a bagel with lox, tomato and cream cheese and an iced coffee. Everything was amazing. Really fresh lox, a very generous amount of cream cheese and excellent bagel. The coffee was delicious. My brother got something called 'babka' which is bread with chocolate baked in. It looked very good. They also had challah and a bunch of bread on display that looked fabulous. What I got was so good that I was seriously considering going back again the same day and getting the same thing but that somehow did not seem right. Anyway this is my new go-to bagel place.
(5)
Andrea E.
I, too, am a native NYer, but I'm not a bagel snob. Who can afford to be? Still the bagels here are just no better than you'd get at a grocery store or a plain old goyishe bagel place. I got a piece of apple strudel, pretty psyched to dig into it that night. It was SO bad, that it was worth having paid for it just because I got to imitate my father had he ever been given something so disgusting passed off as strudel. I got to mash it and make faces and say things to the imaginary waitress like, "You actually have the nerve to call this strudel? Where the hell are the apples? There is not one goddam apple in this thing!!" And there really weren't; it was a brown mash of something that I would only be flattering by saying it had the vague taste of cinnamon. Depending on when you go, you'll be served by a surly jerk or a nice kid, you'll have to take your chances. Or not.
(2)
Ryan M.
I have the amazing privilege of living right down the street from Kupel's which is really a gift and a curse. On one hand I have the ability to get delicious bagel sandwiches whenever I want but on the other hand I don't have the patience/bankroll to dine out here for breakfast every day. It's a real problem I've been having. Kupel's offers some delicious bagel sandwiches named after past and present Boston sports figures and some of the best pastries in the area and is a staple of Brookline weekends. The only drawbacks I could name for Kupel's is that it is Kosher so it's closed on Saturdays and does not have sandwiches with meat and cheese touching (complaints from a Catholic boy) and that the lines on Sunday can be about 30 minutes long in the morning (complaints from an impatient boy). Other than those two things you will be pleased by the delicious bagels that Kupel's has to offer.
(4)
Renee M.
I am kind of snobby when it comes to bagels and pizza because New Jersey and New York seriously have the best bagels and pizza ever! It's a fact! Anyway, that being said, Kupel's bagels come pretty damn close to the bagels I cherish from home. This place is an authentic Jewish bakery (closed on Saturdays, I learned that the hard way!) with bagels, challah and many other kinds of pastries. I always get an everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese and while it is a little pricey it is always worth it. Yum. My friend got challah from here once too and it was fresh and delicious. Only complaint is that there is usually nowhere to sit as it is very small inside and there are limited tables and chairs. Oh well, that's why I only come here on nice days!
(4)
Lauren S.
"Oy, I'm having nightmares of honeycake and challah flying over my head!" I love Kupel's. I love the staff, I love the fact that nearly every flavor of bagel comes in whole wheat, I love sitting outside and eating a bagel on a sunny morning in Brookline. I'm not going to lie, as someone who grew up in New Jersey, I can't say Kupel's bagels top my list or even make it into the top five, but they are certainly decent, fast and can be topped with yummy spreads and comfort toppings. Nothing better on a Sunday morning!
(4)
Amy L.
I love the bagels from Kupel's :) always fresh and they have best lox in the city. I usually stop by to grab a breakfast and all the staffs are always friendly and fast. I always get their whole wheat bagel or onion bagel with the lox. everything else is very tasty and fresh. good place for grab n go breakfast! :)
(4)
Jeff D.
Was walking by here after lunch at Dorado and could not resist grabbing two whole wheat everything bagels for breakfast eats for a few days. Yesterday I did not toast it, as the bagel was still nice and moist and chewy. Today it was a bit harder so in the toaster it went. Both were delicious and flavorful and just the right size to fill me up. I can't wait to stop in again and buy some lox to go as well.
(4)
Jane Z.
BEST BAGELS IN BOSTON. Hands down. I love them!! Whenever I buy their bagels and am driving home, they fill my car with their awesome smell. Make sure you go there early, otherwise they'll be out of bagels!
(5)
K S.
4 stars for the bagels. They are clearly the fair haired child of Kupels. They are always fresh and have the perfect chew, and retain that chewy moist interior when toasted. My personal favorite are the salt bagels. I also get the miami cream cheese which is flavored with little bits of salmon and scallions. I take it home and run it through the mini chopper with side of lox. I end up with a perfectly smoky salmony oniony pinkish cream cheese. I have had the veggie cream cheese as well. Meh. It's like cream cheese blended with Knorr veggie soup/dip mix with extra shredded carrots. I just don't like it but it's not terrible. The baked goods leave a lot to be desired. Where is the love? They are dry and extra sweet. They remind me of things you get at BJ's or Costco. There are a large variety of these items but to me they all taste the same. I have not tried any of the breads but they look glorious. Perhaps for the next snow day I'll grab a loaf for french toast and update my review.
(4)
Roxana F.
This review is for the pastries, not the bagels. I'm a pastry/dessert fanatic, so when I was walking by this place and saw the display case from outside I knew I had to stop in. Their display looks pretty good - lots of delicious LOOKING pastries. One of the young guys working there started talking to me...telling me "we're really popular, look at how many customers we had today" and showed me this long receipt with what I suppose was how many customers he had that day. Okay...strange first impression. Then I said I wanted an apple strudel and asked him how it was, and both the people behind the counter kinda shook their head and said that they wouldn't recommend that because the filling was like baby food. Okay...I like honesty so I appreciated the tip off but still found it kind of strange. So I got the apple claw or something along those lines, it had cinnamon sugar rubbed on the pastry bit and apple inside. Looked amazing...but didn't taste as great. My first bit was nasty. It didn't taste like apple...tasted like it was baked with or sitting near an onion bagel. And I hate onions. The apple filling was too sweet, probably to overcompensate for the rest of the pastry...but I didn't actually taste APPLE. I was biting through chunks of what I assume were apple, but if one were to not know what they were eating, they probably wouldn't have guessed apple. SO if you're in the mood for a pastry/dessert, skip this place and meander down the road to Beacon Street, where you can find Brookline Party Favors and Finale.
(2)
Jessica S.
I love bagels from Kupel's! My roommate and I love to come here on Sunday mornings. The size and density of the bagels is perfect and the amount of cream cheese isn't overdone. Paying $6.99 for a poppy seed bagel with cream cheese and lox is a bit pricey, but they do give you enough lox for two people to make up for it. All of the pastries and Jewish desserts look incredible as well, but I have yet to try them. Areas needing improvement: 30 minute wait on a Sunday morning, prices are not written on all baked goods, and apparently ordering a "side of lox" means a side of lox flavored cream cheese instead of the actual salty goodness.
(4)
Elizabeth S.
I want to be in love, but, I'm just.... not. Why: 1) I miss New York. I miss New York bagels. I only lived there for a year, and those bagels ruined me for life. (Is it really in the water, like Kramer says?) 2) I'm never sure what is parve and what isn't parve at Kupel's. I am a big fan of dairy, and a tad creeped out by parve. Words of Kupel's wisdom: 1) Get the Shaq. Cream cheese, lox, tomato & lettuce, best bang for yo' buck. 2) Be careful who you order from. Today my bagel-mate had pretty much the worst server ever: "Is it okay if the eggs are cold? I forgot to warm them up." [blank stare] "It'll take like 45 seconds." "That'd be cool, thanks." Umm... who prefers their eggs cold? He then tossed all the toppings on the bagel in such a way that they all fell out upon eating. My girl was great, though - perfectly made bagel sandwich. All of the baked goods look delicious but I never know which are parve... I'm assuming most of them are. I bought one once and bit into it and realized it was NOT cheese. Byebye pastry. Moral of the story: if you keep kosher, this is the place to be (and the constant crowds agree). If you don't, it's still a fine bagel place for Boston standards. I'ma keep looking for my dream bagel.
(2)
Ian C.
I've been in Boston for two years now, and I've been struggling to find a decent bagel. I happened upon this place last week, and my faith in Boston's ability to supply delicious bagels has been restored! Their cream cheese was delicious (homemade!) but the best part was the bagels themselves. Chewy in the center, but the perfect amount of crust. The taste was exceptional. I got an egg bagel as part of a sandwich with salmon, onions, and cream cheese, and it was perfect. The ingredients balanced each other out just right. I also got a Challah to go, and it was delicious. I finished it in literally two days... I just couldn't stop eating it! That staff at Kupel's was really nice and patient. They were really helpful and helped me pick out the perfect sandwich, and even offered me a free bottle of water. Needless to say, I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Kathleen C.
If this review was only for food, I'd give it a 4. However, due to the total confusion of the customers and staff while I was there, this is dropping to a 3. I tried a variety of pastries, some better than others, but the frozen dough thing - fabulous! The service was so strange, though. There was a woman in front of us who had sampled a bunch of items, but apparently hadn't ordered. This was learned after we were asked for our order, and the woman started yelling at the girl behind the counter (and us)...not sure who was helping her with the samples, but it seems that would constitute being helped.... When we finally got to order, the person we ordered from was confused and didn't add all of our items to the order. Then, when she forgot things, instead of adding them, she kept asking if we still wanted them. Of course we wanted them - we ordered them! So, while I might stop in for pastries (ok, probably will), I have a bad taste in my mouth from the service. It stopped me from going back in a second time while in the area and visited a stop down the way instead. However, I'm sure I'll give it another try...sometime....
(3)
John P.
Oh Kupel's. So conflicted about this place. Their bagels are outstanding. Like, legitimately outstanding. They are chewy, and have body, but remain soft (a rather difficult dichotomy to embody). All your favorite bagel varieties (poppy, sesame, everything, etc.) are available in both white and whole wheat versions (which is fantastic for the health conscience). I literally order two whole wheat sesame with garlic herb cream cheese when I'm there- it's worth the double dip. With all that said, I never encountered a customer base that is more rude, pushy, or inconsiderate in all of Brookline. I've been in the area for nearly 7 years, and I am routinely amazed at how brazenly obnoxious these older Brookline folks are (rude to the staff, rude to other customers, disregard basic line etiquette, etc.). I'm also amazed that the staff makes it in the morning: most look hung over every time I'm there on a Sunday morning. But hey, if I had to deal with Kupel's rude regulars on a weekly basis, I too would be equally despondent on the job. Bottom line: a great bagel, but only if you can stomach their customers (and poor service).
(3)
Jamie H.
let me preface this review by saying that i love cream cheese. LOVE it. one of my favorite foods (if you will) in the world. kupel's has an amazing variety of cream cheeses, ranging from honey walnut, strawberry, scallion, olive, vegetable, and many others. they also offer light versions of many of the flavors. second to the fact that i love their cream cheese, every time i have the privilege of having a bagel sandwich i think to myself... "no other food in the world is a better vehicle for cream cheese than this bagel." so embarrassing to admit, but so true. chewy, soft, and always enough flavor to make it worth it. i don't know how they manage to get so many sesame seeds onto the surface! the only thing that kupel's is lacking is spicy mustard and mayonnaise. egg sandwiches are just not complete without condiments. and it would be great if they were open on saturdays too!
(4)
Dela B.
I've been to Kupels many times over the past 3 years and I still can't make an accurate assessment of their bagels. In terms of selection, Kupels takes the cake with their countless varieties of cream cheeses, bagel toppings, and whole wheat offerings, but Kupels lacks the consistency that would keep me going regularly and actually recommending it to others. Some days, I would compare Kupels to the amazing Ess-A-Bagel in NYC, and other days, the bagels are so dry that I'd easily prefer a bagel from Dunkin. Not quite sure what the issue is, but I don't really like the feeling of gambling on my bagel quality. If I'm going to make the trek to get a bagel, it had better be better than what I'd get from Shaw's or Dunkin two blocks away.
(3)
Joshua S.
While I was in Boston for a wedding we ended up in Brookline, headed to 4A coffee shop right across the street(we're kinda coffee tourists) We walked in and the place was packed, this lovely younger woman took my order...unfortunately I was looking for a bagel and wasn't in a position to see the bagels or the selection of toppings. So I just ordered a plain bagel with plain cream cheese. Which, seemed to bring a wave of disappointment over the girl taking my order, within about a minute I had my bagel, which is probably one of the best I've came across. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Boston, and I'll definitely try something a little more exciting than plain and plain.
(4)
Kristine S.
I won't deny it... Kupel's makes a tasty bagel. I was delighted to go to a bakery that I could eat with a Jewish friend because it is kosher. Great kosher bagels to nosh on and enjoy with a good friend = winning situation..... except when... The counterperson helping me out looked at me like I had four heads when I was trying to order a "Randy Moss": plain bagel, lox, cream cheese, and onions. They have a special bagel sandwich menu named after Boston sports and other various athletes, and the guy didn't know the menu at all. After repeating what I wanted and even told the guy to look at the second listing on the left on the menu, he was staring at the combo figuring out what to put on my order. It gets busy; there was a lot of trash left on tables that I ended up pushing aside because I couldn't find a trash can (later spotted after eating next to the door). It would probably better for such a busy bakery to have more staff continuously clean around the seating areas. This place would be downright awesome if only it was kept cleaner and the staff was a little more knowledgeable about their offerings and menu. Worth coming back again though just to see if my visit was a one time bad experience.
(2)
Harry H.
Not impressed with the heavy cinnamon rugullah (guess that's the traditional spelling) for $3.42 (8.99/lb). Appreciated the old school place with fat B&Ws and twist bagels, but wouldn't return.
(3)
Stevie P.
I have heard GOOD things about this place. I had my first Kupel's bagel in February with cream cheese and lox (it wasn't toasted because the bagels were served during a class). It was delicious, even though I prefer toasted bagels. My second experience (first time at the bakery) was TERRIBLE. Get ready for a funny story: Sunday morning began with driving to the bakery with my friend (she's never said anything negative about Kupel's). There was a long line, but I knew the wait would be worth it, because, like I said before, I heard RAVE reviews. I ordered THE BIRD (bagel with lox, cream cheese, and capers). It's around 7 dollars, but I love capers and I couldn't wait to try it. My bagel barista asked what kind of bagel I would like and I said "ONION, PLEASE!" (loudly and clearly). I should have watched him as he made my sandwich, because I ended up getting THE CRAWFORD (two eggs, lettuce, onion, and cheese) on a POPPY SEED bagel. What the heck? Totally wrong! The place was loud, but I was close enough and clearly stated my order to him, with eye contact and everything. I'm not the only one with the bad experience... My friend ordered a bagel sandwich. She wanted lettuce, tomato, and onions on it. Her bagel barista says "Sorry, we're out of tomatoes" - um... it's a Sunday and people are hungry for bagels! You can't be "out" of tomatoes - all you have to do is run to the back and get the next batch of sliced tomatoes - but no. We sat down to eat our orders and my friend noticed that there were, in fact, TOMATOES in stock. She just had a lazy bagel barista. I'll go back again - just not on a Sunday. But seriously... how does THE BIRD become THE CRAWFORD, and ONION,PLEASE become POPPY SEED?!
(2)
Ann L.
Whole wheat everything bagel? Yes, please. Amazing cream cheeses available in full flavor and low fat varieties. Line snaked around the tiny store on a Sunday morning. This is not a surprise. Limited seating available, so take your goodies home with you!
(4)
Sam S.
REALLY disappointed. I drove half an hour there and half an hour back only to find that they messed up my order, which was a BASIC order. I ordered each item one at a time, and clearly. I ordered a plain bagel, toasted, with lox and cream cheese and an everything bagel, not toasted, with lox, cream cheese and tomato. Instead, I got a plain bagel with lox and an everything bagel with lox flavored cream cheese. The lox flavored cream cheese was disgusting - it honestly tasted like cat food. The lox was OK, but not great - I have had much better from the supermarket. I also ordered a black and white cookie, expecting it to be made in the traditional style, and it wasn't. The cookie was good, but there was WAY too much frosting, and the frosting was made for a cake, not a cookie. Cake frosting stays soft, whereas cookie frosting should become hard. It was so sweet that I actually had to wipe it off and eat the cookie plain. Finally, I ordered a container of white fish salad to go. I was really disappointed to see that it wasn't made in house like I expected, but instead it was pre packaged. I haven't tasted it yet, but it was still pretty disappointing. All in all, I won't be going back. The bagels are good, but they weren't that busy and still messed up my order. BUMMER.
(3)
Lia B.
I stopped by here on my way to Alexander from MiniLuxe. I'm not usually out in Brookline very often, but I think I will come out of my way to come here! I had a sandwich, I don't remember what it was called, but it was chive cream cheese with cucumbers and onions. It was amazing. I had it on the egg bagel, and I was in HEAVEN. The bagel was perfectly chewy and it rivaled the incredible bagels I've had in New York. We also got a loaf of challah, and it was delicious as well. Soft and slightly sweet, it tasted amazing even two days later! The staff was incredibly friendly and patient with us, even when we debated and changed our order several times. I will definitely be back.
(4)
Britton R.
Bagel's were good, chocolate babka was great, vegan cream cheese available.
(4)
Marissa S.
Best bagel I've had since moving to Boston 3 years ago. Reminded me of the bagel place from where I grew up near Chicago, which nothing compares, hence only 4 stars!
(4)
Monique S.
OMG. I ate the whole thing. Mmm. I passed by this place several times but this is the first time I found it open. I don't even remember what I got. I believe it was an apple flat. It's filled with apple and sprinkled with a generous amount of cinnamon. To make things better, it was only $1.99. Now who can beat that? I didn't mean to eat the whole thing though. It was well worth the calories though. The staff was very friendly and really knew the selections.
(4)
Scott B.
Five stars solely due to this being my favorite bagel and lox ever. I get it on an onion bagel with chive cream cheese.
(5)
Trish K.
I used to love going to this sweet Jewish bagel shop on Sunday mornings with my beau until recently when I'm pretty sure management fired all their mentally capable employees and hired young men and women from half-way houses for the tax breaks. Actually, I'd be insulting those living in half-way houses by saying they work at Kupel's; these clowns probably need to hit rehab first. On a Sunday in November while waiting in line I saw: 1) a male employee turn on his phone/radio in the middle of taking an order and begin rapping an Eminem song; and 2) a female employee accidentally toss a Sharpie marker into a tub of cream cheese. I'll spare you details on how incompetently the employees took orders and goofed around in front of the long line of customers, but you get the idea. The particular young woman who took our order asked us no less than 3 times if we wanted our bagel sandwiches toasted, to which we replied 'yes' each time. Amazingly, our bagel sandwiches were not toasted 15min later. When I asked about flavors of coffee she was surprisingly able to read off the list of flavors, but when I told her how I'd like my coffee she informed me that they were actually all out of those flavors; good to know. Kupel's... oy vey!
(1)
Adam C.
If this is really the best bagel experience in Boston then that's downright tragic. The bagels: not crisp in the slightest on the outside and rather bland overall. I've heard descriptions on Yelp of "white bread", "waxy", "sad" and I'd generally agree with all of those. The service: abysmal. I thought neighborhood places were supposed to be friendly. The teens behind the counter couldn't have been any less interested in doing their jobs. We get it, working at a bagel shop necessitates waking up early. You don't have to let the world at large know how cranky you are every second of the day. I will say that the black & white cookies looked pretty good but I can't put up with the "service" again to find out. I can't think of one reason to go here over a Bruegger's.
(2)
Jason K.
So you're from NY and you want a half descent bagel here in Boston? That's not going to happen at Brueggers..Yuck! This place however will get you a bit closer but still will not live up to NY style bagel stores. Not to mention that on a busy weekend day they will have a line out the door full of brookline yuppies. Just suck it up and take the three hour drive down to NYC for all your bagel needs and then freeze a dozen in your fridge.
(2)
Anya S.
I love love love this place!!! Top ten reasons for Kupels being the absolute best. 1. Best bagels in the city!! 2. Kosher! 3. Cheap!!!! 4. Friendly service! 5. Yummy lox (very reasonably priced) 6. Every spread that you can possibly think off, they've got it. 7. Weekend deals are a real deal. 8. Potato knish. I wish they would hire me, so I can steal that recepie. 9. Chocolate babkas!! Yum! 10. Rugalach!!! BONUS 11. If you want to see me in my natural habitat, come to Kupels, get a bagel, have a seat, Im a regular there.
(5)
Claudio P.
Great bagels, get the salmon, it's totally loaded and delicious. Highly recommended next to Bagel Rising.
(5)
Cris L.
Best bagels in Boston (there aren't a ton of choices, but still...). Not open on Saturday (Shabbat) but otherwise, a super cool bagel shop in Coolidge corner area. The sweet treats are delish too (just take one look at the black and white cookie) but the bagels/smear's are the star of this joint. Their selection is large (for cream cheeses too). Prices are fair and they do take debit/credit cards.
(4)
Hersh N.
Kupels is a perfect example of a neighborhood store. Delicious food. Excellent and caring service. great quality and fresh ingredients. Supports the local economy. Very reasonably priced. The owner is personally working and available most of the times at the store. He will talk to you and make sure you have a good experience. I personally love "The Welker" sandwich. Their selection of cream cheese is delicious and fresh. Much better than Bruegger's. I once went to the store on crutches and the owner just started talking to me. Later on when me and a friend went in to pay for our bagels, we were told it was on the house. Its been more than 2 years now and the owner still comes around and personally says hi. Cant emphasize enough how this is a perfect cornerstone business in the brookline community. A business, that while being at the top of its trade is still able to provide competitive pricing and great quality.
(5)
James O.
(1st time here) Although I like bagels, I have never been crazy about them, so reviewing bagel places is a bit redundant. However, Kupel's definitely has some pluses: +Incredibly cheap (IS THIS BOSTON?!!?) +A great variety of whole wheat bagels (not just the lame plain, sad, brown one) +100% Kosher (legitimately) +Decent cup of coffee I tried "The Truth" bagel sandwich on a whole wheat everything bagel: lox, herb cream cheese, tomatoes, and capers. I absolutely love salmon, especially on a bagel with cream cheese. Unfortunately this salmon was super salty and the cream cheese was literally lathered on. A bit overwhelming for me. The bagel itself was great, crispy, and nicely toasted. This place is very small with limited seating, and a line quickly builds up. But with 4-5 kids cranking out sandwiches, it moves pretty fast. The array of pastries on display look delicious as well. I'll definitely stop by again if I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come back here.
(3)
Eric L.
One of my favorite bagel spots. Try the lox! Good selection of bagels and pastries. I usually get a bagel with cream cheese, but they have bagel sandwiches too. Also, I like their coffee, but it's nothing special. Kosher, so don't ask for bacon or ham (like the ignoramous in line behind me). Small little place with more outdoor seating than indoor. Neither of which could hold more than 10 (on a good day). I recommend it if you like bagels and a more traditional Jewish bakery. Don't expect the huge NY style bagels though (not to say these are small or anything).
(4)
Emily A.
New York bagels these aren't. However, if you're in the hunt for a bagel in the Cambridge/Allston/Brighton/Brookline area, these are probably the best thing you'll find. Yes, the service is a bit...uneven. And yes, you may have to repeat your order three times, or stop and correct them while they're erroneously putting someone else on it. And yes, I've paid four different prices on four occasions for the same exact item (depends on who rings it up, apparently!). BUT it's the only place in my neighborhood where I can get tuna salad on a bagel with capers and onions, which I love, so it earns 3 stars in my book.
(3)
Marshall S.
I was at Kupel's on 11/29/13 at 2:39Pm. I bought a rye bread. I couldn't believe while I was paying for my bread another clerk was filling an order for bagels, dropped a bagel on the very dirty floor and picked it up and placed it in the bag. This is the dirtiest bakery I have ever been in . It even smells dirty, the clerks don't wear gloves.
(1)
Mo C.
I only went for the bagels, simply because I do not particularly enjoy sweet treats. But the pastries that were in the case when you first walked in did make my mouth water a bit. And some of them were HUGE! So to break it down simply, they offer up tasty bagels in many varieties (whole wheat everything is my fav). They also have many condiments (different flavored cream cheeses and more) and also make sandwiches (of the bagel variety of course). You can buy a half dozen or dozen to take home and also offer their cream cheeses in 8 oz or larger containers. Along with the crazy variety of pastries and breads...This place has plenty to offer Much better than Bagel Caboose in Maine, what bugs me about them is they put a semolina crust on the bottom of their bagels. Kupel's has their toppings on the top and bottom of their bagels. Like i said the everything bagel is kind of a big deal!!! one other thing, pronounce Kupels like 'Couples'.
(5)
Kristen C.
Traditional Jewish bakery which means the stars here are of course the bagels. And they are real, and dare I say it, 'New York style' bagels, with a glossy outside and satisfyingly chewy to bite into. All the traditional flavors are there, with a couple less conventional ones such as jalapeno. Probably the best bagels in the city.
(4)
Sarah M.
iIf you can get through the line, they are the BEST BAGELS in Boston. the CHALLAH BREAD is wonderful and the ALMOND COOKIES are extremely addicting, especially with morning coffee. The other pastries aren't that great, but I will always go back for the bagels and cream cheese.
(5)
Michelle L.
I love bagels. Granted, I've never had a New York bagel, but I can spot a bad bagel from a mile away, and I know to look for that chewy texture and denseness, and that special distinctive malty, just plain bagel-y flavor. Growing up in the DC metro area I actually used to get fantastic bagels from the now-sadly-defunct Chesapeake Bagel Bakery. I used to eat them plain, untoasted-- not even with cream cheese, just savoring the bagel on its own merits. I remember the crackle as I tore it open, the steam rising because it was always fresh and warm... Oh, oops. I was supposed to be reviewing Kupel's, wasn't I? Well, I've spent my adult life in Boston searching for something approaching those perfect bagels I remember. And Kupel's comes pretty damn close. Theirs is the first bagel I've had around here that's good enough to not require toasting-- the test of a real bagel and not just bread with a hole in it. I actually had the pleasure of polite, prompt, and unimpatient service during my visit, but then, I came in midmorning on a weekday, not a Sunday, and there was no rush. I was thrilled by the variety of whole wheat options. I tried whole wheat cinnamon and, when I'd finished, promptly ordered two whole wheat poppy seed and two whole wheat everything bagels to see me through the rest of the week. (and oh, they do not skimp on the poppy seeds. Each one is a bonus point in their favor.) I also tried the black and white cookie/cake/whatever. It was astonishingly huge, but a bit dry once I ate it later that day-- not sure if waiting affected the quality or not. Not bad for the price, but doesn't hold a candle to Lyndell's. Ah well. Next time I'll try the babka. (I've wanted to try babka since that episode if Seinfeld and I've STILL never tasted it, though I've had my share of black and white cookies in the interval.)
(4)
Heather S.
So, I happened to be in Brookline after dropping my dvd off at my favorite video store, Movieworks, and I was hungry. Hungry, hungry, HUNGRY! First, I was thinking of getting chicken soup with noodles and matzoh balls at Zaftig's, but I had that earlier in the week. Then, I was rounding the corner, and saw Kupel's. I thought, Jewish neighborhood, bagles, "Bet they're as good as the ones in Brooklyn." Nope! This was the worst FRESH bagel I've ever had in my life. Fresh, as in not frozen Sara Lee bagels, or those ones that come in vending machines and have no shelf-life listed on them. Or, in this case, maybe "fresh," as in a rebellious bagel that refuses to taste good. WTF? It was soft and hard, flat inside, not fluffy & chewy, and when my teeth hit the back layer of the bagel, it was like chewing through cardboard. I stopped myself. Why waste the empty calories that Yahoo! says are in bagels (all bread and no vitamins)? There is no way that they boil their bagels! I should have known. All the cookies in the bakery were flat and pale and looked like statue-replicas of themselves. ICK. This is not even close to a NY bagel. Not even close. Kupel's = Cardboard.
(1)
Rana H.
I'm from NYC and I'm Jewish so I know a good bagel when I see one. That being said, this definitely fulfills my cravings for a good bagel. They are the real bagels, not the small fried hard kind that they sell at Brueggers. Great spreads. I tried the veggie one and it was tasty.
(4)
Kaveh Z.
The only reason I am not giving 5 stars is the long wait time. Only one Microwave oven doesn't make sense. The bagel was perfect though
(4)
Steven R.
Man I love the bagels here! We always get our weekly bagels here and have never had a bad experience. They offer tons of different types of bagels and you can't go wrong with any of them. I personally love the cinnamon glazed one though!
(5)
Elly F.
No frills bakery. They have a lot of different bagels. I tried their poppy seed bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon, was good but expensive.
(3)
Jim S.
Really nice and cute place. You can order a variety of bagels and other cute desserts here. The cool thing about this place is that everything is named after a street in boston, which was really unique. I ordered the Harvard ave on egg roll, which contained honey cream cheese and jam. It was pretty delicious, even to someone who is not a huge fan of cream cheese. To all the cream cheese lovers out there, you will love this place cuz it has SOOO many different types of cream cheese, which unfortunately I cannot appreciate as appropriately.
(4)
Tyler P.
Ordered whitefish salad with lettuce and tomato on sissel rye, pumpernickel with regular cream cheese. Sign out front says top ten bagels in america. It is definitely a good bagel, on par with any good bakery. Their real claim to fame is their combinations. Salmon, whitefish or tuna salad, great. Classics too, egg and cheese, just cream cheese, etc. Only 3 tables, plenty of seating for very small groups. very attentive and quick service.
(5)
Ben S.
best bagels in boston-the prices are great and it is for sure worth the line. they have some of the best cream cheeses around oh my god you need to come here. typing this out i'm realizing that i need to go there...tomorrow..it's that good
(5)
Allie B.
Multigrain everything bagel + chive cream cheese = bomb.com I need to become more adventurous and try their other more obscure bagel delicacies ... But seriously dough.... Them bagels dough...that cream cheese. Not sure I'm willing to take the risk and try new items because I'm so pleased with my usual. Boyfriend got the (adventurous) Fenway- egg salad and jalapeño cream cheese on an everything bagel. He inhaled the dang thing in 0.8 seconds . No complaints there A bit crowded during normal breakfast hours - but as a late riser, I have no problem rolling in at 11 and getting whatever I want asap.
(4)
Mika S.
I feel bad giving such a popular neighbourhood bakery a two-star rating, but the service here is terrible! I came here on a Saturday last year, ordered a cinnamon raisin bagel toasted with strawberry cream cheese, and was given a plain, un-toasted bagel with regular cream cheese. It was so packed that I left the cafe in a hurry, and didn't realize that I was given the wrong bagel until I was a couple blocks away. I gave Kupels a second chance this past Sunday, and had an even worse experience with the service! My boyfriend and I ordered a toasted Garlic bagel with Salmon cream cheese, a toasted Cinnamon bagel with Honey Walnut cream cheese, a Raspberry Bear Claw and a Chocolate Cinnamon Rugallah. Our server was clearly struggling with our order (although it was hardly a complicated order) and it ended up being over a 10 minute process. He just took off while I was halfway through ordering, and didn't re-appear for a couple minutes; he didn't toast our first bagel, and had to start over; and he forgot our order numerous times. Honestly, I was ready to leave before getting my food. After what felt like forever, we finally got our food and left. As I was about to eat, I realized that the Cinnamon bagel was never toasted and the "Garlic" bagel was not actually a Garlic bagel. Are you kidding me?! I do sympathize with the staff because Kupels is an absolute zoo on the weekends, but this is kind of ridiculous. The mystery bagel with the Salmon cream cheese was by far the best, but the Cinnamon bagel and Honey Walnut cream cheese did not live up to my expectations at all. The Chocolate Cinnamon Rugallah was decent, but not what I was expecting in terms of taste (specifically the chocolate filling). Like I said, I feel bad for giving such a neat little neighbourhood cafe such a low rating, but I can't ignore how poor the service is.
(2)
Jaclyn S.
Went here to a long line on a Saturday afternoon just for a sweet tooth fix. We had 2 hamentashens and rugelach - both tasted traditional and sweet, the hamentashen had less filing that I usually like. I want to go back to try other things, esp ones I haven't heard of!
(4)
JO. C.
The local place that only local people know how tasty baked-goods is. A place doesn't have fancy interior designs, big windows to see through it, nor indie music playing while you eat in the store. The only thing they have, and always, is a dozen baskets of baked-goods. When I visited Kupel's in the first time, I ordered California bagel w/ tofu lox (I am a salmon lover!), and a cup of latte. I ate in the store, watching people come and go. They usually left with at least two bags of their goods, pastries, cookies, bagels, and fancy breads. You can tell they are frequent customers because they know exactly what they what to order in a second. After finishing my bagel, I can't help to line up and order a half-dozen bagels to go. Still now, every time I go to Kupel's, I will order one to eat freshly right there and take more out for the next few days.
(4)
Stacey G.
As a native New Yorker I don't think there are any bagels that compare to NY bagels. This is the only place I have found in Massachusetts that will make a New Yorker smile and say those are some good bagels. Highlights - whole wheat sesame bagel (not made in most bagel shops, yum) - tofu cream cheeses - true feel of a bagel shop (the line on Sunday mornings is long but hang in there it goes by quickly) - pastries: they have one pastry that is like ruggela but it's not cut up individually (many flavors, all delicious)! - the service is excellent!! Everyone is very nice there. Change: The pastry - I wish they did have them in individual portions so I didn't have to eat/ buy the whole thing Make sure you come here because you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Neechi M.
We heard great things about Kupel's so probably went with higher expectations than we should have but it was a decent bagel experience by Boston standards. Here are the main highlights: The Good: 1. They have a good variety of bagel types -- we went at 11:30AM on Sunday and despite the long line still had a lot of selections available so kudos for that. 2. The staff is very nice and accommodating. 3. Salmon was good. Nothing special, just good. 4. Cream cheese was excellent. The Bad: 1. The whole wheat everything bagel has rye seeds on it (gf thinks they were caraway seeds but they tasted like rye to me and I hate rye so wish I knew this beforehand since I've never seen them on a bagel before). The salt bagel tasted good though. 2. The bagels have good crunch to them on the outside but unfortunately aren't soft on the inside. Einstein Bros has better bagels honestly but these ones are bigger. The Ugly: 1. Eggs are microwave Dunkin Donuts style -- pass (wish I knew this before going because we went primarily to have a bacon, egg and cheese) 2. Asked for bacon and the lady looked at me like she had no idea what bacon is. I don't understand why a bagel place wouldn't have bacon so massive points off for this. UPDATE 2/16/15: Apparently Kupel's is kosher so that's why there's no bacon. Oh well, heads up to those who didn't know. 4. $8.99 for a bagel with cream cheese and salmon is quite steep. Conclusion: Pass -- If you're willing to travel (drive, bus) check out Katz Bagels in Chelsea instead of this place. Kupel's is seemingly popular based on its location more than the quality of its food.
(3)
Christine K.
Great ice coffee (fair trade, too) - not burnt like at Starbucks, and very deep/rich. Their lochs bagel sandwich is a must, of course! An extra perk: they sell day-old bread for quite cheap, so get there in the morning for a big ball of egg rolls for $2, or pumpernickel bagels for $3. If only they had wifi, then this would be the perfect little neighborhood bakery to spend the day at.
(4)
Caitlin M.
Went here today with some friends from Philadelphia. We got a mix of bagels and chocolate cheese rugelach. The bagels were delicious but they go heavy on the cream cheese. The rugelach was amazing. The wait was long--don't expect to pop in here on a Sunday morning between 10-1 and not wait. The servers kept checking back to confirm what people wanted on their bagels. They could probably be more efficient in their service, but it's a leisurely Sunday breakfast so I didn't mind. I really want to try some of their challah soon.
(4)
K. Grace K.
Excellent bagels. Plenty if whole wheat options, and many flavored of lite cream cheese. Also basic bagel vegetables available for 25 cents (onion, cucumber, tomatoe). I had a sesame seed bagel and lite jalapeño cream cheese. Loved it. There was a generous amount of cream cheese, but I normally use less. (So maybe that undoes the lite/whole wheat choices. :) )Tasty though. I will get cream cheese on the side next time and maybe split cream cheese with my husband who orders his own bagel. They only sell onion bagels on Fridays and Sundays, their busy days. I came back on Friday and got 6 onion bagels and 8 oz cream cheese to keep at home. Great. I do wish the nutritional info were available. But whole ingredients aren't hard to approximate. Thanks, Kupels, for making the healthy options numerous, attractive, and tasty!
(4)
Justin F.
Kupel's has some of the best bagels I've ever had. I go in wanting a bagel and walk out with a dozen! I've learned they are great toasted and are good days later! Please do not let the line scare you off!! Oh, and their pastries are great as well!
(5)
William F.
Rude staff! The man behind the counter started helping other customers after getting our pastries, and got irritable when we asked him to pay. Then he started helping someone who came in after us. Seems disorganized- we walked out without our food since it took so long.
(1)
Kayla S.
Kupels is literally the best bagels in the Boston area. The staff is a little eh. Some of them seem so disgruntled . but then the other ones seem...I don't want to be mean but...dumb. Dumb meaning I've had a few people just totally butcher the order for simple orders. Not because I did anything weird or said anything to confuae them. I will say Like "can I have a prudential on a plain bagel"for example . so simple. and they will just not make the prudential or leave out ingredients and put it not on a plain bagel. That's just a random complaint. Everything else is awesome! The coffee. The baked goods. The bagels. Ugh it's so awesome. I wants some now!
(5)
Joaquin X.
Yup, the best bagel spot I've ever been to. Worth the long wait in line. Lots of options available. Closed on Saturdays. (Of course!)
(5)
Dinara E.
I cannot believe I just paid $5 for a rugalah that tasted like mold. If I hadn't brought it home already, I would have gone back for a refund! Literally tasted like it was made at the beginning of the week, it's Friday now.
(1)
Meghan G.
Great bagels! Very busy on weekends but line moves fast. Lots of great light cream cheese options that taste great! I'm a fan of the Boylston, which is cream cheese, red onion and tomato.
(4)
William S.
I've been going to Kupel's for years. It's hard to beat classic Jewish baking. The pricing is a bit high, but that's to be expected for kosher food. The bagels and other bread are splendid, but it's the pastries where Kupel's really shines. Poppy filling is a taste right out of my childhood. It's so hard to get the level of sweet to balance right with the flavor, but Kupel's nails it every time. And they homentashen (traditional triangle cookie with fruit filling) are nice and crispy - not the crumbly disappointments you find all too often. One thing that some of the reviewers seem to have missed: this is a kosher bakery. There's no meat of any kind (since they serve dairy and kosher laws forbid the two mixing), and especially no bacon. There's cream cheese and lox, and if that's what you're looking for, it's hard to find better.
(4)
Marcy Z.
Bagels for Jews. No Asiago or cinnamon raisin! Classic bagels and shmears like whitefish salad, chopped liver, lox cream cheese. The pastries are REAL and fresh! No refrigerated dough with corn syrup flavored glaze. Flaky melt in your mouth SERIOUSLY! Carry home a challah bread and use as you normally would pepperidge farm...you won't regret it. We got a little of each of the things mentioned and spent $30.
(5)
Nik A.
Now this is a place you take your granny for breakfast. They have a wide variety of bagel/sandwich options and will make everyone happy. I love having many cream cheese choices.
(3)
Annie K.
This is the most authentic bagel place I have found in the Boston area!! The lines confirm that this Jewish bakery/deli is a jewel to be coveted. Their delicious bagel sandwiches are named after various Boston T stops and are packed with authentic flavor! Their whole wheat poppy, chive cream cheese, and lox sandwich is to die for. Get there early or late to beat the lines but, even if you do get stuck, it's worth the wait!
(5)
Sutanuka L.
Yum yum bagels !!! I love the Coolidge corner bagel. So fresh and the bagels are freshly baked too. They always sell out early!
(5)
Devin S.
I had heard a lot about Kupel's before trying their bagels for myself. I work at another bagel shop in Boston and so I eat a lot of bagels--I felt that I needed to try the fabled "Boston's Best Bagel" for myself. Today I finally did try one of their bagels. And the thing is, my mind wasn't blown. I attribute this to my preconditioning to have high expectations; the egg bagel with honey walnut cream cheese I had was good. But it wasn't outstanding, and the bagel itself was even a little dry. I think the best thing about Kupel's is that there is something for everyone here: a great variety of toppings, spreads, and pastries. Just don't expect a life-altering bagel experience.
(3)
Steph C.
Real bagels!! Everything there is great. Freshly made everyday, with an amazing selection of pastries and variety of bagels. Get there early, cos lots of things sell out by the evening, which is unfortunately when I usually get there after work. But hey, that usually speaks for itself and I can't blame them for selling out if their stuff is that good. The rugallah is AMAZING. Truly. I've tried my fair share from a bunch of places around MA and NY.... And they are pretty close to the top for me. Not too sweet and just the perfect texture!!! Prices can be steep for certain things, but honestly, as a person who works in the food industry, you definitely get what you pay for. Definitely make it out to kupel's at least once a month since I moved north of the city a few years ago!
(5)
Susan M.
This review is for one item only, the raspberry hamentashen. This is not a very good cookie, the filling tasted artificial without any raspberry flavor and the cookie had an off putting overly sweet taste which just didn't blend at all. Terrible In the garbage it went. There is nothing good to say about this cookie do not waste your money.
(1)
Kim B.
Gster and I have lived around the corner from here for about a year, and we have always had our favorite bagel shop on the other side of Brookline (Aka Allston). However, one day I decided to adventure to Brookline. This turned out to be a bad decision. It took me about 10 minutes, and 4 illegal U-Turns to find a parking spot. I naively walked in the door of Kupels, only to find a long, long, long line. I estimated about 20-25 minutes.... it was over an hour. At some point, I thought about leaving, but I had stuck it out for long enough, and really wanted to try it. I also was very very hungover, and the thought of moving was painful. After about 60 minutes in line, all I got was 2 bagels, one with butter and one with cream cheese. They put way way way too much butter on it, and the bagel did not taste anything out of the ordinary. I also was not impressed with the service, as the line should have, and could have moved a lot faster. As a side note, their focus is on sandwiches, deli and Jewish pastry specialty items, none of which I tried. I hate to rate them so harshly on bagels and service alone, however, if 40% of your business is bagels and I was not impressed, it doesn't entice me to go back and try again. All in all, After walking by and dreaming about it for months, i was disappointed.
(2)
Juliane S.
I used to walk by Kupels often when I used to live in the area. Today, during a visit to Brookline, I finally decided to give it a try. If you like lox, tuna, whitefish salad or egg salad in your bagel, then this is your place. Personally, i love lox on my bagel. I went with a more original one called, " Cleveland Circle", which had lox, plain cream cheese, tomato, and onions on an everything bagel. Noms, delicious! I definitely will go back for the bagels and sandwiches. I took a star off because their apple strudel was a huge disappointment. I tried eating it, but the filling was just not good. I basically threw the strudel away cause I knew I wouldn't eat it.
(4)
Haley S.
I really was not impressed by Kupel's Bakery when I came in most recently. I came here a few times as a teenager and really liked the bagels and the wide variety of cream cheese available, but this time, the bagels were not good. I had a plain bagel with honey walnut cream cheese, and had one bite of it before throwing it away. I mean it just wasn't worth the calories to eat more of it. I was really looking forward to it too! I ordered the elephant ears for a family member, and she said they weren't great. She is used to getting them at a bakery in NYC which has the best elephant ears in the universe, so I'm not sure it's a fair comparison for kupels! The challah bread I purchased was also stale. Come on Kupel's! Selling stale challah should be a crime. I was really looking forward to making challah French toast but instead, it was fed to the birds. I don't think I'll be back again. There are plenty of other bakeries that serve up confections that are consistently delicious, so why bother with Kupels?
(2)
Chaz W.
If I want an egg warmed up in a microwave, I go to Subway. If I want someone who doesn't know what sausage is, I go to a vegan grocery store. If I want a small, tasteless bagel, I ask Dunkin donuts for a quarter of their plain bagel. If I want all 3 I go to Kupel's.
(1)
J M.
This place was once awesome but the extremely poor customer service and poor quality food has made the place horrible. The workers handled money and food with their gloved hand which is extremely unsanitary. All this while making the bagels at and almost purposely slow pace. I watched on of the guys take 2mins to arrange the tomatoes on my bagel. All that time and when I took it out of bag it wasn't together at all. Bagels and lox are one of the simple pleasures but they managed to screw that up.
(1)
P. S.
Heard a lot about this place so decided to check it out. Good selections on bagels and pastries. Prices are little too steep. Had everything bagel with veggie cream cheese. Cream cheese was super but the bagel was not that great. It was soft like a subroll. Coffee was 1 Star. Prob. won't be back for that price and quality of bagel.
(3)
Stephanie M.
Delicious cookies and challah bread!
(5)
Laura C.
Extremely delicious bagels, cream cheese and sandwich combos. I used to frequent this place a couple of times a week, and I miss it after moving away. I once got some rugallah pastry that I found to be really disgusting but I think that's how it tastes and maybe I just don't like it. So I go for the bagels only. My favorite is egg salad and jalapeño cream cheese on a whole wheat poppy seed bagel. They have lots of bagel and cream cheese varieties, and also have tofu cream cheese that I've never tried. They are also open pretty early. Love it.
(4)
Josef K.
Don't know how the food is but the worst service ever. Been waiting on line for 45 minutes. What kind of a bagel store is this. Not sure why they can't have more help this is a college town after allm
(2)
Roshini K.
So we've gone by this place a thousand times and finally decided to stop in for bagels...best decision ever. There was a line, but trust me, its worth the wait! I cant for the life of me remember what the name of my sandwich was but i got an onion bagel with garlic and herb cream cheese, cucumbers and red onions. It was so delicous and fresh! My boyfriend got the prudential sandwich which he all but finished in one bite with a huge smile on his face, and he's a hard one to please! We also got a half pound of the infamous chocolate and cream cheese ruggalloh. Cant wait to start digging into that! After Bagel Rising closed in Allston, ive been dying to find a new bagel place that had fresh ingredients, perfect bagels and friendly service and i think ive finally found it! Cant wait to come in for more!
(5)
Grace H.
Great bagels in my opinion (and they have a chocolate danish that is amazing), but the customer service and assembly line preparing orders is terrible. I'm giving Kupel's two stars specifically for that - expect a long wait (sometimes out the door) as each employee takes your order one item at a time, providing mediocre at best customer service and constantly running back and forth to ask you if you're ordering anything else. The process seems to be a bit of cluster. Once they've prepared your order, the individual employee that prepared your order rings you up - wouldn't it make more sense to just have stationary cashiers and other employees that prepare orders and pass them along? (Yes, it would.) I would recommend getting orders to go, as inside/outdoor seating is limited and often occupied.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Tyler P.
Ordered whitefish salad with lettuce and tomato on sissel rye, pumpernickel with regular cream cheese. Sign out front says top ten bagels in america. It is definitely a good bagel, on par with any good bakery. Their real claim to fame is their combinations. Salmon, whitefish or tuna salad, great. Classics too, egg and cheese, just cream cheese, etc. Only 3 tables, plenty of seating for very small groups. very attentive and quick service.
(5)Jim S.
Really nice and cute place. You can order a variety of bagels and other cute desserts here. The cool thing about this place is that everything is named after a street in boston, which was really unique. I ordered the Harvard ave on egg roll, which contained honey cream cheese and jam. It was pretty delicious, even to someone who is not a huge fan of cream cheese. To all the cream cheese lovers out there, you will love this place cuz it has SOOO many different types of cream cheese, which unfortunately I cannot appreciate as appropriately.
(4)Allie B.
Multigrain everything bagel + chive cream cheese = bomb.com I need to become more adventurous and try their other more obscure bagel delicacies ... But seriously dough.... Them bagels dough...that cream cheese. Not sure I'm willing to take the risk and try new items because I'm so pleased with my usual. Boyfriend got the (adventurous) Fenway- egg salad and jalapeño cream cheese on an everything bagel. He inhaled the dang thing in 0.8 seconds . No complaints there A bit crowded during normal breakfast hours - but as a late riser, I have no problem rolling in at 11 and getting whatever I want asap.
(4)Kaveh Z.
The only reason I am not giving 5 stars is the long wait time. Only one Microwave oven doesn't make sense. The bagel was perfect though
(4)Steven R.
Man I love the bagels here! We always get our weekly bagels here and have never had a bad experience. They offer tons of different types of bagels and you can't go wrong with any of them. I personally love the cinnamon glazed one though!
(5)Elly F.
No frills bakery. They have a lot of different bagels. I tried their poppy seed bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon, was good but expensive.
(3)Kathleen C.
If this review was only for food, I'd give it a 4. However, due to the total confusion of the customers and staff while I was there, this is dropping to a 3. I tried a variety of pastries, some better than others, but the frozen dough thing - fabulous! The service was so strange, though. There was a woman in front of us who had sampled a bunch of items, but apparently hadn't ordered. This was learned after we were asked for our order, and the woman started yelling at the girl behind the counter (and us)...not sure who was helping her with the samples, but it seems that would constitute being helped.... When we finally got to order, the person we ordered from was confused and didn't add all of our items to the order. Then, when she forgot things, instead of adding them, she kept asking if we still wanted them. Of course we wanted them - we ordered them! So, while I might stop in for pastries (ok, probably will), I have a bad taste in my mouth from the service. It stopped me from going back in a second time while in the area and visited a stop down the way instead. However, I'm sure I'll give it another try...sometime....
(3)Jessica S.
I love bagels from Kupel's! My roommate and I love to come here on Sunday mornings. The size and density of the bagels is perfect and the amount of cream cheese isn't overdone. Paying $6.99 for a poppy seed bagel with cream cheese and lox is a bit pricey, but they do give you enough lox for two people to make up for it. All of the pastries and Jewish desserts look incredible as well, but I have yet to try them. Areas needing improvement: 30 minute wait on a Sunday morning, prices are not written on all baked goods, and apparently ordering a "side of lox" means a side of lox flavored cream cheese instead of the actual salty goodness.
(4)John P.
Oh Kupel's. So conflicted about this place. Their bagels are outstanding. Like, legitimately outstanding. They are chewy, and have body, but remain soft (a rather difficult dichotomy to embody). All your favorite bagel varieties (poppy, sesame, everything, etc.) are available in both white and whole wheat versions (which is fantastic for the health conscience). I literally order two whole wheat sesame with garlic herb cream cheese when I'm there- it's worth the double dip. With all that said, I never encountered a customer base that is more rude, pushy, or inconsiderate in all of Brookline. I've been in the area for nearly 7 years, and I am routinely amazed at how brazenly obnoxious these older Brookline folks are (rude to the staff, rude to other customers, disregard basic line etiquette, etc.). I'm also amazed that the staff makes it in the morning: most look hung over every time I'm there on a Sunday morning. But hey, if I had to deal with Kupel's rude regulars on a weekly basis, I too would be equally despondent on the job. Bottom line: a great bagel, but only if you can stomach their customers (and poor service).
(3)Jamie H.
let me preface this review by saying that i love cream cheese. LOVE it. one of my favorite foods (if you will) in the world. kupel's has an amazing variety of cream cheeses, ranging from honey walnut, strawberry, scallion, olive, vegetable, and many others. they also offer light versions of many of the flavors. second to the fact that i love their cream cheese, every time i have the privilege of having a bagel sandwich i think to myself... "no other food in the world is a better vehicle for cream cheese than this bagel." so embarrassing to admit, but so true. chewy, soft, and always enough flavor to make it worth it. i don't know how they manage to get so many sesame seeds onto the surface! the only thing that kupel's is lacking is spicy mustard and mayonnaise. egg sandwiches are just not complete without condiments. and it would be great if they were open on saturdays too!
(4)Dela B.
I've been to Kupels many times over the past 3 years and I still can't make an accurate assessment of their bagels. In terms of selection, Kupels takes the cake with their countless varieties of cream cheeses, bagel toppings, and whole wheat offerings, but Kupels lacks the consistency that would keep me going regularly and actually recommending it to others. Some days, I would compare Kupels to the amazing Ess-A-Bagel in NYC, and other days, the bagels are so dry that I'd easily prefer a bagel from Dunkin. Not quite sure what the issue is, but I don't really like the feeling of gambling on my bagel quality. If I'm going to make the trek to get a bagel, it had better be better than what I'd get from Shaw's or Dunkin two blocks away.
(3)Joshua S.
While I was in Boston for a wedding we ended up in Brookline, headed to 4A coffee shop right across the street(we're kinda coffee tourists) We walked in and the place was packed, this lovely younger woman took my order...unfortunately I was looking for a bagel and wasn't in a position to see the bagels or the selection of toppings. So I just ordered a plain bagel with plain cream cheese. Which, seemed to bring a wave of disappointment over the girl taking my order, within about a minute I had my bagel, which is probably one of the best I've came across. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Boston, and I'll definitely try something a little more exciting than plain and plain.
(4)Jeff D.
Was walking by here after lunch at Dorado and could not resist grabbing two whole wheat everything bagels for breakfast eats for a few days. Yesterday I did not toast it, as the bagel was still nice and moist and chewy. Today it was a bit harder so in the toaster it went. Both were delicious and flavorful and just the right size to fill me up. I can't wait to stop in again and buy some lox to go as well.
(4)Jane Z.
BEST BAGELS IN BOSTON. Hands down. I love them!! Whenever I buy their bagels and am driving home, they fill my car with their awesome smell. Make sure you go there early, otherwise they'll be out of bagels!
(5)Kristine S.
I won't deny it... Kupel's makes a tasty bagel. I was delighted to go to a bakery that I could eat with a Jewish friend because it is kosher. Great kosher bagels to nosh on and enjoy with a good friend = winning situation..... except when... The counterperson helping me out looked at me like I had four heads when I was trying to order a "Randy Moss": plain bagel, lox, cream cheese, and onions. They have a special bagel sandwich menu named after Boston sports and other various athletes, and the guy didn't know the menu at all. After repeating what I wanted and even told the guy to look at the second listing on the left on the menu, he was staring at the combo figuring out what to put on my order. It gets busy; there was a lot of trash left on tables that I ended up pushing aside because I couldn't find a trash can (later spotted after eating next to the door). It would probably better for such a busy bakery to have more staff continuously clean around the seating areas. This place would be downright awesome if only it was kept cleaner and the staff was a little more knowledgeable about their offerings and menu. Worth coming back again though just to see if my visit was a one time bad experience.
(2)Harry H.
Not impressed with the heavy cinnamon rugullah (guess that's the traditional spelling) for $3.42 (8.99/lb). Appreciated the old school place with fat B&Ws and twist bagels, but wouldn't return.
(3)Stevie P.
I have heard GOOD things about this place. I had my first Kupel's bagel in February with cream cheese and lox (it wasn't toasted because the bagels were served during a class). It was delicious, even though I prefer toasted bagels. My second experience (first time at the bakery) was TERRIBLE. Get ready for a funny story: Sunday morning began with driving to the bakery with my friend (she's never said anything negative about Kupel's). There was a long line, but I knew the wait would be worth it, because, like I said before, I heard RAVE reviews. I ordered THE BIRD (bagel with lox, cream cheese, and capers). It's around 7 dollars, but I love capers and I couldn't wait to try it. My bagel barista asked what kind of bagel I would like and I said "ONION, PLEASE!" (loudly and clearly). I should have watched him as he made my sandwich, because I ended up getting THE CRAWFORD (two eggs, lettuce, onion, and cheese) on a POPPY SEED bagel. What the heck? Totally wrong! The place was loud, but I was close enough and clearly stated my order to him, with eye contact and everything. I'm not the only one with the bad experience... My friend ordered a bagel sandwich. She wanted lettuce, tomato, and onions on it. Her bagel barista says "Sorry, we're out of tomatoes" - um... it's a Sunday and people are hungry for bagels! You can't be "out" of tomatoes - all you have to do is run to the back and get the next batch of sliced tomatoes - but no. We sat down to eat our orders and my friend noticed that there were, in fact, TOMATOES in stock. She just had a lazy bagel barista. I'll go back again - just not on a Sunday. But seriously... how does THE BIRD become THE CRAWFORD, and ONION,PLEASE become POPPY SEED?!
(2)Ann L.
Whole wheat everything bagel? Yes, please. Amazing cream cheeses available in full flavor and low fat varieties. Line snaked around the tiny store on a Sunday morning. This is not a surprise. Limited seating available, so take your goodies home with you!
(4)Sam S.
REALLY disappointed. I drove half an hour there and half an hour back only to find that they messed up my order, which was a BASIC order. I ordered each item one at a time, and clearly. I ordered a plain bagel, toasted, with lox and cream cheese and an everything bagel, not toasted, with lox, cream cheese and tomato. Instead, I got a plain bagel with lox and an everything bagel with lox flavored cream cheese. The lox flavored cream cheese was disgusting - it honestly tasted like cat food. The lox was OK, but not great - I have had much better from the supermarket. I also ordered a black and white cookie, expecting it to be made in the traditional style, and it wasn't. The cookie was good, but there was WAY too much frosting, and the frosting was made for a cake, not a cookie. Cake frosting stays soft, whereas cookie frosting should become hard. It was so sweet that I actually had to wipe it off and eat the cookie plain. Finally, I ordered a container of white fish salad to go. I was really disappointed to see that it wasn't made in house like I expected, but instead it was pre packaged. I haven't tasted it yet, but it was still pretty disappointing. All in all, I won't be going back. The bagels are good, but they weren't that busy and still messed up my order. BUMMER.
(3)Lia B.
I stopped by here on my way to Alexander from MiniLuxe. I'm not usually out in Brookline very often, but I think I will come out of my way to come here! I had a sandwich, I don't remember what it was called, but it was chive cream cheese with cucumbers and onions. It was amazing. I had it on the egg bagel, and I was in HEAVEN. The bagel was perfectly chewy and it rivaled the incredible bagels I've had in New York. We also got a loaf of challah, and it was delicious as well. Soft and slightly sweet, it tasted amazing even two days later! The staff was incredibly friendly and patient with us, even when we debated and changed our order several times. I will definitely be back.
(4)Britton R.
Bagel's were good, chocolate babka was great, vegan cream cheese available.
(4)Marissa S.
Best bagel I've had since moving to Boston 3 years ago. Reminded me of the bagel place from where I grew up near Chicago, which nothing compares, hence only 4 stars!
(4)Monique S.
OMG. I ate the whole thing. Mmm. I passed by this place several times but this is the first time I found it open. I don't even remember what I got. I believe it was an apple flat. It's filled with apple and sprinkled with a generous amount of cinnamon. To make things better, it was only $1.99. Now who can beat that? I didn't mean to eat the whole thing though. It was well worth the calories though. The staff was very friendly and really knew the selections.
(4)Scott B.
Five stars solely due to this being my favorite bagel and lox ever. I get it on an onion bagel with chive cream cheese.
(5)Trish K.
I used to love going to this sweet Jewish bagel shop on Sunday mornings with my beau until recently when I'm pretty sure management fired all their mentally capable employees and hired young men and women from half-way houses for the tax breaks. Actually, I'd be insulting those living in half-way houses by saying they work at Kupel's; these clowns probably need to hit rehab first. On a Sunday in November while waiting in line I saw: 1) a male employee turn on his phone/radio in the middle of taking an order and begin rapping an Eminem song; and 2) a female employee accidentally toss a Sharpie marker into a tub of cream cheese. I'll spare you details on how incompetently the employees took orders and goofed around in front of the long line of customers, but you get the idea. The particular young woman who took our order asked us no less than 3 times if we wanted our bagel sandwiches toasted, to which we replied 'yes' each time. Amazingly, our bagel sandwiches were not toasted 15min later. When I asked about flavors of coffee she was surprisingly able to read off the list of flavors, but when I told her how I'd like my coffee she informed me that they were actually all out of those flavors; good to know. Kupel's... oy vey!
(1)Adam C.
If this is really the best bagel experience in Boston then that's downright tragic. The bagels: not crisp in the slightest on the outside and rather bland overall. I've heard descriptions on Yelp of "white bread", "waxy", "sad" and I'd generally agree with all of those. The service: abysmal. I thought neighborhood places were supposed to be friendly. The teens behind the counter couldn't have been any less interested in doing their jobs. We get it, working at a bagel shop necessitates waking up early. You don't have to let the world at large know how cranky you are every second of the day. I will say that the black & white cookies looked pretty good but I can't put up with the "service" again to find out. I can't think of one reason to go here over a Bruegger's.
(2)Jason K.
So you're from NY and you want a half descent bagel here in Boston? That's not going to happen at Brueggers..Yuck! This place however will get you a bit closer but still will not live up to NY style bagel stores. Not to mention that on a busy weekend day they will have a line out the door full of brookline yuppies. Just suck it up and take the three hour drive down to NYC for all your bagel needs and then freeze a dozen in your fridge.
(2)Anya S.
I love love love this place!!! Top ten reasons for Kupels being the absolute best. 1. Best bagels in the city!! 2. Kosher! 3. Cheap!!!! 4. Friendly service! 5. Yummy lox (very reasonably priced) 6. Every spread that you can possibly think off, they've got it. 7. Weekend deals are a real deal. 8. Potato knish. I wish they would hire me, so I can steal that recepie. 9. Chocolate babkas!! Yum! 10. Rugalach!!! BONUS 11. If you want to see me in my natural habitat, come to Kupels, get a bagel, have a seat, Im a regular there.
(5)Claudio P.
Great bagels, get the salmon, it's totally loaded and delicious. Highly recommended next to Bagel Rising.
(5)Cris L.
Best bagels in Boston (there aren't a ton of choices, but still...). Not open on Saturday (Shabbat) but otherwise, a super cool bagel shop in Coolidge corner area. The sweet treats are delish too (just take one look at the black and white cookie) but the bagels/smear's are the star of this joint. Their selection is large (for cream cheeses too). Prices are fair and they do take debit/credit cards.
(4)Hersh N.
Kupels is a perfect example of a neighborhood store. Delicious food. Excellent and caring service. great quality and fresh ingredients. Supports the local economy. Very reasonably priced. The owner is personally working and available most of the times at the store. He will talk to you and make sure you have a good experience. I personally love "The Welker" sandwich. Their selection of cream cheese is delicious and fresh. Much better than Bruegger's. I once went to the store on crutches and the owner just started talking to me. Later on when me and a friend went in to pay for our bagels, we were told it was on the house. Its been more than 2 years now and the owner still comes around and personally says hi. Cant emphasize enough how this is a perfect cornerstone business in the brookline community. A business, that while being at the top of its trade is still able to provide competitive pricing and great quality.
(5)James O.
(1st time here) Although I like bagels, I have never been crazy about them, so reviewing bagel places is a bit redundant. However, Kupel's definitely has some pluses: +Incredibly cheap (IS THIS BOSTON?!!?) +A great variety of whole wheat bagels (not just the lame plain, sad, brown one) +100% Kosher (legitimately) +Decent cup of coffee I tried "The Truth" bagel sandwich on a whole wheat everything bagel: lox, herb cream cheese, tomatoes, and capers. I absolutely love salmon, especially on a bagel with cream cheese. Unfortunately this salmon was super salty and the cream cheese was literally lathered on. A bit overwhelming for me. The bagel itself was great, crispy, and nicely toasted. This place is very small with limited seating, and a line quickly builds up. But with 4-5 kids cranking out sandwiches, it moves pretty fast. The array of pastries on display look delicious as well. I'll definitely stop by again if I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come back here.
(3)Eric L.
One of my favorite bagel spots. Try the lox! Good selection of bagels and pastries. I usually get a bagel with cream cheese, but they have bagel sandwiches too. Also, I like their coffee, but it's nothing special. Kosher, so don't ask for bacon or ham (like the ignoramous in line behind me). Small little place with more outdoor seating than indoor. Neither of which could hold more than 10 (on a good day). I recommend it if you like bagels and a more traditional Jewish bakery. Don't expect the huge NY style bagels though (not to say these are small or anything).
(4)Emily A.
New York bagels these aren't. However, if you're in the hunt for a bagel in the Cambridge/Allston/Brighton/Brookline area, these are probably the best thing you'll find. Yes, the service is a bit...uneven. And yes, you may have to repeat your order three times, or stop and correct them while they're erroneously putting someone else on it. And yes, I've paid four different prices on four occasions for the same exact item (depends on who rings it up, apparently!). BUT it's the only place in my neighborhood where I can get tuna salad on a bagel with capers and onions, which I love, so it earns 3 stars in my book.
(3)Marshall S.
I was at Kupel's on 11/29/13 at 2:39Pm. I bought a rye bread. I couldn't believe while I was paying for my bread another clerk was filling an order for bagels, dropped a bagel on the very dirty floor and picked it up and placed it in the bag. This is the dirtiest bakery I have ever been in . It even smells dirty, the clerks don't wear gloves.
(1)Mo C.
I only went for the bagels, simply because I do not particularly enjoy sweet treats. But the pastries that were in the case when you first walked in did make my mouth water a bit. And some of them were HUGE! So to break it down simply, they offer up tasty bagels in many varieties (whole wheat everything is my fav). They also have many condiments (different flavored cream cheeses and more) and also make sandwiches (of the bagel variety of course). You can buy a half dozen or dozen to take home and also offer their cream cheeses in 8 oz or larger containers. Along with the crazy variety of pastries and breads...This place has plenty to offer Much better than Bagel Caboose in Maine, what bugs me about them is they put a semolina crust on the bottom of their bagels. Kupel's has their toppings on the top and bottom of their bagels. Like i said the everything bagel is kind of a big deal!!! one other thing, pronounce Kupels like 'Couples'.
(5)Kristen C.
Traditional Jewish bakery which means the stars here are of course the bagels. And they are real, and dare I say it, 'New York style' bagels, with a glossy outside and satisfyingly chewy to bite into. All the traditional flavors are there, with a couple less conventional ones such as jalapeno. Probably the best bagels in the city.
(4)Sarah M.
iIf you can get through the line, they are the BEST BAGELS in Boston. the CHALLAH BREAD is wonderful and the ALMOND COOKIES are extremely addicting, especially with morning coffee. The other pastries aren't that great, but I will always go back for the bagels and cream cheese.
(5)Michelle L.
I love bagels. Granted, I've never had a New York bagel, but I can spot a bad bagel from a mile away, and I know to look for that chewy texture and denseness, and that special distinctive malty, just plain bagel-y flavor. Growing up in the DC metro area I actually used to get fantastic bagels from the now-sadly-defunct Chesapeake Bagel Bakery. I used to eat them plain, untoasted-- not even with cream cheese, just savoring the bagel on its own merits. I remember the crackle as I tore it open, the steam rising because it was always fresh and warm... Oh, oops. I was supposed to be reviewing Kupel's, wasn't I? Well, I've spent my adult life in Boston searching for something approaching those perfect bagels I remember. And Kupel's comes pretty damn close. Theirs is the first bagel I've had around here that's good enough to not require toasting-- the test of a real bagel and not just bread with a hole in it. I actually had the pleasure of polite, prompt, and unimpatient service during my visit, but then, I came in midmorning on a weekday, not a Sunday, and there was no rush. I was thrilled by the variety of whole wheat options. I tried whole wheat cinnamon and, when I'd finished, promptly ordered two whole wheat poppy seed and two whole wheat everything bagels to see me through the rest of the week. (and oh, they do not skimp on the poppy seeds. Each one is a bonus point in their favor.) I also tried the black and white cookie/cake/whatever. It was astonishingly huge, but a bit dry once I ate it later that day-- not sure if waiting affected the quality or not. Not bad for the price, but doesn't hold a candle to Lyndell's. Ah well. Next time I'll try the babka. (I've wanted to try babka since that episode if Seinfeld and I've STILL never tasted it, though I've had my share of black and white cookies in the interval.)
(4)Heather S.
So, I happened to be in Brookline after dropping my dvd off at my favorite video store, Movieworks, and I was hungry. Hungry, hungry, HUNGRY! First, I was thinking of getting chicken soup with noodles and matzoh balls at Zaftig's, but I had that earlier in the week. Then, I was rounding the corner, and saw Kupel's. I thought, Jewish neighborhood, bagles, "Bet they're as good as the ones in Brooklyn." Nope! This was the worst FRESH bagel I've ever had in my life. Fresh, as in not frozen Sara Lee bagels, or those ones that come in vending machines and have no shelf-life listed on them. Or, in this case, maybe "fresh," as in a rebellious bagel that refuses to taste good. WTF? It was soft and hard, flat inside, not fluffy & chewy, and when my teeth hit the back layer of the bagel, it was like chewing through cardboard. I stopped myself. Why waste the empty calories that Yahoo! says are in bagels (all bread and no vitamins)? There is no way that they boil their bagels! I should have known. All the cookies in the bakery were flat and pale and looked like statue-replicas of themselves. ICK. This is not even close to a NY bagel. Not even close. Kupel's = Cardboard.
(1)Rana H.
I'm from NYC and I'm Jewish so I know a good bagel when I see one. That being said, this definitely fulfills my cravings for a good bagel. They are the real bagels, not the small fried hard kind that they sell at Brueggers. Great spreads. I tried the veggie one and it was tasty.
(4)Ben S.
best bagels in boston-the prices are great and it is for sure worth the line. they have some of the best cream cheeses around oh my god you need to come here. typing this out i'm realizing that i need to go there...tomorrow..it's that good
(5)Mika S.
I feel bad giving such a popular neighbourhood bakery a two-star rating, but the service here is terrible! I came here on a Saturday last year, ordered a cinnamon raisin bagel toasted with strawberry cream cheese, and was given a plain, un-toasted bagel with regular cream cheese. It was so packed that I left the cafe in a hurry, and didn't realize that I was given the wrong bagel until I was a couple blocks away. I gave Kupels a second chance this past Sunday, and had an even worse experience with the service! My boyfriend and I ordered a toasted Garlic bagel with Salmon cream cheese, a toasted Cinnamon bagel with Honey Walnut cream cheese, a Raspberry Bear Claw and a Chocolate Cinnamon Rugallah. Our server was clearly struggling with our order (although it was hardly a complicated order) and it ended up being over a 10 minute process. He just took off while I was halfway through ordering, and didn't re-appear for a couple minutes; he didn't toast our first bagel, and had to start over; and he forgot our order numerous times. Honestly, I was ready to leave before getting my food. After what felt like forever, we finally got our food and left. As I was about to eat, I realized that the Cinnamon bagel was never toasted and the "Garlic" bagel was not actually a Garlic bagel. Are you kidding me?! I do sympathize with the staff because Kupels is an absolute zoo on the weekends, but this is kind of ridiculous. The mystery bagel with the Salmon cream cheese was by far the best, but the Cinnamon bagel and Honey Walnut cream cheese did not live up to my expectations at all. The Chocolate Cinnamon Rugallah was decent, but not what I was expecting in terms of taste (specifically the chocolate filling). Like I said, I feel bad for giving such a neat little neighbourhood cafe such a low rating, but I can't ignore how poor the service is.
(2)Jaclyn S.
Went here to a long line on a Saturday afternoon just for a sweet tooth fix. We had 2 hamentashens and rugelach - both tasted traditional and sweet, the hamentashen had less filing that I usually like. I want to go back to try other things, esp ones I haven't heard of!
(4)JO. C.
The local place that only local people know how tasty baked-goods is. A place doesn't have fancy interior designs, big windows to see through it, nor indie music playing while you eat in the store. The only thing they have, and always, is a dozen baskets of baked-goods. When I visited Kupel's in the first time, I ordered California bagel w/ tofu lox (I am a salmon lover!), and a cup of latte. I ate in the store, watching people come and go. They usually left with at least two bags of their goods, pastries, cookies, bagels, and fancy breads. You can tell they are frequent customers because they know exactly what they what to order in a second. After finishing my bagel, I can't help to line up and order a half-dozen bagels to go. Still now, every time I go to Kupel's, I will order one to eat freshly right there and take more out for the next few days.
(4)Stacey G.
As a native New Yorker I don't think there are any bagels that compare to NY bagels. This is the only place I have found in Massachusetts that will make a New Yorker smile and say those are some good bagels. Highlights - whole wheat sesame bagel (not made in most bagel shops, yum) - tofu cream cheeses - true feel of a bagel shop (the line on Sunday mornings is long but hang in there it goes by quickly) - pastries: they have one pastry that is like ruggela but it's not cut up individually (many flavors, all delicious)! - the service is excellent!! Everyone is very nice there. Change: The pastry - I wish they did have them in individual portions so I didn't have to eat/ buy the whole thing Make sure you come here because you will not be disappointed!
(5)Neechi M.
We heard great things about Kupel's so probably went with higher expectations than we should have but it was a decent bagel experience by Boston standards. Here are the main highlights: The Good: 1. They have a good variety of bagel types -- we went at 11:30AM on Sunday and despite the long line still had a lot of selections available so kudos for that. 2. The staff is very nice and accommodating. 3. Salmon was good. Nothing special, just good. 4. Cream cheese was excellent. The Bad: 1. The whole wheat everything bagel has rye seeds on it (gf thinks they were caraway seeds but they tasted like rye to me and I hate rye so wish I knew this beforehand since I've never seen them on a bagel before). The salt bagel tasted good though. 2. The bagels have good crunch to them on the outside but unfortunately aren't soft on the inside. Einstein Bros has better bagels honestly but these ones are bigger. The Ugly: 1. Eggs are microwave Dunkin Donuts style -- pass (wish I knew this before going because we went primarily to have a bacon, egg and cheese) 2. Asked for bacon and the lady looked at me like she had no idea what bacon is. I don't understand why a bagel place wouldn't have bacon so massive points off for this. UPDATE 2/16/15: Apparently Kupel's is kosher so that's why there's no bacon. Oh well, heads up to those who didn't know. 4. $8.99 for a bagel with cream cheese and salmon is quite steep. Conclusion: Pass -- If you're willing to travel (drive, bus) check out Katz Bagels in Chelsea instead of this place. Kupel's is seemingly popular based on its location more than the quality of its food.
(3)Christine K.
Great ice coffee (fair trade, too) - not burnt like at Starbucks, and very deep/rich. Their lochs bagel sandwich is a must, of course! An extra perk: they sell day-old bread for quite cheap, so get there in the morning for a big ball of egg rolls for $2, or pumpernickel bagels for $3. If only they had wifi, then this would be the perfect little neighborhood bakery to spend the day at.
(4)Caitlin M.
Went here today with some friends from Philadelphia. We got a mix of bagels and chocolate cheese rugelach. The bagels were delicious but they go heavy on the cream cheese. The rugelach was amazing. The wait was long--don't expect to pop in here on a Sunday morning between 10-1 and not wait. The servers kept checking back to confirm what people wanted on their bagels. They could probably be more efficient in their service, but it's a leisurely Sunday breakfast so I didn't mind. I really want to try some of their challah soon.
(4)K. Grace K.
Excellent bagels. Plenty if whole wheat options, and many flavored of lite cream cheese. Also basic bagel vegetables available for 25 cents (onion, cucumber, tomatoe). I had a sesame seed bagel and lite jalapeño cream cheese. Loved it. There was a generous amount of cream cheese, but I normally use less. (So maybe that undoes the lite/whole wheat choices. :) )Tasty though. I will get cream cheese on the side next time and maybe split cream cheese with my husband who orders his own bagel. They only sell onion bagels on Fridays and Sundays, their busy days. I came back on Friday and got 6 onion bagels and 8 oz cream cheese to keep at home. Great. I do wish the nutritional info were available. But whole ingredients aren't hard to approximate. Thanks, Kupels, for making the healthy options numerous, attractive, and tasty!
(4)Justin F.
Kupel's has some of the best bagels I've ever had. I go in wanting a bagel and walk out with a dozen! I've learned they are great toasted and are good days later! Please do not let the line scare you off!! Oh, and their pastries are great as well!
(5)William F.
Rude staff! The man behind the counter started helping other customers after getting our pastries, and got irritable when we asked him to pay. Then he started helping someone who came in after us. Seems disorganized- we walked out without our food since it took so long.
(1)Kayla S.
Kupels is literally the best bagels in the Boston area. The staff is a little eh. Some of them seem so disgruntled . but then the other ones seem...I don't want to be mean but...dumb. Dumb meaning I've had a few people just totally butcher the order for simple orders. Not because I did anything weird or said anything to confuae them. I will say Like "can I have a prudential on a plain bagel"for example . so simple. and they will just not make the prudential or leave out ingredients and put it not on a plain bagel. That's just a random complaint. Everything else is awesome! The coffee. The baked goods. The bagels. Ugh it's so awesome. I wants some now!
(5)Joaquin X.
Yup, the best bagel spot I've ever been to. Worth the long wait in line. Lots of options available. Closed on Saturdays. (Of course!)
(5)Dinara E.
I cannot believe I just paid $5 for a rugalah that tasted like mold. If I hadn't brought it home already, I would have gone back for a refund! Literally tasted like it was made at the beginning of the week, it's Friday now.
(1)Meghan G.
Great bagels! Very busy on weekends but line moves fast. Lots of great light cream cheese options that taste great! I'm a fan of the Boylston, which is cream cheese, red onion and tomato.
(4)William S.
I've been going to Kupel's for years. It's hard to beat classic Jewish baking. The pricing is a bit high, but that's to be expected for kosher food. The bagels and other bread are splendid, but it's the pastries where Kupel's really shines. Poppy filling is a taste right out of my childhood. It's so hard to get the level of sweet to balance right with the flavor, but Kupel's nails it every time. And they homentashen (traditional triangle cookie with fruit filling) are nice and crispy - not the crumbly disappointments you find all too often. One thing that some of the reviewers seem to have missed: this is a kosher bakery. There's no meat of any kind (since they serve dairy and kosher laws forbid the two mixing), and especially no bacon. There's cream cheese and lox, and if that's what you're looking for, it's hard to find better.
(4)Marcy Z.
Bagels for Jews. No Asiago or cinnamon raisin! Classic bagels and shmears like whitefish salad, chopped liver, lox cream cheese. The pastries are REAL and fresh! No refrigerated dough with corn syrup flavored glaze. Flaky melt in your mouth SERIOUSLY! Carry home a challah bread and use as you normally would pepperidge farm...you won't regret it. We got a little of each of the things mentioned and spent $30.
(5)Nik A.
Now this is a place you take your granny for breakfast. They have a wide variety of bagel/sandwich options and will make everyone happy. I love having many cream cheese choices.
(3)Annie K.
This is the most authentic bagel place I have found in the Boston area!! The lines confirm that this Jewish bakery/deli is a jewel to be coveted. Their delicious bagel sandwiches are named after various Boston T stops and are packed with authentic flavor! Their whole wheat poppy, chive cream cheese, and lox sandwich is to die for. Get there early or late to beat the lines but, even if you do get stuck, it's worth the wait!
(5)Sutanuka L.
Yum yum bagels !!! I love the Coolidge corner bagel. So fresh and the bagels are freshly baked too. They always sell out early!
(5)Devin S.
I had heard a lot about Kupel's before trying their bagels for myself. I work at another bagel shop in Boston and so I eat a lot of bagels--I felt that I needed to try the fabled "Boston's Best Bagel" for myself. Today I finally did try one of their bagels. And the thing is, my mind wasn't blown. I attribute this to my preconditioning to have high expectations; the egg bagel with honey walnut cream cheese I had was good. But it wasn't outstanding, and the bagel itself was even a little dry. I think the best thing about Kupel's is that there is something for everyone here: a great variety of toppings, spreads, and pastries. Just don't expect a life-altering bagel experience.
(3)Steph C.
Real bagels!! Everything there is great. Freshly made everyday, with an amazing selection of pastries and variety of bagels. Get there early, cos lots of things sell out by the evening, which is unfortunately when I usually get there after work. But hey, that usually speaks for itself and I can't blame them for selling out if their stuff is that good. The rugallah is AMAZING. Truly. I've tried my fair share from a bunch of places around MA and NY.... And they are pretty close to the top for me. Not too sweet and just the perfect texture!!! Prices can be steep for certain things, but honestly, as a person who works in the food industry, you definitely get what you pay for. Definitely make it out to kupel's at least once a month since I moved north of the city a few years ago!
(5)Susan M.
This review is for one item only, the raspberry hamentashen. This is not a very good cookie, the filling tasted artificial without any raspberry flavor and the cookie had an off putting overly sweet taste which just didn't blend at all. Terrible In the garbage it went. There is nothing good to say about this cookie do not waste your money.
(1)Kim B.
Gster and I have lived around the corner from here for about a year, and we have always had our favorite bagel shop on the other side of Brookline (Aka Allston). However, one day I decided to adventure to Brookline. This turned out to be a bad decision. It took me about 10 minutes, and 4 illegal U-Turns to find a parking spot. I naively walked in the door of Kupels, only to find a long, long, long line. I estimated about 20-25 minutes.... it was over an hour. At some point, I thought about leaving, but I had stuck it out for long enough, and really wanted to try it. I also was very very hungover, and the thought of moving was painful. After about 60 minutes in line, all I got was 2 bagels, one with butter and one with cream cheese. They put way way way too much butter on it, and the bagel did not taste anything out of the ordinary. I also was not impressed with the service, as the line should have, and could have moved a lot faster. As a side note, their focus is on sandwiches, deli and Jewish pastry specialty items, none of which I tried. I hate to rate them so harshly on bagels and service alone, however, if 40% of your business is bagels and I was not impressed, it doesn't entice me to go back and try again. All in all, After walking by and dreaming about it for months, i was disappointed.
(2)Juliane S.
I used to walk by Kupels often when I used to live in the area. Today, during a visit to Brookline, I finally decided to give it a try. If you like lox, tuna, whitefish salad or egg salad in your bagel, then this is your place. Personally, i love lox on my bagel. I went with a more original one called, " Cleveland Circle", which had lox, plain cream cheese, tomato, and onions on an everything bagel. Noms, delicious! I definitely will go back for the bagels and sandwiches. I took a star off because their apple strudel was a huge disappointment. I tried eating it, but the filling was just not good. I basically threw the strudel away cause I knew I wouldn't eat it.
(4)Haley S.
I really was not impressed by Kupel's Bakery when I came in most recently. I came here a few times as a teenager and really liked the bagels and the wide variety of cream cheese available, but this time, the bagels were not good. I had a plain bagel with honey walnut cream cheese, and had one bite of it before throwing it away. I mean it just wasn't worth the calories to eat more of it. I was really looking forward to it too! I ordered the elephant ears for a family member, and she said they weren't great. She is used to getting them at a bakery in NYC which has the best elephant ears in the universe, so I'm not sure it's a fair comparison for kupels! The challah bread I purchased was also stale. Come on Kupel's! Selling stale challah should be a crime. I was really looking forward to making challah French toast but instead, it was fed to the birds. I don't think I'll be back again. There are plenty of other bakeries that serve up confections that are consistently delicious, so why bother with Kupels?
(2)Chaz W.
If I want an egg warmed up in a microwave, I go to Subway. If I want someone who doesn't know what sausage is, I go to a vegan grocery store. If I want a small, tasteless bagel, I ask Dunkin donuts for a quarter of their plain bagel. If I want all 3 I go to Kupel's.
(1)J M.
This place was once awesome but the extremely poor customer service and poor quality food has made the place horrible. The workers handled money and food with their gloved hand which is extremely unsanitary. All this while making the bagels at and almost purposely slow pace. I watched on of the guys take 2mins to arrange the tomatoes on my bagel. All that time and when I took it out of bag it wasn't together at all. Bagels and lox are one of the simple pleasures but they managed to screw that up.
(1)P. S.
Heard a lot about this place so decided to check it out. Good selections on bagels and pastries. Prices are little too steep. Had everything bagel with veggie cream cheese. Cream cheese was super but the bagel was not that great. It was soft like a subroll. Coffee was 1 Star. Prob. won't be back for that price and quality of bagel.
(3)Stephanie M.
Delicious cookies and challah bread!
(5)Laura C.
Extremely delicious bagels, cream cheese and sandwich combos. I used to frequent this place a couple of times a week, and I miss it after moving away. I once got some rugallah pastry that I found to be really disgusting but I think that's how it tastes and maybe I just don't like it. So I go for the bagels only. My favorite is egg salad and jalapeño cream cheese on a whole wheat poppy seed bagel. They have lots of bagel and cream cheese varieties, and also have tofu cream cheese that I've never tried. They are also open pretty early. Love it.
(4)Josef K.
Don't know how the food is but the worst service ever. Been waiting on line for 45 minutes. What kind of a bagel store is this. Not sure why they can't have more help this is a college town after allm
(2)Roshini K.
So we've gone by this place a thousand times and finally decided to stop in for bagels...best decision ever. There was a line, but trust me, its worth the wait! I cant for the life of me remember what the name of my sandwich was but i got an onion bagel with garlic and herb cream cheese, cucumbers and red onions. It was so delicous and fresh! My boyfriend got the prudential sandwich which he all but finished in one bite with a huge smile on his face, and he's a hard one to please! We also got a half pound of the infamous chocolate and cream cheese ruggalloh. Cant wait to start digging into that! After Bagel Rising closed in Allston, ive been dying to find a new bagel place that had fresh ingredients, perfect bagels and friendly service and i think ive finally found it! Cant wait to come in for more!
(5)Grace H.
Great bagels in my opinion (and they have a chocolate danish that is amazing), but the customer service and assembly line preparing orders is terrible. I'm giving Kupel's two stars specifically for that - expect a long wait (sometimes out the door) as each employee takes your order one item at a time, providing mediocre at best customer service and constantly running back and forth to ask you if you're ordering anything else. The process seems to be a bit of cluster. Once they've prepared your order, the individual employee that prepared your order rings you up - wouldn't it make more sense to just have stationary cashiers and other employees that prepare orders and pass them along? (Yes, it would.) I would recommend getting orders to go, as inside/outdoor seating is limited and often occupied.
(2)Diana T.
Seriously the best bagels in all of greater Boston. I would know because I am a bagel connoisseur; I've tried so many bagel shops all around Boston and I haven't found a place that makes bagels like Kupel's does. Their bagels are hard on the outside but really fluffy and soft on the inside... How a real bagel should be! These are the only bagels in the area that are even comparable to New York style bagels. Also, they have some of the nicest employees I ever met!
(5)Lily S.
So i'm not much of a bagel connoisseur but i had a pretty solid experience here. Came in mid afternoon the other day while killing some time before meeting a friend and was in serious need of feeding myself. I decided on a plain bagel with lox and cream cheese. Was really pleased with the amount and quality of fish. The scallion cream cheese was delicious and i had to hold myself back to keep from licking my fingers in public. Also, they have like 87 different flavors of cream cheese. 8-9$ for a delicious meal that kept me full the rest of the day seems totally reasonable.
(4)Kelly C.
After reading other reviews I had some high hopes that this would be one of the better bagels I'd have in Boston. I was fairly disappointed. The bagel was ok but I didn't think they were better than the food store's bakery bagels. I got the cream cheese and lox sandwich. The sandwich was good overall but I didn't think the bagel was anything special. Also, for $10 I expected an amazing sandwich. I probably wouldn't come back here again for a bagel.
(2)Alex H.
Well, this is an automatic 5 stars just because Boston doesn't have any other bagel place better than this. If we were in NY or even Baltimore, this might only be getting a 3 or 4 star. But what are you gonna do? Drive 4 hours for your bagel to be a little softer!? A couple things to know if bagel bakeries are your thing but you are new here. I believe somewhere on the windows outside it says 'parve.' Don't worry about that at all. This place is not 'parve,' it is dairy! You will not be getting fake cream cheese (unless for some reason you choose their tofu 'cream cheese'. Secondly, it is certified kosher. How such confusion happened, I have no clue. Yes, they have the everything, egg, pumpernickel, etc, and scallion cream cheese and whitefish salad and all that good stuff. They also have those goy flavors such as jalapeno bagel or honey walnut cream cheese. Don't let that scare you. The place is still good. If you are buying other pastries there other than bagels and stuff, you're on your own. I never buy that stuff there so I have no clue.
(5)Justine M.
I used to enjoy this bakery, but the manager has turned me off Kupel's completely. A few weeks ago I went in for a bagel. To pay, I handed the manager cash over the counter. He dropped a dollar into an open tub of cream cheese, picked up the dollar, wiped it off, and then used that cream cheese on my bagel! I'm not a clean freak by any standard, but even I wouldn't eat that cream cheese after money had been dropped in it. Today, I decided to give Kupel's a second chance.... Bad idea. Right after I'd placed my order, the manager stepped out of the back, wiped his nose with his bare right hand, put a glove on his left hand (handling the glove with the snot-covered right hand), and proceeded to take my bagel out of the toaster... TOUCHING IT WITH BOTH HANDS. Why did you need both hands for this task?! The nice girl behind the counter made me a new bagel when I explained my frustration, but I wish I'd had the guts to call that manager out. How absolutely disgusting!!!! I will never give this restaurant my business again.
(1)Julia C.
I read rave reviews of Kupel's so I was initially so excited to check it out. My boyfriend and I went on a Sunday morning and the place was PACKED (line out the door). This made us even more excited- we were practically expecting bagels made of gold and silver. My boyfriend ordered a bagel sandwich and I ordered a bagel with cream cheese and lox. We ordered a few pastries to go as well. Ordering was stressful due to the amount of people there, and the staff wasn't too friendly (which I am sure was due to the high number of customers). The sandwich and bagel with lox were pretty good, but nothing out of this world. Unfortunately, my boyfriend's pastry was stale and I can't even remember what I ordered it was so run of the mill. I've only returned once since on a weeknight just for kicks. They were clearly closing, but the staff member helping me was super nice. I ordered a raspberry rugelach and paid quite a hefty sum for it, but it was yummy! Kupel's is good, but not a regular spot for me.
(3)Molly K.
I used to come here when I was little, and I loved the delicious smell of baked goods as I walked through the door! However, as I've been coming here recently, I have not enjoyed the quality of their products at all :-( I want to enjoy it of course, because I want to support a local business.) It seems like the quality has dropped off, to be honest. A few months ago, some friends from out of town were coming to visit and I bought about $50 worth of goodies from here for my guests. Even among the diversity and wide array of baked foods I bought for them, not one of the pastries was very good or fresh. Like I said, I hate saying this because I want to like Kupels, but the quality was just so not-good! If they step up the quality, even by a little, I will definitely be coming back to my favorite childhood bakery!!
(2)Sheila S.
Super fresh bagels and pastries with friendly service. Around the Jewish holidays they stock up and are ready to serve many parve treats! The cream cheese they have is whipped and delicious. Prices are pretty reasonable for what you get since many items you can't get elsewhere.
(5)Victoria P.
I spent maybe 3 minutes in here so my review will be short. Ordered half a dozen bagels and they were all delicious. The guy who packed them up wasn't particularly friendly, but whatever...it's just bagels. I noticed they had tofu cream cheese which I was recently introduced to and loved, but haven't had the chance to try it here. Will be back for more bagels, tofu cream cheese, and possibly some pastries.
(4)David C.
Ugh, Kupel's, why'd you have to go and ruin my everything bagel with fennel seed? I guess I'm going to have to start asking what exactly "everything" entails when I try new bakeries. It's ok though, your chocolate Rugellah more than made up for it. I ate half a pound of that dense, doughy deliciousness in less than ten minutes, and I regret nothing. Your flat tire was enjoyable as well, although a little odd. I don't think I've ever had a pastry quite like it. I'll be back to try your hamentashen when I come down from this sugar high that I'm riding.
(3)Dessa R.
Bagels! I miss bagels. I'm sorry to sound like every other New Yorker in Mass, but my experience has been that Boston is just not so good at bagels. Must be the water. Still, I had not given up on finding a great bagel in this city. The line snaked throughout the store. I considered this to be a good sign. We waited patiently, like (kosher) cattle, and finally arrived at one of the smiley teenagers taking orders. I noticed they had many cream cheeses, and many suggested combinations for your bagel. But I already knew what I wanted. It's what I had wanted for days. I got an everything bagel with lox and cream cheese. B got an everything bagel with garlic cream cheese, raw onion, and cucumber. They offered to toast them, but also reminded us that they were still warm from the oven. Sweet! We both enjoyed our bagels very much, and thought the other's was gross. That's just the way the bagel crumbles. But seriously, if your bagel really does crumble, throw it away and buy one from here, 'cause mine was pretty damn good.
(4)Renee H.
Been meaning to try this place and so glad I finally did. Amazing selection of baked goods. Very hard to choose. Prices are very affordable and we had good service. No card minimum either which was great considering all I got was a cherry Danish for under $2 Definitely going back.
(4)Bret C.
Very good local business that's been a big part of Brookline for lots of years. Not as amazing as people make it out to be. Bagels are good (cinnamon sugar is a good one) and the bear claws, apple turnovers and raspberry hamentashen are highlights. And remember, they're closed on Saturdays!
(3)Claire Helene B.
Love love love love love the rye bagels with caraway seeds, and the plain ones = bulging with freshness and lovely finish on the outside. I suppose if I had a taste for other flavors, I'd also love them too. Love the lox and olive cream cheese spreads. You can buy nova here too. The bagel bar can be raised no higher.
(5)Jenny B.
Kupel's is a great bakery. I love bagels and there's no better bagel in town than Kupel's. They have great schmears too! I know everyone raves about the bagels in New York, but this place is as good, if not better than any bagel that I have had in NY. I love this place. Two thumbs up!
(5)Olivia L.
Being a fairly new Brooklineite, I have been here just once to get bagels and pastry to take to a brunch party. The counter person seemed impatient with me for not recognizing some of the pastries and asking questions about them. Aside from that somewhat negative encounter, I will say the bagels are tasty. I got a tub of cream cheese here, also, which was a great convenience for me, as I was taking them to a friend's house. It was great not to have to make another stop on the way for cream cheese. The pastries I got were, in my opinion, less tasty. I advise staying with the bagels and you can't go wrong. I will return for some more delicious bagels at a future date!
(4)R V.
Their chocolate flat tire is a certifiable federal Superfund-level disaster area. The pastry twist is so thin, the chocolate so abundant, and the sugarcoating so thick and impenetrable -- both on top and bottom! -- that, unlike their oddly bread-like Danishes, it can't even pretend to be a breakfast food. It's a hubcap-sized half-dessert, half-scud-missile abomination that ranks up there with Patsy's danishes and Carol Anne's chocolate horns as one of the most ridiculous, irresponsible and wonderful pastries in Greater Boston. Most of their other pastries are either ordinary or flat-out weird (like those hamburger-bun Danishes), but the flat tire alone justifies this place's existence.
(4)Rani P.
I am not a morning person, yet I become one in order to get a fresh bagel with spread from Kupel's. I was starting to lose hope in Boston- constantly searching for a bagel with the right density, the right size, the right amount of raisins... After three of my Jewish friends listed Kupel's bagels as what they want to eat after Yom Kippur fasting- I knew it would be a life changer. And it was. Don't be surprised to find me sleeping outside the door in order to be eating a bagel within 5 minutes of waking. (I guess it also works to just freeze and toast them when I'm ready...)
(5)Benjamin I.
My partner and I found this place while on vacation in Boston. The onion bialys and bagels are very good. The first time we went the staff was very friendly. It was a great experience. We came back again just before we left, as we had another bialy craving. We were really a big fan of the garlic and herb cream cheese. Coffee wasn't so great, but there is great coffee right across the street at A4.
(5)Nitya D.
Yay! Bagel shop with tofu cream cheese! Makes my vegan belly happy. Very friendly staff, variety of soft and dense bagels, with a couple of tofu spreads. For non vegans, they, of course, have several regular cream cheese flavors. Family owned and operated (no longer by the namesake family, however). It's a nice shop with history, character and the only place I'll go to for bagels in Boston.
(4)Alana F.
Damn good bagels. Damn good schmear.
(5)Carrie B.
Classic Jewish bakery with bagels, bagel sandwiches (with wide variety of cream cheeses and fixings), rugelach, hamentaschen, babka, etc. Large pastry menu, with many varieties of cookies, brownies, bars, danish, muffins, apple turnovers, etc. Kupel's also sells a wide variety of breads, including the usual challahs (several kinds), rye loaves, and pumpernickel, plus a very small selection of organic artisan-style breads. I've probably tried them all by now, and none have disappointed. Kupels does not, however, bake any crusty breads, so no baguettes or the like. Also, not much in the way of whole grains. The pastry items all seem to be made with white flour, no whole grain scones or muffins. The small selection of organic breads is a small step toward modernizing the offerings, and I'd love to see them do more in that direction.
(4)Lindsay S.
This is one of the greatest places I've ever been to in Brookline. One day my roommate and I were trekking to some UPS store that was far far away when we stumbled onto this gem. I'm Jewish and when I saw that it was a Jewish bakery I had to go in, so I dragged her inside. The rugelach is to die for. I've seriously never had better. It comes in a variety of flavors, but my favorite is the cinnamon chocolate chip. Also the shop has year round hamentaschen. Ummm YES. Those also come in a wide variety of flavors. Also I love going here in the mornings for a nice bagel sandwich. Every time I'm in Boston, I come in here just to pick up rugelach for my mother. She loves it that much too.
(4)Cwot W.
This place has the most flavorless baked goods. I can't figure out why it's so busy. I feel like the items taste like the food they eat in the movie "The Matrix" (when they are out of the matrix).
(2)Carrie C.
Well I have to admit that I can't really give this place a fair review. I stopped in the other day on my way past and didn't see anything that looked appetizing and even though I was the only person in the place the staff didn't even acknowledge my existence. After reading that they were shut down by the health department for rodent feces in their kitchen, I'm glad I bugged out of there. myfoxboston.com/dpp/news…
(1)Imran G.
Had trouble finding a good bakery with bagels. We got lost in Coolidge Corner and stumbled upon this place, and because we hadn't had bagels in such a long time we decided to step in. Then, we realized how much stuff they had. Great. Not really. We finally decided on a chocolate chip rugellah, and while it was a mediocre pastry at best, the most shocking thing was the price. One rugellah for $5. Wow, that's expensive, right? Apparently the weirder thing is that they charge for the pound for this. Was not aware of this at all... I also wasn't aware of how different I look. The clerk kept staring at me without smile despite my efforts to break the ice. Now that I think about it, I should probably go refresh my Star Wars memory. In "A New Hope" there is a scene at the cantina in which some of the guys just don't like Luke Skywalker. Damn, now I really want to go watch Star Wars Ep IV: A New Hope.
(1)Teddy S.
Visited 3 times in the past 2 months. Not again. Went for bagels, pastry and challah. Rosenfeld & Bagel Rising make much tastier bagels. Like some of the other reviewers, think the quality has gone down the past few years. The bagels are too light and except for the toppings, have no flavor. The pastry is just ok. Bought assorted items (elephant ears, bubka, etc...) and they lacked any real flavor. Bought 2 bubka's last week (apple & berry) and there is more fruit on a piece of toast than in either bubka. Too bad. Most people seem to be happy with the sandwiches, but I like to buy the bread/pastry and make my own sandwiches.
(2)ROB L.
We got a dozen bagels here and one pastry. Apparently, we got the wrong pastry. It was about $5 (rugullah is priced by the pound), kinda cheesy, and really dense. Maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea. The bagels were all right. I guess I was comparing them to Noah's bagels in SF, where I go at 7 AM and get a dozen straight out of the oven. These weren't as soft or chewy as I expected them to be, nor were they as dense. They invoked a sense of bagel shaped bread in my mind. I'm glad I stopped in to support the local shop, but my personal tastes in bagels vary from what they make.
(2)Ryan M.
This spot on Harvard St. has excellent reviews, and there isn't any question as to why. The bagels have a nice firm exterior and a slightly doughy interior. The staff is friendly and prompt as they serve you your choice through the vast selection of shmears, bagels, pastries and goodies. The prices are reasonable, local and family owned. What more could you want? I just wish I lived closer to the Brookline area to take advantage of this spot.
(4)Karina L.
Pretty yummy bagels and nice outdoor seating for nice days. I much prefer Michael's Deli down the street at Coolidge Corner for bagels, even though they're not primarily a bagel place. I got a sesame bagel with lox spread. The bagels are chewy (just how I like it!), but I think the cream cheese lacked flavor. Compared to other bagel places, there isn't much cream cheese variety. The worst part of my experience was the service. I thought they were having a bad day but, after reading other Yelpers' reviews, it seems like they're permanently in a state of hangover/drug withdrawal. When we walked in, there were no 'Hello' or even acknowledgment of our presence. There's no clear path from where to order and where to pay. We had to wave our hands in front of their faces to get their attention -- they what I ordered twice, forgot to ask me to pay, and then gave me $15 extra in change (which I promptly gave back). They sell bags of day-old bagels and muffins for pretty cheap (comparable to normal supermarket prices). I can imagine that they still taste pretty good.
(3)Matt R.
They have amazing bagels and challah bread. Their service is unbelievable and you feel right at home when you walk in. They treat a one time customer just like a regular. If I can recommend one item it would have to be their pan challah. It's so fresh that it practically falls apart.
(5)Ian L.
Holy crap. I asked for an onion sesame bagel with salmon and capers. What I receive is a trash pile of salmon with a veritable orchard of capers cascading down beautiful pink fleshy slopes. Seriously, way more salmon than I ever expected. I expect to see a breaking news update this evening on the extinction of salmon as a result of this sandwich! Their bagels are freaking amazing as far as bagels go, though the everything bagels tend to go quickly. Just be prepared to wait 5 or 10 min in line to order--this place seems to be a popular spot.
(4)Bria O.
OBSESSED with this place. Everything is amazing and they move the line along quickly. Also great deals on bulk bagels etc. Really friendly employees. Unfortunately closed for Shabbat on Saturday but that's the price you pay for amazing kosher bakery.
(5)Kim K.
Kupels serves not just bagels but a huge selection of everything - bagels, pastries, muffins, etc. They have good prices and the store is relatively clean. The bagels are good, kinda chewy though.
(4)Hui Ying C.
Tofu lox bagel was generously creamy and tasted just like the real thing, vegans and non vegans gotta hop on the Kupel train! Apple puff was beyond amazing as well. Friendly staff and awesome food in a summer day :D
(5)Meizi H.
Their bagels are a bit chewy for my taste. And their croissants might be the worst I've ever tried. They were plain and salty. Maybe it was wrong batch. I ordered half dozen of bagels and they only put five of them in a bag, which I just found out when I got home. I tried their multi-grain, raisin cinnamon, onion and wheat bagels. They were okay. Their services were off whilst they busy chatting with each other. I like to support local shop but their quality of food and service keep me away from it!
(2)Melissa P.
Of the 26 different types of certified Kosher bagels to choose from, all are handmade and all guaranteed delicious. It seems most of us are accustomed to grocery store-brand flavorless bagels that taste more like Styrofoam than anything else, but Kugel's soft, doughy textured bagels are without chemical additives. Kupel's keeps their food prices surprisingly low. You can get a bagel with cream cheese and a pumpkin-spiced coffee for just $3.19. Check out their weekly deals for other reasonably priced offers. Not only does Kupel's have delicious bagels, but they also have rows upon rows of pastries. Smaller sweets have swamped the market, but Kupel's makes large to extra-large pastries from cheese (pareve) danishes to blueberry muffins to black-and-white cookies, just to name a few. Some bakeries offer an assortment of these very simple bagels, but such variations on the classics often stale and tasteless. Kupel's bagels however, are a different breed - chewy and tinged with a tantalizing freshness.
(4)Lauren E.
From a Jewish New Yorker carb queen, trust me these soft, doughy bagels are not to be missed on any jaunt through Brookline. The coffee was remarkably good. The service was friendly- there weren't many people in the store while I was there but I can tell this place would get bogged down with lines during breakfast time.
(5)Anna C.
Thank you for being open today! Best breakfast especially on a snow day! Great bagel and lox deal
(5)Whitney D.
This bakery is wonderful. The bagels and sandwiches are fantastic. My go to is the Tom Brady--smoke salmon, capers, onion, cream cheese--on a garlic bagel. It's outstanding. I've tried a few variations--the Truth, and this is the best. We've tried a few of the pastries, and they're only ok, which is why I gave this a 4--that and it's closed on Saturdays...obviously understandable, but always a disappointing realization on Saturday mornings. The cookies are good, but the rest is just ok. Maybe it's just that it's being compared to the bagels, which again, are amazing. The staff is usually friendly, they seem a little busy, but I understand. Overall, a great place!!
(4)Ann G.
I truly don't know where to go with the star rating so I'm sticking with three. The overarching program with this place is the service. The guys behind the counter look like they'd rather be doing anything else but serve you, maintaining a solid scowl and hoarse mumble throughout the ordering experience. With ONE exception - I believe his name is Alex and he is by far the nicest behind-the-counter employee I have ever experienced anywhere. This guy truly exudes happiness and I get really excited every time he takes my order because he simply cares about how you are and wants your experience to be wonderful. So, terrible service except that one guy is super awesome. I'm not a bagel connoisseur so keep that in mind, but I do think the bagels are pretty good. They also load them up with cream cheese and their veggie cream cheese really is quite delicious. My boyfriend loves the variety of sandwiches you can order and reports back that the lox is okay. I've only had their hamentaschen and have to say I really enjoyed them. So, food is A-OK. With that in mind I'll give the place three stars and continue to visit the place.
(3)K S.
4 stars for the bagels. They are clearly the fair haired child of Kupels. They are always fresh and have the perfect chew, and retain that chewy moist interior when toasted. My personal favorite are the salt bagels. I also get the miami cream cheese which is flavored with little bits of salmon and scallions. I take it home and run it through the mini chopper with side of lox. I end up with a perfectly smoky salmony oniony pinkish cream cheese. I have had the veggie cream cheese as well. Meh. It's like cream cheese blended with Knorr veggie soup/dip mix with extra shredded carrots. I just don't like it but it's not terrible. The baked goods leave a lot to be desired. Where is the love? They are dry and extra sweet. They remind me of things you get at BJ's or Costco. There are a large variety of these items but to me they all taste the same. I have not tried any of the breads but they look glorious. Perhaps for the next snow day I'll grab a loaf for french toast and update my review.
(4)Roxana F.
This review is for the pastries, not the bagels. I'm a pastry/dessert fanatic, so when I was walking by this place and saw the display case from outside I knew I had to stop in. Their display looks pretty good - lots of delicious LOOKING pastries. One of the young guys working there started talking to me...telling me "we're really popular, look at how many customers we had today" and showed me this long receipt with what I suppose was how many customers he had that day. Okay...strange first impression. Then I said I wanted an apple strudel and asked him how it was, and both the people behind the counter kinda shook their head and said that they wouldn't recommend that because the filling was like baby food. Okay...I like honesty so I appreciated the tip off but still found it kind of strange. So I got the apple claw or something along those lines, it had cinnamon sugar rubbed on the pastry bit and apple inside. Looked amazing...but didn't taste as great. My first bit was nasty. It didn't taste like apple...tasted like it was baked with or sitting near an onion bagel. And I hate onions. The apple filling was too sweet, probably to overcompensate for the rest of the pastry...but I didn't actually taste APPLE. I was biting through chunks of what I assume were apple, but if one were to not know what they were eating, they probably wouldn't have guessed apple. SO if you're in the mood for a pastry/dessert, skip this place and meander down the road to Beacon Street, where you can find Brookline Party Favors and Finale.
(2)Elizabeth S.
I want to be in love, but, I'm just.... not. Why: 1) I miss New York. I miss New York bagels. I only lived there for a year, and those bagels ruined me for life. (Is it really in the water, like Kramer says?) 2) I'm never sure what is parve and what isn't parve at Kupel's. I am a big fan of dairy, and a tad creeped out by parve. Words of Kupel's wisdom: 1) Get the Shaq. Cream cheese, lox, tomato & lettuce, best bang for yo' buck. 2) Be careful who you order from. Today my bagel-mate had pretty much the worst server ever: "Is it okay if the eggs are cold? I forgot to warm them up." [blank stare] "It'll take like 45 seconds." "That'd be cool, thanks." Umm... who prefers their eggs cold? He then tossed all the toppings on the bagel in such a way that they all fell out upon eating. My girl was great, though - perfectly made bagel sandwich. All of the baked goods look delicious but I never know which are parve... I'm assuming most of them are. I bought one once and bit into it and realized it was NOT cheese. Byebye pastry. Moral of the story: if you keep kosher, this is the place to be (and the constant crowds agree). If you don't, it's still a fine bagel place for Boston standards. I'ma keep looking for my dream bagel.
(2)Ian C.
I've been in Boston for two years now, and I've been struggling to find a decent bagel. I happened upon this place last week, and my faith in Boston's ability to supply delicious bagels has been restored! Their cream cheese was delicious (homemade!) but the best part was the bagels themselves. Chewy in the center, but the perfect amount of crust. The taste was exceptional. I got an egg bagel as part of a sandwich with salmon, onions, and cream cheese, and it was perfect. The ingredients balanced each other out just right. I also got a Challah to go, and it was delicious. I finished it in literally two days... I just couldn't stop eating it! That staff at Kupel's was really nice and patient. They were really helpful and helped me pick out the perfect sandwich, and even offered me a free bottle of water. Needless to say, I can't wait to go back!
(5)Marina B.
Extensive selection and some interesting options to choose from. The Ray Ray has cream cheese and jelly. Odd combination, maybe. Delicious, yes. Not really anywhere to sit, so it's better to take out and eat elsewhere. A nice local option if you're sick of the more typical chains.
(4)Allie L.
I love their bagels here. No, they're not like the Bagels in New York, but I've yet to find a place here in Boston that can make that claim. There are tons of sandwich options, or you can create your own. The staff is generally pretty friendly and competent. Sundays are crazy so I suggest going on Friday and picking up a dozen bagels and toppings to avoid the lines.
(4)Katia M.
Maybe I'm spoiled because of the New York Bagel I grew up near, where my best friend's mom would buy salt bagels. She'd butter and broil them for us in the oven, and they were the best bagels I have ever had, before or since, counting ones in actual New York. What I'm trying to say is, I think I know bagels. Chewy inside, crisp skin, boiled, yeah. Anyway, I like bread, so it's not that round bread bagels offend me, it's just that I know better. I'd rather have the good stuff. And, um, these aren't round bread. Plus, they have whole wheat everything AND tofutti spreads, so what can I say, I'm in love. Getting a half doz for the work week here is a wonderful Sunday activity, just know that it will be busy as heck and you'll probably be asked what you want before you can even see all the options. Fear not. You'll get served.
(5)Taylor V.
If I lived closer to Kupel's Bakery, I would be there every single day. We are from Rhode Island and we do not have any Jewish bakeries in the state which I constantly crave. I have always heard stories about Jewish bakeries and deli's in Brooklyn, where my family is from, and RI has nothing! We visited Kupel's after a weekend in Boston and it was everything I could have ever dreamed of and more. The bagels were perfect and came in a variety of flavors. There are a billion different cream cheese flavors, knish (potato being my favorite), pastries, coffee and a great sandwich menu. The sandwiches are named after local athletes like Tom Brady. The smoked salmon was so fresh and the bagels with cream cheese just melted in your mouth. I took home a dozen bagels, smoked salmon and potato knish's for my grandparents and they bagged my salmon and cream cheese on ice for the ride back. They said it was exactly like their days in Brooklyn and even froze some bagels to save for a later date. We cannot wait to go back to Kupels. I think the staff knew I was a "tourist" because I was way too enthusiastic about being there but I couldn't help it! :)
(5)Jeremy K.
I love this little hidden jewel in Brookline... They have great food and it's very authentic. The people working there are friendly and always eager to help you out. They have bagels, lots of them. And theirs are delicious! Big and tasty! They have all kinds of them, you name it, they have it. They also have cookies of all sorts including various sorts of humentachen. That's awesome too. Their signature cake which I have yet to try is their bubka. Any Seinfield fan out there owes it to themselves and get one. I didn't do that, shame on me. I will next time I swing by though. Their food is freshly baked and their prices are great! Awesome place!
(4)Jeremy B.
Good bagels, very close to the real thing. No, you will never find the real thing outside of NY, so don't expect to.
(4)Meghan O.
Kupel's has incredible bagels, and the young staff is very helpful. I recently picked up 5 dozen bagels to serve to volunteers at an event - the cashier was very patient with me and volunteers were thrilled to enjoy such a delicious breakfast!
(5)Robert M.
After reading all of these reviews, I should have stuck with the bagels. I thought a bakery was supposed to be good at everything but I've been burned there twice now, and it isn't going to happen again. Not going back. Black and White cookie or "half moon" cookie, twice, had a stale bottom and some weird overture of something I thought was salmon like. (But I didn't see the lox in the same display case) The raspberry bear claw was not at all flavorful and the potato knishes weren't all that great either. I'm going to have to find someplace else for other than bagels.
(2)Miriam L.
Bagels...or bed pillows. You decide. This is not just another "I am from NY/NJ and miss their bagels rant." This is a case of extreme disappointment. Admittedly, I missed my mom, I missed real bagels and I needed something for breakfast. Much to my absolute delight, they even had salt bagels (I have low blood pressure, shut it). The salt certainly looked a little...meager. To say the least. The bagel looked a little...pale. To say the least. Yet I cheerily tripped out of the store ready for the bagel equivalent to a hug. It was not to be. I cut into the bagel. I noticed a distinct lack of "crust" - comes from boiling it a certain way I suppose. (I don't make bagels for a living.) And only after slicing the bagel in half, vertically did I realize... This bagel was masquerading as a bed pillow. I don't know what it is with this state, but bagels - REAL bagels - are not supposed to be puffy, white and bready. This offering was a good twice the size a bagel should be. It had no crust. At all. It had no semblance of a shell - nevermind that it was actually, in reality, barely salted. And the taste? I could have been eating store-bought white bread. I took the second half and proceeded to cut it into four thin slices to make what we "down south" call "Bagel Chips." I could have made them thinner and churned out six, but it was early, and I didn't want to cut myself while suffering from low blood sugar due to an inedible bagel. Anyone who has had a real bagel knows that you should really only be able to get two or three good thin slices from a bagel half. I rest my case.
(1)Dara C.
I tried in vain to come up with a list of things I would do for a fresh, hot Kupel's bagel. However, halfway through, I realized the list of things I WOULDN'T do for a fresh, hot Kupel's bagel was much easier to assemble. Namely, I wouldn't kill a kitten, and I wouldn't ever like Scott Brown. I think that's it, though.
(5)Mike M.
People usually rave about the bagels here, but the man, or woman (who knows really?)knows how to make some rugelach. My fav so far has been cinnamon chocolate, aka, "get your fat ass to gym tomorrow Mike". Thankfully they price by the lb, otherwise, I'd be on the Dr. Phil show as a cherry picker struggles to pull me out of my bedroom. Don't waste your time with the homentasch, cookies, or the bear claw. It's all about the rugelach!!
(4)Kathy A.
Fantastic bagels and smear. They have all sorts of flavors and added a new sunflower seed type. I also love that they have a whole wheat option for some of the different flavors. The best deal is getting the day old bagels or pastries that taste almost as good and are so much cheaper.
(4)Andrea S.
I don't miss Brookline, but I miss Kupel's. Those bagels are so damn good. Plus, two dozen day old bagels for $1? How can you possibly go wrong. So what if you arent 100% sure what they are. Also, it's cheap. Honestly I would go in, get two bagel sandwiches, two drinks and a thing full of cookies for $7. Are you sure? Did you want more? It all comes out in the wash though, because they rang me up once for like $18 on a $2 item. Somebody probably falls for it sometimes. It can be a little rough in the line when you are hungover, but those glorious bagels are totally worth it.
(5)Sarah A.
So, I am finally just getting around to this update, but I am knocking a star off my original review for a scary experience I had with Kupel's bagels back in March. It was right around St. Patrick's Day and I don't know, maybe they had some left over festive St. Patrick's Day green batter that some how made its way into a pumpernickel bagel (that's what I'd like to think), but I sliced open my big, beautiful pumpernickel bagel, to find a large section of GREEN. Now, I am just going to go along with the St. Patrick's Day green batter theory (maybe someone's half Irish or something) but I also must entertain the frightening thought that this was (gasp) MOLD in the bagel. So, ever since then, I've been a little traumatized and have been avoiding Kupels and favoring the asiago cheese bagels at Panera. I do still really like their bagels... sans green stuff. On another note, the challah is awesome. Holla for the challah!
(3)John A.
The other morning I woke up with a raging hangover. I stumbled into the kitchen and much to my dismay, I was out of coffee! So of course I was in panic mode when I remembered, "Hey isn't there a little bakery at the end of the street?" I strapped on my boots and warmest winter clothes then stepped out into the January cold in hopes that the imagined bakery at the end of the street existed and had coffee. And there it was...Kupel's Yes, they had coffee and it was delicious. They also had tasty bagels and quality customer service. All of this made my headache and frozen limbs seem ok.
(4)John S.
Simply the best. My wife and I can always agree to go to this place for breakfast. Seriously, best bagels and cream cheeses in Boston (technically it's not in Boston though) that I have experienced. As for all of the other pastries, I rarely delve into those. I had some rugelach once and it was extremely rich and expensive. But, I'm not so knowledgable about Jewish pastries. Anyway, eat bagels here!
(5)Shira K.
These are apparently the best bagels in Brookline, which is sort of sad, given the demographics of the neighborhood. They're fine. The service is excellent; the men who work here are lovely and patient. The selection of cream cheese is great, and fresh. They have hamentashen and chocolate chip cookies that remind me so much of my Hebrew school days. That is to say, not that great in an objective sense, but somehow, viscerally satisfying.
(3)Steph H.
I really wanted to like Kupel's Bakery and tried their bagels three different times. All three times the bagel was dry and the garlic on the bagel was burnt, so not very impressed. I actually did a blind taste test with Brueggers, and Brueggers won hands down. Even my dog preferred the Brueggers bagels (I don't feed my dog bagels, but wanted a second opinion).
(2)Lindsey R.
Delicious bagels and very generous amounts of amazing lox, but disappointing customer service every time. Today they were out of veggie cream cheese, jalepeno bagels, capers and onions. Why be open if your out of so many items?! Staff continually gives wrong bagels, doesn't accommodate needs, and is not friendly. Unfortunately this local is taking her business elsewhere after giving it several tries
(2)Marcy K.
In grad school days #$^&^ years ago, Kupel's and I were best buds. We'd get together every Sunday morning, especially if friends were around, and "he" never disappointed. The bagels were superb, the people behind the counters were friendly, the black and whites were to die for, and the wait was even palatable. He treated me nicely. Because of more discriminating tastes, I suppose, Kupel's isn't my best pal anymore, and I can't even say we're friends. I went in to see the old guy today for old time's sake, so I could buy some Jewish rye to complement some kosher corned beef and pastrami that I will be purchasing this week. I also bought some chocolate chip rugelach (usually purchased at Reins in Vernon, CT) and challah rolls (usually purchased at Cheryl Ann's in Brookline) as well as a whole wheat sesame bagel (usually purchased at Bagels Plus, in Acton). Big mistake on all three fronts. The challah rolls were tasteless, the bagel was hard, the rugelach was dry, and the rye bread....well, just wasn't what I'm used to. I like rye bread crisp on the outside and in the shape of a football, and this was neither. And I like it to taste like rye bread. Looked like Wonder Bread with a slight tannish color. I know many other yelpers sing this place praises, which is great, but I'll stick to my old standbys, which are 1,000 times better for the products I purchased. Wish I could find a decent place to buy rye bread. The best place that sells it is in NY, but am not heading in to Yonkers or the Bronx anytime soon...unless someone wants to send me a ticket to the World Series. I know, I know. Am feeling a little guilty giving this place 2 stars, while most other people gave it 4 or 5, but I won't be swayed. Go, Yankees!
(2)Oleana B.
I don't know why I have never been in here. I have been walking by this place for years but somehow it must have been an awkward time for bagels. I got a bagel with lox, tomato and cream cheese and an iced coffee. Everything was amazing. Really fresh lox, a very generous amount of cream cheese and excellent bagel. The coffee was delicious. My brother got something called 'babka' which is bread with chocolate baked in. It looked very good. They also had challah and a bunch of bread on display that looked fabulous. What I got was so good that I was seriously considering going back again the same day and getting the same thing but that somehow did not seem right. Anyway this is my new go-to bagel place.
(5)Andrea E.
I, too, am a native NYer, but I'm not a bagel snob. Who can afford to be? Still the bagels here are just no better than you'd get at a grocery store or a plain old goyishe bagel place. I got a piece of apple strudel, pretty psyched to dig into it that night. It was SO bad, that it was worth having paid for it just because I got to imitate my father had he ever been given something so disgusting passed off as strudel. I got to mash it and make faces and say things to the imaginary waitress like, "You actually have the nerve to call this strudel? Where the hell are the apples? There is not one goddam apple in this thing!!" And there really weren't; it was a brown mash of something that I would only be flattering by saying it had the vague taste of cinnamon. Depending on when you go, you'll be served by a surly jerk or a nice kid, you'll have to take your chances. Or not.
(2)Ryan M.
I have the amazing privilege of living right down the street from Kupel's which is really a gift and a curse. On one hand I have the ability to get delicious bagel sandwiches whenever I want but on the other hand I don't have the patience/bankroll to dine out here for breakfast every day. It's a real problem I've been having. Kupel's offers some delicious bagel sandwiches named after past and present Boston sports figures and some of the best pastries in the area and is a staple of Brookline weekends. The only drawbacks I could name for Kupel's is that it is Kosher so it's closed on Saturdays and does not have sandwiches with meat and cheese touching (complaints from a Catholic boy) and that the lines on Sunday can be about 30 minutes long in the morning (complaints from an impatient boy). Other than those two things you will be pleased by the delicious bagels that Kupel's has to offer.
(4)Renee M.
I am kind of snobby when it comes to bagels and pizza because New Jersey and New York seriously have the best bagels and pizza ever! It's a fact! Anyway, that being said, Kupel's bagels come pretty damn close to the bagels I cherish from home. This place is an authentic Jewish bakery (closed on Saturdays, I learned that the hard way!) with bagels, challah and many other kinds of pastries. I always get an everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese and while it is a little pricey it is always worth it. Yum. My friend got challah from here once too and it was fresh and delicious. Only complaint is that there is usually nowhere to sit as it is very small inside and there are limited tables and chairs. Oh well, that's why I only come here on nice days!
(4)Lauren S.
"Oy, I'm having nightmares of honeycake and challah flying over my head!" I love Kupel's. I love the staff, I love the fact that nearly every flavor of bagel comes in whole wheat, I love sitting outside and eating a bagel on a sunny morning in Brookline. I'm not going to lie, as someone who grew up in New Jersey, I can't say Kupel's bagels top my list or even make it into the top five, but they are certainly decent, fast and can be topped with yummy spreads and comfort toppings. Nothing better on a Sunday morning!
(4)Amy L.
I love the bagels from Kupel's :) always fresh and they have best lox in the city. I usually stop by to grab a breakfast and all the staffs are always friendly and fast. I always get their whole wheat bagel or onion bagel with the lox. everything else is very tasty and fresh. good place for grab n go breakfast! :)
(4)Caitlin M.
I wanted to love this bagel. I wanted this place to fill my New York bagel and lox need but sadly it pales in comparison. I love the prices and the selection but the bagel itself is not that great. I loved that they had a wide variety of whole wheat bagels and their pastry selection looked okay too. The line is long and it takes awhile and it would be worth it if the bagel was better. I enjoyed the lox and they customized my order which was great. I want to like the bagels here so much that I will try it again but feel I will have to wait for New York or Montreal for my bagel fix.
(3)Scott F.
As a longtime Bostonian and Jew, Kupel's has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Back when the Jews were wandering through the desert, they'd often stop by Kupel's for a bagel 'n' lox. These guys are open New Years Day, Xmas Day, and usually at 6 AM. The bagels are soft and lovely on the inside, generously flavored, and nice 'n' chewy on the outside. Despite what some loud-mouthed NYer will tell you, these're how bagels should be. They've usually got a special going with 1/2 dozen bagels, lox, and cream chese for about $10. Best deal going ... get that, show up at my house for breakfast, you'll be loved. Purists argue that toasting a bagel is a sign of ignorance, but with all the flavoring these guys put in, they come alive with a light toasting. I tend to rhapsodize about the Cissel/Rye bagels. Their onion bagels are pretty damn impressive too. If you prefer cinnamon raisin, you're a horrible person. There, I said it. Those aren't bagels. Feh. They've got lots of pastries, but not all are perfect and wonderful (hence 4 out of 5 stars). Stick to more "traditional" Jewish stuff and you'll be safe. Their hamentaschen are so good, they're made year round. I prefer the apricot, but the raspberry runs a close second. There's a lot going on, and the place is often busy, so know have your order ready to go. They won't waste your time, don't waste theirs. Also - you can call ahead for big orders, parties, etc. They'll have your order waiting and ready to go. Much better than going in and annoying the others in line as you order 3 dozen bagels, and a couple of these, and some of those, and that other thing on the end, and a .....
(4)Max W.
Kupel's is an old style bakery, bagel, and coffee shop. The food is traditional New York Jewish style, and fabulous. It's a bit chaotic inside, the place is closed Friday evenings and Saturdays, and it's not as pretty as many of the new "chic" food places in Boston. But it's tastier, cheaper, and quicker. In a town where 90% of the bagels are terrible, Kupel's are pretty good. Not as good as you'll find in the Mid-Atlantic, but pretty good. The pastries aren't all the best that you'll find anywhere, but most of them are good and some are great. The rugallah is the best I've ever had. If you want a real treat, try the cinnamon chocolate chip. It's heaven.
(5)s. c.
I've finally found my neighborhood bakery. When a corner bakery sells souvenir t-shirts, you know there's something special there. I love fresh bread, and hate paying a lot of money at the grocery for stuff I could make at home. But a bag of day-olds (8 bagels) for $2? Fresh rye bread for $2.79?! ELEPHANT EARS BIGGER THAN MY FACE?! Don't mind if I do... this week, and the week after that... I always get a bagel and something for my pantry or treat cabinet for the rest of the week. Tasty, affordable, and a wonderful local business. The place is really hopping on Sunday mornings - it can feel a little overwhelming and claustrophobic, but a bagel with cream cheese (and maybe, some adventurous day, tofu lox) is one of my favorite comfort foods.
(4)Rachel G.
The pile of chain bagel places in Brookline meant that I didn't get to Kupel's until I'd been living in the city for almost 5 years (shame on me). I wouldn't put too much stock in the New Yorkers' gripes about the quality of the bagels, mostly because I think New Yorkers need to climb down from those impossibly-high horses they always seem to ride into Boston on, but as a Philly-based lifetime bagel eater, I was impressed with Kupel's variety and their bagels' stalwart, chewy texture. Any place that makes whole-wheat everything bagels, swirls chive and lox cream cheese together (the Miami Lox spread), and is willing to serve me both of those things plus red onions, cucumbers, and tomato for under $5 is a place I will happily revisit. Service was good on a busy Sunday around 10AM--just don't plan on dining in, as there's only a couple small tables tucked into the front of the store and they're usually swarming with babies and strollers. They also observe the Sabbath, so no Saturday service.
(4)J A.
Pretty much the best bagels, Rugallahs, Challah and other Jewish pastries in the Boston area. The wait can be excessive at times so be prepared or come early.
(4)Renee H.
These are the bagels I dream of....that is all. Oh wait, no its not! I get to try a new schmere every time, what could be better! AND they all come in light variations as well....mmmm.....bagels....
(5)Rachel M.
This place has been a mainstay in my life since childhood. I am happy to report that Kupel's has only gotten BETTER in the past few years, and still carries all the treats I loved as a kid. Get the half-and-half cookies, the hamentaschen, the babke, the bagels and the challah. Yum!
(4)Kristine M.
Some of the best bagels in the area. I think Rosenfeld's is closer to NY bagels, personally, but Kupel's are pretty darn good. The thing that will keep me coming back, however, are the potato knishes!! They are HUGE, delicious, and CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!!! A potato knish + an apple = a perfect work lunch for about two bucks. Whenever I'm in Coolidge Corner, I'm going to stock up on their wonderful knishes. Next I'll have to try their ruggulah!
(4)Aluminum Chefs, C and T.
Kupels has been a mainstay of my bagel education for years. Their bagels are awesome, their cream cheese is awesome - but there are a few things you should know before you start ordering: 1) There will always be a line. Deal with it. It's not fast either. 2) Their pastries are, unfortunately, not very good. They look great, but just are not up to snuff - especially with Clear Flour down the street. 3) Please know what you want when you get to the front of the line - don't "um" them to death when you get up there - just order your bagel and scram. That said, their Bagels are perfect and their selection of flavored cream cheeses is pretty impressive. They don't do a great job toasting bagels, but just buy a dozen and a tub of cream cheese and do it at home. It's worth the rules. Oh, they're also closed Saturday. It's the Shabbas, dude.
(4)Daniel M.
By themselves, the bagels at Kupel's rate three stars. Bagel for bagel, there are more flavors here than just about anywhere in the Boston area. Moreover...beyond the vast quantity, these are the freshest and tastiest that I've tried outside of NYC. Even if everything else about Kupel's was wrong, they'd still stand out because of their bagels. Particularly noteworthy is the vast selection of spreads behind the counter. From the generic regular cream cheese to the tofutti It's a better variety than I've experienced around here. Even the standard types, such as the chive, seem to stand out. The selection of baked goods is good - not outstanding, but very good. Customer service can be a bit slow at times, but in a relatively small place with a lot of people working behind the counter and a constant stream of customers coming through the door, that's understandable. Very worthwhile and always a satisfying trip.
(4)Iggy G.
Pretty good pastries, but incredibly unfriendly.
(1)Meera Z.
I used to live a block away from Kupels, and to be completely honest with you I never fell in love. They never wowed me - they were always just okay. The bagels are not soft and chewy, sometimes I'd got as far as saying they're dry! EW. I do, however, think that they have an amazing sandwich and cream cheese selection. I also think that their dozen bagels, cream cheese tub, and lox deal (I think for $9 or 10?) is great! Then again, when the bagels aren't awesome it's not worth it cos I don't want to eat 12 of them. If you're in the area and want a bagel then definitely check them out at least, but I wouldn't trek all the way over here just to try them! Oh yeah - and I get that they're Jewish and are celebrating Sabbath - but being closed on Saturday's just sucks!
(3)Maggie D.
Kupel's is right at the end of my street, and so naturally I stumbled in one morning in search of a cure for my incessant hangover, and was delighted to see what I'd found... Seriously: every flavor of bagel... in WHOLE WHEAT! So many options, so little time. More often than not when you go in to Kupel's in the morning and ask for your bagel toasted, they'll tell you it's still warm from the oven. What more do you want? My only complaint is that they are closed on Saturdays, but I can clearly live with that.
(4)Sabine S.
They won't let you use the bathroom even if you are seven months' pregnant and have a toddler on your hands. Is that even legal these days?
(1)Michelle K.
Take it from a New Yawker, Kupel's has the best bagels in Boston! By a landslide. They're doughy and delicious and well decorated! My favorite bagel type is Everything. And Kupel's shines above the rest by giving a generous coating of everything toppings all over the bagel, not just on the top. This is an important distinction from Rosenfeld's Everythings (often mistaken for the best bagels in town) because theirs had just a few seeds on the top, and sadly they fell off when I cut and spread cream cheese on my bagel. If I wanted a plain, I'd have ordered a plain. Well, this is not the case at Kupel's. Even if you eat just the bottom half, you'll still get all the delicious flavor. Kupel's has a humongous selection of flavored "shmears" (try the honey walnut mmmm) and even though it's put in 8 oz containers, it's also sold by weight, so ask for less and try 2! The raspberry rugelach and the lox I chose were a little disappointing, but I cannot praise the bagels enough. (Closed on Saturdays)
(5)Chelsea B.
I really wanted to LOVE this place as it has gotten so many amazing reviews but I gotta say I did not LOVE it with a capital L, which is what I expected. I think it is fine but after making the trip out to Coolidge Corner multiple times now just for Kupel's, only to come home and be semi-disappointed with how the food tastes, I think I am only going to go there from now on if it happens to be convenient or if I am with people who adamantly want to go eat there. I will say the prices are AWESOME. $3 for a bagel with a lot of schtuff on it was a great surprise. Sorry to all you Kupel's lovers, I really wanted to love it but I just simply like it.
(3)MaryTyler M.
I know this isn't Kupel's fault, but every effing time I go here someone cuts me so obnoxiously that it would seriously be a WRAP if they weren't elderly, or with their children. I have been additionally afraid to stand up for myself because the staff never says boo, which made me think thse folks were regulars and that I should respect their years of patronage. But now I've been racking up miles at this place, so eff that. The next time I get shoved by baby stroller I am going to eat that baby's bagel. Also, the bagels are really good. A huge selection of them, as well as of toppings and cream cheeses (hello, tofu-lox). And they're def your one-stop destination for Herring Snacks.
(4)Melissa A.
Meh. Bleh. Blah. That's what I think about Kupel's. I've tried to like this place. I've really tried. I've gone there a handful of times, and am disappointed every time. First off, their service is really slow, so don't go there if you're ever in a hurry, even if you're the 2nd person in line. It will still take forever. Second, their bagels are blah. Yes, they have a lot of flavors, but the ones I've had have been somewhat bland and quite dry, even when I get the bagel at 8am. Very chewy, which isn't a bad thing, but a chewy bagel doesn't mean it has to be dry. I have had some of their cream cheese, which is good, and the only reason they deserve any stars at all. Their pastries are blah as well. I got an apple pocket once and I thought it was also quite dry and didn't have as much apple filling in it as it should. So overall, I've been disappointed on various occasions by Kupel's. I really wanted this to be a great place, too, because I live so close. Alas, I will be getting my bagels elsewhere.
(1)Han K.
The only decent bagel in Boston I'm convinced. Reminds me a lot of Long Island style of bagel joints, no frils, tons of choices in bagels, bialys, and of course tons of different cream cheese. The bagels got a nice chew to them, it should hurt your jaw to eat a full bagel and these deliver.
(5)Lady M.
Love Kupel's! Best way to start a summer (or whatever!..but it's nice to sit outside) saturday when you're just a little hungover but ready to explore Allston a bit. Lots of options for bagels AND toppings, which includes fresh veggies like cucumbers (yum) and tofutti cream cheese (yum again). Decent coffee too, major plus. If I was still living in Brookline, I'd definitely frequent Kupel's more often this summer.
(5)Andra Z.
It's been a while since I wrote my first review of Kupel's. Time apparently does heal all wounds. My negativity in the last review stemmed from the service at Kupel's. Turns out, the more you go the nicer you are! And, if you're not pushy, picky or overall obnoxious, the staff is more than willing to give you anything you want--gasp! I love their bagels, their cream cheese and all their assorted baked treats. And, let's face it, how many times in my life am I going to live across the street from a stellar bagel shop? I'm guessing this is it. Kupel's, I love you!!
(5)Doug F.
I like Kupel's. The 4 stars is for the selection of cream cheese, which is very tasty and hard to find elsewhere. They have a good selection of pastries as well. Otherwise, I agree with the reviewer who mentioned slow (I'd call it relaxed) service and bagels that just aren't that good. They're bland and dry no matter when I go and no matter what flavor I get. Kupel's is still better than Shaw's, but the Rosenfeld Bagel Company in Newton has superior bagels.
(4)luke b.
Hmm. Yeah... I dunno about the rest y'all but i don't find this place appetizing at all. As a Jew, I feel i know a thing or two about bagels. Bagels and circumcision... but we're talking bagels here... I've been to Kupel's twice and have NOT been happy. My bagels have not been soft on the inside, crisp yet chewy on the outside. My schmears have been bland and flavorless and have actually given me a stomach ache. To sum up... FEH! Love, Luke
(1)Romulo R.
A nice bagel joint. recommended by a good friend, I really like their menu. The bagel was very tasty and service was fast. It was relatively busy but that was no biggie.
(4)Alaina B.
If you asked me a year ago to rate Kupel's, I would have given them five stars hands down. Sure, not the best bagels I've ever had, but I grew up near NYC so there's really no comparison. However, for the Boston area, this was as close as you could get. Lately however I've noticed the quality of the service and the food have dropped. It seems busier in there now, and there are a lot more people working there to accommodate that. This has made the service a bit lacking sometimes, as it can get confusing. The spreads are still the best, and the bagels are still good for the area but I've noticed a drop in quality. Still better than bagels from chain places and most other bakeries around here that I've seen, though. The pastries are hit and miss, but the bread is always good. They usually have good specials where you can get a half dozen bagels, some cream cheese, and some lox for around $6.99 which you should definitely take advantage of. Also the sandwiches they make are decent. As for bagel types to recommend: salt, egg, and garlic have been my favorites. They make jalapeno bagels but I have yet to try them. Oh and while currently this place rates "good for kids," as the place is small and can get crowded kids may feel very cramped in here. Kids will definitely like the food, but don't plan on keeping them inside for very long depending on their age and their ability to sit still! We went with three kids, ages six through ten, and it was a bit of a nightmare at some points!
(4)Nicole P.
I heart cream cheese and Kupel's has about 100 different flavors! Definitely the best spot around for a Sunday bagel and cream cheese. (Not open Saturdays) There are many different types of bagels too- I like the whole grain with maple cream cheese personally. They also have tasty baked goods like danish, challah, cookies and other pasteries- also cold cuts, lox etc. There are only a few tables so not the best place to sit and eat.
(4)Orly M.
My family makes a pilgrimage here every Sunday morning. My dad gets up at the butt crack of dawn to stock up. Kupel's has the best bagels in Boston -- nice big, fat NY style bagels. If you think they're ordinary, stick to your finagle a bagel or whatever crap, more doughy goodness for me! Awesome cream cheese and good lox. Note: not all lox is made alike. However, go to the butcherie down the street for your lox and save some moolah. Kupel's is a great place for a nosh. Back in my vegan days, I remember appreciating that Kupel's had options for me. The perks of a Jewish bakery -- there's insentive not to use dairy in baked goods so they can be consumed with meat. I'm not a big pastry person, but my parents looove the elephant ears here. And I think I remember some mighty fine half moons from my childhood. As a kid, I woke up at the asscrack of dawn to go to Kupel's w/my Dad so I could get a mint brownie. So shout out to you, mint brownie!
(5)A W.
For a treif-eating Jew, the idea of a pareve cookie is a little "mehhh." However, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my half-moon cookie. And the bagels? Wow, don't even get me started. They were perfectly chewy while retaining moisture. I WILL be back here.
(5)Nora B.
I didn't think whitefish salad sandwiches could be tastier than at Michael's deli, but Kupels actually has the edge here. They have a number of good sandwiches at pretty reasonable prices. Also a bargain is the ginormous half moon (aka black and white) cookie. For $1.99, you get what really amounts to a small cake with a heap of frosting, which you should really share with one or perhaps two other people. The chocolate side tastes a bit like a hostess cupcake, and I mean that in the most positive way.
(4)Jane L.
I actually didn't expect much from Kupel's, albiet the positive reviews, being that I am from NY. I went on a Tuesday morning - granted, there was a line but it was my turn to order in no time. I got a WW bagel with tofu cream cheese and a small coffee - all came out to a whoppin' $4.45. Pretty expensive, if you ask me. The bagel was fine - moist and chewy - the way a bagel should be. I wouldn't mind returning to this Kosher bakery during my next visit.
(3)Ben G.
This place has the best bagels in all of Boston. Although i have some friends from NY that dislike this place, claiming that its not as good as bagels in NYC. but thats just because New Yorkers think everything is better in NY. They have a wide selction of bagels, cream cheeses and pastries. But the most noteworthy aspect of Kupels is the Bubka. thats right folks, remember from Sienfeld? Cinnamon is a lesser bubkah. If you've never had bubka before, you owe it to yourself to go to kupels, get a chocolate bubka. While your there, get some bagels and some chive cream cheese and start living. By the way this place is shomer shabbat ( they're not open friday night- saturday night) so don't try to roll up saturday morning all hung over expecting to get bostons best bagels.
(4)Creative N.
This is hands down the best bagel I've ever had. Some very good friends (Sarah & Trav) move from San Diego to Boston a couple years ago and when we went to visit them the first time, they took us to Kupel's (which was right down the block from their first place) and we've been in love ever since (our friends have since moved to Jamaica Plain and we still hit Kupel's every time we're in town). As a side note, this is the same Kupel's that my friends (same Sarah referenced above) parents took her to as a baby when they moved back east! The smell radiating from this place as soon as you get on the same block is AMAZING! Fresh bread, yeast and everything else yummy. Mmmm, writing this is motivating me to get back to Boston ASAP to get me some Kupel's (and visit friends)! I tend to love their everything bagel's and their smoked salon but I've had almost all their bagels and they are all delicious. Fresh made, consistently delicious and very nice staff that is patient when you go to place your order and something else catches your eye and causes you pause in the ordering process! Also, if you're ever so inclined (which I am), they sell a 5lb birthday bagel! As soon as I can convince them to ship it to me in San Diego, I'm going to make it happen!
(5)Diana L.
So, I'm not sure that what I ate at Kupel's was actually a bagel. I think it might have been, I dunno, drywall. Waxy exterior, dry interior, no flavor. When I read all these crazy good reviews of Kupel's, I'd thought I'd stumbled upon the H & H of Boston. Yeah, no. They have 4.5 stars on Yelp. That's like false advertising. Someone needs to say something about the jank food here. I shake my fist angrily at Kupel's-- arrrrrgh! The "Breakfast Special" of a bagel with egg, cheese and tomato plus a cup of coffee? At $2.99 it's cheap, I'll give you that. But it didn't taste good. T got a poppyseed bagel with cream cheese (ya know, to keep it simple) and it was so dry and tasteless she had to throw it away. This is the same woman who is constantly trying to feed me nearly expired foods to avoid wasting it. The coffee-- not even worth mentioning, except to say, blegh. The "chocolate stick" (chosen because it was almost sold out) tasted like a chocolate scented candle. Waxy and flavorless. Bad. Just bad.
(2)Alexis B.
I'm kinda of a snob when it comes to bagels because I'm grew up in New York. And seriously NY has the best bagels ever! I've missed them for a long time. When I go home I bring back 2 dozen. It lasts a week in my house! Well now I can get my fix. I was super hungover on Sunday and a everything bagel with chive cream cheese seemed to be my only cure. I drove my holy hangover Batman self to this wonderful place. I got a bagel for myself and a 1/2 dozen to bring home to the bf and roomie. Well the bagel rocked. It cured my hangover and my bagel fix. From now on I won't support any other Boston bagelry besides them! YAYYYY!
(5)Naomi U.
An authentic (if therefore boring) bagel place. I think the bagels at Bagels by Us are tastier...but that is always a matter of preference...Kupel's are tougher (in a good way...more gluten content?) Beware the hours are also 'traditional' so check if they're open before going.
(3)Eve L.
Here's what I like about Kupel's: Their rugelah. It's the best I've found in Boston. It's really, really good. Here's what I don't like about Kupel's: Their challah. It just isn't sweet enough, and it's too bready and not eggy enough. Also, their complete incompetence about taking large orders. We were considering having rugelah instead of wedding cake, and we wanted to order it from Kupel's. But they refused to take our order, refused to take our order, kept saying "call us back in a week, call us back in a week." I mean, what's so hard about WRITING DOWN A FUCKING ORDER? Eventually, we gave up and decided to just get cannolis from Bova's, which it turned out, were a big hit. Their loss, obviously. They could have had a big fat order for our wedding. Dumb asses. With business sense like that, it's hard to see how they're still in business.
(3)Alex L.
Went here for breakfast this morning and had the Tom Brady (atlantic smoked salmon, tomato, chive cream cheese and tomato on a sesame seed bagel). I can honestly say if was one of the best bagel sandwiches I've ever had. Service was quick and attentive and prices are pretty reasonable given the quality of food. There are lots of goodies to peruse and very discounted bags of day old bagels that I will definitely be bad to take advantage of. Highly recommend.
(4)Jonathan G.
It's not right to have that last review there. Yes, this place is not H & H bagels. But, come on, waxy eterior and no flavor? Ridiculous. I go here often and I am never disappointed. When I bring in bagel's to my students, they clamor for and demand that it be Kupel's. Their cream cheese is good, they always have fresh lox, they have a wide variety of delicious bagels (I am a fan of the California bagels, especially), and their baked goods rule. On top of that, where else can you get good fresh rye bread in Brookline? Nowhere! With that said, their babka's are a little weak on the fruit filling and their coffee is kinda chalky. But who goes for the coffee? If you are judging this place on cranky NY person standards, than you will probably be disappointed. The bagels are smaller and drier than your typical melt in your mouth NY variety. However, they are better than anywhere else within a 10 mile radius, and they are locally owned and operated.
(4)Dave D.
Love the bagels here! I'm a sucker for Lox cream cheese and I love theirs! The price is somewhat pricey, but given the location its understandable. They have pretty decent service, its not going to knock your socks off buts they are polite. If you want bagels, you gotta go to a Kosher bakery, why not go to the real deal!?
(5)Dale N.
Tried the plain bagel with plain cream cheese. Very decent while hot and fresh, average the next day when toasted. I would definitely get bagels here again, but I am still in search of a perfect, delicious bagel.
(4)Kristin S.
I'm a New Yorker on a mission to find a bagel in Boston that is made correctly...boiled, not baked. I thought I had found that in Kupel's..... when I first started going there about 4 years ago the bagels were great. However, lately the quality has gone down hill. The insides aren't as soft and they don't toast and/or freeze as well. The real reason for the low rating is for something other than the bagels. I was waiting in line one day looking at the case of cookies and pastries and I realized that the poppyseeds were moving. Poppyseeds don't move. They were bugs. All over several different kinds of the baked goods. I thought maybe it was a fluke and went back only to see the same thing. Gross. No more Kupel's even if they are the only boiled bagel in town. :(
(1)Rebecca H.
Definitely the place to start a perfect Sunday morning. I ordered a black and white bagel with light miami lox cream cheese, tomato, and onion. It was the best bagel of my life. Go here for the bagels. I've ordered baked good before and wasn't as impressed (hermit cookies that we just okay-- I'm spoiled because my grandfather bakes the best hermits, an elephant ear that was pretty good I suppose, and a black-and-white cookie that tasted like it DEFINITELY was baked too close to the lox-- fishy taste + frosting = garbage can). There is usually a line, but it moves quickly and is completely worth it (I reiterate: for the bagels).
(5)Laine K.
I thought this place was good, however, after discovering Bagelville in Quincy market, I realized that I did not know what a good bagel is!!! These bagels are very dense and already the next day they get hard. Not worth the money at all. Plus, the customer service is ridiculous. People who work there look like the last thing they want to do is work and be there, especially male workers are very rude.
(1)D M.
My beef with the south? NO GOOD BAGELS! They've got good buiscits, though! I have been sitting here thinking about my lack of breakfast here today, and I thought of bagels.....mmmm, bagels! This is my #1 place to get bagels ever! They make hands down the best bagels I have tasted. I've spent a lot of time with people who know a thing or two about bagels (my first taste of Boston was working and living in Brookline Village) and these are boiled to bagel-y perfection. My favorites are the everything, which is wonderfully salty and they do make good sandwiches with said bagels. They are everything you want in a good bagel, and they have a wide assortment of cream cheese, and if you're a keeper of all things kosher, this is a good place to go. I've never tried any of the baked goods such as the cookies and sweet treats. This is definitely also what you'd expect a bagel shop to look like as well.....it's very simple and open early in the morning.
(5)Joseph G.
The best cream cheese in MA! Ordinary bagels, nothing you should go out of your way for. Weak and tasteless coffee.
(3)Dachary C.
Note: This review pertains solely to the baked goods at Kupel's, not the bagels. I hadn't planned to visit Kupel's and found myself there by chance, so I didn't know anything about it before I had arrived. I was initially impressed by the quantity and variety of baked goods - they had so many different types of things, and it all looked soooo tasty. I'm a fan of rugulah, so I had to try that... and there's my never-ending quest for a good peanut-butter cookie. My friend got three other types of baked goods, all of which looked very yummy (and she graciously permitted me to nibble from them.) I wasn't particularly impressed by the taste and quality of the baked goodies. I've gotta say, it was just average. The peanut butter cookie was too dry and fell apart when I tried to break off a piece - not hard and crunchy, perse, just dry. As for the rugulah - I like the stuff at Rosie's Bakery better (please don't kill me!) The bites of the stuff my friend had were interesting, but nothing heart-stopping. After seeing the variety and quantity of items at Kupel's, I've gotta admit to being disappointed by the taste. Pros: fabulous selection and price. Cons: average baked goods. Next time, I'll have to try a bagel.
(3)Jeremy W.
Good bagels have always been hard to find outside of NYC, and that was especially true in San Francisco. When we moved back to the Boston area we found Kupel's in our neighborhood right away, and these are some good bagels! This is the kind of place you can hit up at 6 am on a Sunday and you will already have company. Definitely nice to have a real (and local) bagel place nearby.
(4)Dianna B.
First, be aware that there is a system to ordering, and you must be ready for your order. On Sundays, there is a line out the door, but it moves fast. Stand in the line, know what you want, know who is ahead of you. When the next server (of about 3-5 of them) is free, very clearly state your order -- if there are multiple people in your party, a single person should order -- and inch along towards the cashier. At the cashier, pay, tip and leave. And then enjoy........bagles that are chewy on the outside, soft on the inside and are still warm from the oven. Try the onion & herb. Note, there are only a few small tables inside. Don't bother getting the coffee. On cool fall days, site outside on one of the Harvard St benches and eat 'em while they're hot.
(5)Michelle P.
Forget about New York City Bagels....Kupels is where REAL bagels are made. My apolgies to my girl in the Bronx, but I don't think she'll be reading this anytime soon! Their garlic bagels with their veggie spread is a breakfast, beyond champions. I miss their fresh bagels, that are toasted to order and lavishly spread with the cream cheese. They put it on so thick, and you get crunchy pieces of vegetables. I think over the course of 9 months (that I worked in that area) I tried every single combination that they had to offer. Actually I doubt that is even possible. I know I tried more than I can remember. Their hamentashen and knishes are delish as well. Though I have to say that Rugelach at Catering By Andrew's is devine esepcially when you are lucky enough to get it fresh.
(5)Jen L.
To anyone giving this place lower than 3 stars: are you freaking serious? Okay so they're not as good as New York bagels (I do think it has something to do with the water, but maybe I'm crazy). But they are excellent for Boston. I have lived here for 3 years and can tell you that this is the best there is. Sure, I still smuggle home a dozen from H&H to eat and freeze after a NYC trip but if I need a quick bagel fix in the Boston area, Kupel's is where I go.
(4)Julie T.
I am really not a big fan of Kupel's whatsoever. I'm not a big fan of their pastries or their bagels and maybe I'm just kind of lame, but it always seems very messy when I come in there. The pastries taste old and never seem fresh and the bagels don't seem to be anything special. The cream cheese is good and toppings are plentiful, but I could just as well go to Bagel Rising and get a better bagel and in fact, I could actually get a bagel sandwich! Their coffee is weak too, by the way. I know plenty of people love it and I'm sure they love it for good reason, but for me? This is a no go.
(1)Jenny N.
I'm sad I haven't been able to catch them when they have fresh bagels in stock. I'll have to try a weekend morning...But I did try a hefty stick of chocolate rugallah last night (I think it must have weighed 1/4 lb.!) and when I pointed at a 'hermit' cookie to ask what was in it, the counter guy shoved one in my hand and waved me off, urging me to try it. It was kind of funny, but I guess they were in a hurry to close up for the day. I liked the rugallah much better (a bit unusual because they use whole chocolate chips in it), but I'm definitely coming back to try the bagels some time!
(4)LKT T.
I used to stop by this place all the time on the way to my bus stop in Coolidge Corner. I thought I better patronize my local mom & pop businesses even though I'm no Jew. I liked their pastry which I would get every morning. I never tried other stuff on their menu but I can tell you I love their pastry. If I ever move back to CC, I would definitely frequent the place again.
(3)Lindsay K.
Just moved to Brookline. As soon as I saw this place, I knew I'd like it. Unpretentious and delicious. Day-old bagels for $2.00 is my JAM!!!
(4)Paul F.
Last year I was there I got cream cheese. The counter person overfilled the container and then used his finger to get the excess off. He then put his finger in his mouth and ate the cream cheese. I refused the cream cheese and left. I was the there yesterday and asked for a sissel bread. The server had no clue what a sissel bread was. The other people didn't know either. Being a Jewish bakery, a sissel bread is a common item. The problem is the store has a captive audience and the help are poorly managed and tained. The bager are a disgrace. Try Katz Bagels in Chelsea, a real bagel. Kupel's are on par with supermarket bagels.
(1)Alexandra R.
I love kupel's. Their challah is out of this world! If I could fit it in me, I could probably eat a whole one in one sitting. Now I have to go get one, brb. They have lots of different kinds of bagels and a lot of the time you can tell who made the batch because they are different, but not in a bad way! Their hamantaschen with the poppy seed filling is awesome, like whoa.
(5)Busy L.
Bagels were fair at best. Dry on the inside and not crusty on the outside or chewy. Bruegger's is more authentic and that's not saying alot or a good comparison considering it's a chain... Also bought some rugallah for $8.99/lb. 3 pieces set me back over $10. Holy cow. Again, nothing exciting that I would run back to get more. Bought a blueberry loaf and have yet to try. My guess is it'll be just OK.
(2)Michael W.
Always a great bagel and I have to say I like when they run out of my favorites because it forces me to try something new. Garlic and everything bagels are a must. Sunday morning is not the same with out walk to kupel's and a everything bagel with Miami lox cream cheese and smoked salmon. The tuna salad and white fish are also great... don't worry about the line, it goes fast and while you wait you can pick out some good rugalach
(5)Karrie W.
Tofu & chive cream cheese on a whole wheat everything bagel is so good that I've yet to try something different. Family & friends rave about the baked goods, and they certainly look fabulous.
(5)Dalina C.
Solid place to get bagels. My roommates and I usually go on Sunday mid-mornings. The line is usually fairly long, so patience is key. There is a good assortment of bagels and cream cheese (love their jalepeno cream cheese!). Everyone who works there is nice and pleasant, although some are a little more generous with fillings than others. I also think I'm charged a different amount every time I go in there even if I get the same exact thing, but whatever, it all evens out in the end. It's still a good deal at about $2 per bagel w/cream cheese.
(4)Byron M.
I used to live in Coolidge Corner and I love Kupel's. As others can attest to, there bagels are really good, and you do not need to toast them. In fact, when they are fresh and warm, they are oh soo good. If you are in the area, you may want to check them out.
(4)Finn M.
Kupel's gets five stars because their bagels are, quite literally, "as good as it gets." I've got friends from New York who claim that it is literally impossible to beat a New York bagel ("it's something in the water!"), but I don't believe 'em, and that's mainly because I can go to Kupel's and get fresh, perfect bagels: a little crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. They're great toasted with any spread you can think of (and believe me, they've got a lot of them) or just eating them plain right out of the oven. I've never had any of their other baked good, and to be quite honest, I don't care. They have like 20-30 different bagel varieties and they're all awesome. It's authentically kosher/pareve, which I love as well. No idea what the people who claim these don't taste "fresh" are talking about.
(5)Arezu S.
First time there. The employees were gruff and unhelpful, seemed in a hurry to rush us out. The chocolate babka wasn't particularly chocolate-y. I asked for a chocolate arugalach (however you spell that), didn't realize until I got home that they gave me raspberry. Wasn't terribly expensive, but I didn't feel welcome there.
(2)Erin G.
Kupels! My very first experience of Kupels was heading over there one morning around 8AM. I was going on one of my famous (to me at least) 8+ mile journeys around boston and i figured since the place was already packed, i should grab a bite there and be on my way. i waited in line checking out the immense selection and drooled as fresh hot bagels were dumped into each bin. I decided on just a plain jalepeno bagel, not toasted, not even cut, definitely no cream cheese. it was hot, it was filled with jalepenos and it was delicious. the perfect wake up call.
(4)Allie G.
Love, love, love Kupel's. I'm not a huge bagel snob (carbs, mmmm) BUT I think theirs are especially yummy. Veggie cream cheese (even reduced fat version) is excellent. Here's a heads-up: the weekend specials are a real deal, usually saving you at least 30-40% off of what you'd spend buying stuff separately. Just be sure to check the white-board before placing your order. You can eat there (two tables, I think) if you don't mind folks reaching over your head to accept their bags o' bagels--but it's probably a better place to stop in and get stuff to bring home or to a picnic.
(4)Eli R.
How things have changed! For years I lived in Brookline and came to Kupel's often. It was wonderful. I no longer live in the area, but two weeks ago, just before the High Holy Days, I was visiting Boston and decided to stop by. It was sad. The bagels and the pastries were fine, but the people behind the counter were rude, inattentive, and clueless. I got my order and left. Two days later I went back, hoping that it was an accident. No such luck. When a teenager in a funny hat started coughing on a rugelach being bought by a lady in front of me, I simply had to turn around and leave. Seriously? This is what it has become? I could not recommend it until something majorly changes about the service.
(1)allgimbel c.
Went here last week for the first time in years. These are the real deal and the college guy behind the counter was super friendly. I felt like I got my money's worth. (Everything bagel with lox spread and tomato, toasted, thank you.) Definitely worth straying from Bruegger's and Finagle...these are head and shoulders above those imposters. If you can't go here...check out the Iggy's outlet in Alewife Circle -- you'll have to go elsewhere for your schmear, though. Though I haven't tried them, lots of old school bakery items here too (rugelach, anyone?). I predict a return visit soon.
(5)Mary M.
I wish I liked this place better, which is an oblique way of saying that I wish the bagels were better. Still, they do have a grand variety of flavors without (quite) slipping into the madness of chocolate chip or french toast bagels or any of that foolishness. The bagels are decent, the rugelach is okay, the cream cheese is leaden...it's all right.
(3)Gee M.
I love Kupels in the morning--very early at 6 am on Sunday. The guy at the counter always remembers me and treats me right. The bagels are very good--yes I' ve had better, but still a real bagel and with lox and cream cheese, you have one great breakfast.
(4)Jonah P.
Best bagels in all of Boston! There are so many chain bagel establishments in the area and they all SUCK! Kupel's is the only place in the area that is similar to a traditional New York bagel shop. The bagels are big and chewy and fresh. I wouldn't say the service is overly friendly but certainly not rude, though you need to know what you want when it's your time to order. They have a few small tables but there are a couple parks close by and I used to prefer to eat at those parks when weather permitted. Very close to Harvard/Comm so skip bagel rising and walk the five minutes to Kupels if you live in the area.
(5)Kelly N Z R.
Love the bagels, love the tofutti cream cheese! This is the only bagel shop I know of that offers it. If you know of another, please let me know, but in the meanwhile, these delicious bagels are well worth the trek out to Brookline.
(5)Julie N.
The bagels here are okay. I don't think they're as flavorful as they could be and I think Bagel World (although a little outside of the city) is way better. They also do not have meat for their sandwiches (for religious reasons), but the cream cheese is really good. It's always super crowded, but they wait on you pretty quickly. I've bought other bakery items from here and they are definitely not that great. The people who work here are also not too swift. They are always fooling around and never listen to what you say. I think they could use a little more training or a lesson in listening skills because my bagel is never toasted like I ask. If you're looking for bagels, I may find a different location.
(3)Anne A.
The first thing to remember is that Kupel's isn't open on Saturday. More than once I've walked by, looking for a bagel and coffee, and stared mornfully at the closed doors. That said, these are the best bagels around. I usually order one of their whole-wheat bagels (everything, sesame, or raisin) to eat, and a dozen to last me through the week. If you get a whole dozen, it's cheaper to get excellent bagels here than "meh" ones at the supermarket. The baked goods are okay, but compared to the bagels are a disappointment. Also, while most of the employees are sharp and on the ball (they have to be --- there's usually lines out the door Sunday morning), if you get Sam expect to have your order and/or the cost of your order screwed up. I've had her serve me three times and things have never gone right.
(4)Chris C.
The only bagel place, in the area, that didn't have it's menu, logo and interior determined in some board room by a bunch of money hungry men in bejewelled yarmulkes (okay, that's just how I imagine the board rooms of bruegger's and finagle). Not enough good things can be said about a friendly place where the people serving you have contact with or are the people who run a business. The bagels are fresh and delicious as is everything else I've tried here. Prices are comparatively dirt cheap and the service was super friendly.
(5)Kylie S.
Kupel's bagels are divine. Oh am I happy I have moved back to the East Coast where they know how to make bagels. I love the whole wheat sesame bagels. At first I thought they looked too fat but they fit in the toaster oven and the taste and texture was just right.
(5)Diane I.
i almost lived down the street from here... and i'm glad it didn't work out. this place is amazing... no self control when it comes to their pastries.
(5)Mike D.
My favorite part about Kupel's is that they've ruined breakfast for several New Yorkers who should have known better than to buy bagels outside of New York if they're really the purists they claim to be. My second favorite part about them is their bagels, which aren't as good as the best I've had in New York but are certainly better than the worst and even the mediocre ones I ate there... and way better than any other bagels I've bought around here.
(4)Lacey P.
They have black and white cookies. They have giant chocolate flat tires. They have tofu cream cheese. They have old Jewish men arguing. What else would one need for breakfast? Worth the trek from anywhere.
(5)Courtney E.
I'm not a big bagel person, but I could be after seeing the selection at Kupels. They even have a wide selection of toppings, including the low-fat versions. I tried the Everything bagel toasted with cream cheese, which could have been better if it was actually warm. Even if it wasn't baked fresh out of the oven, I like it to taste as if it could be. Otherwise, for the price (like $1.50), it can't be beat, and their other baked goods, like the Rugallah is in itself, worth a special trip. Don't pass up on this place!!
(5)Aya S.
Kupel's has been my go-to place for a quick breakfast on Sundays. There's always a line, but the service is fast. I've come across a few grumpy employees, but the spreads and cream cheese are fantastic! Cheap, quick, and fresh.
(4)Stockton M.
Agree that their bagel's are more authentic than the bready/doughy local chains, but just not up to NY/NJ standards. Decent selection of jewish pasteries and chalah.
(3)fred j.
These bagels are just alright. More like a hard roll shaped like a bagel. It's the same consistancy ( HARD DRY FROM OUTSIDE RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER) not like it should be ( CRISP CRUST WITH A NICE MOIST CHEWY CENTER ). I know how popular this place is, but I like my bagels and these are barely bagels. I'm not sure they even boil their bagels.
(2)Jacob E.
The bagels are pretty good, and since nowhere else in the area is even close to acceptable, they get my vote. As a rigorously non-observant Jew, I wish that they would ease up on all the sabbath-observing. Being closed on saturday reduces the number of chances I have to go there by 50%.
(4)Flora R.
classic ny style bakery. consistently good bagels and all the tasty spreads you could want. every time my mom comes to town this is a required breakfast stop. they also have a good variety of cookies and breads, but most people are there for the bagels. it's packed on sunday morning - but totally worth the wait.
(5)Kate B.
Believe the hype. These are the best bagels in Boston. My fave is an everything bagel with hummus and tomato. With the long line (that moves fast) and limited table space, the store does get cramped. I recommend grabbing a bagel and heading a few blocks down Harvard Street. You'll come across a small park where you can sit and smugly enjoy your delicious bagel while you watch the masses wait in line for overpriced fare at Zaftigs.
(5)sheryl l.
I forgot my wallet and Kupels had enough faith in me to bring back the money another day. I was very touched by that. I of course paid for it the next day. Thanks Kupels!
(5)Fatty F.
Yesterday was an unusual situation, because I was in Brookline. Don't usually spend too much time there. So I stopped in to Kupels. It's an attractive enough looking place with some appetizing stuff and I loved the old timey sticker on the window from 1968 or 1969 that says by law I've got to leave my dog outside. Anyhow, I got this cookie. It was kinda terrible. Also this large pastry called a chocolate flat tire. Again an item that looked better than it tasted. I've got some Jewish friends who know I love Challah. They feed me Challah when i visit and usualy before I leave their heavily Jewish populated hood I buy myself a loaf or two to go. The Challah at Kupel's is the worst I've ever had.
(3)Laura A.
since i moved here i have been bemoaning the lack of a decent bagel. i'm from the new york area (the dirty jerz) where bagels are plentiful and made correctly i.e. not overly doughy and bready, the way it mostly is here. not so at kupel's. probably the best bagel you'll find in the city (although rosenfeld's in newton centre runs a close second). kupel's does it up right. highly recommended. you know a bagel place is legit when they close on fridays and don't open again until sunday!
(5)Mahogany G.
This is my first memory of a bagel. I mean a REAL bagel. I had just moved to the states and before Kupel's had only eaten the Thomas' bagels from supermarkets. This is where I learned that a bagel is more than just bread - it's something to be savoured. Something to look forward to on a Saturday morning. This is where I first tried flavoured cream cheese. I have such fond memories of this place and can't wait to get back to Brookline to get me some Kupel's bagels.
(5)Sus M.
they have a bunch of dope breakfast sandwiches. bagels were aight. they are probably really good when they've just been made, but all bagels are, yknow? the coffee was subpar, i actually threw my iced coffee away after one sip.
(2)kate L.
the only place that has cinnamon glazed bagels. The bagels are always cooked fresh and sometimes they have tasty cookies or other treats. The place has gone down hill a little bit but I still eat there all the time!
(3)Robin G.
We went here instead of Bagel Rising and were extremely disappointing. The bagel almost tasted stale and the cream cheese was flavorless. I will not go back for a bagel, but might try something else as the pastries looked good. Then again the bagel looked good before I ate it.
(2)John W.
please pardon my hyperbolic and alliterative exclamation: Kupel's serves Boston's best bagels, hands down!
(5)Brian D.
Some people say that Rosenfeld's in Newton has better bagels, but I show those people my middle finger. Excellent variety of bagels including numerous whole wheat choices. Great flavored cream cheese. Reasonable prices. Try a tomato bagel with hummus. Plus it is just down 100 ft down the street from Ana's Taqueria and the Daily Catch. Three great food experiences so close to one another. It is almost disturbing.
(5)Aaron M.
Just finished having breakfast there. The sandwiches were tasty (Randy Moss and an egg salad both on bagels) and the atmosphere had a nice NYC feel to it. I've been looking for a good bagel place in Boston and may just have found it. Also tried the humentashin which was also tasty.
(4)Anonymous P.
Good bagels but not NYC quality. Surly service.
(4)Ryan F.
I love bagels, and to tell you the truth i wasnt too impressed with kupels. ive only been there once so maybe i just caught it at a bad time and need to give it another chance. The bagels arent bad, but not as good as i was expecting after reading all the reviews. I would rather bagel rising down the street any day.
(3)So S.
BEST BAGELS IN BOSTON!! This is locally known for being one of the best in taste and freshness for old style Bagels. You have never tasted anything like this. Tons of variety! If you love bagels, you have to check this out. Near the T collidge corner stop, brookline (birthplace of JFK), so you have no excuses to taste what Boston is all about!
(5)Emily F.
I waited in line here for about 20 minutes on a Sunday morning, which was fine because I thought it was going to be really good. I'd read not to bother with the pastries, so I ordered an everything bagel with chive cream cheese. My bagel was doughy and undercooked and the server asked me about six times if I was sure that was all I wanted and then rudely threw my change on the counter. I live in Coolidge Corner and won't bother going past Breugger's next time I'm in the mood for a bagel
(2)Ann G.
I truly don't know where to go with the star rating so I'm sticking with three. The overarching program with this place is the service. The guys behind the counter look like they'd rather be doing anything else but serve you, maintaining a solid scowl and hoarse mumble throughout the ordering experience. With ONE exception - I believe his name is Alex and he is by far the nicest behind-the-counter employee I have ever experienced anywhere. This guy truly exudes happiness and I get really excited every time he takes my order because he simply cares about how you are and wants your experience to be wonderful. So, terrible service except that one guy is super awesome. I'm not a bagel connoisseur so keep that in mind, but I do think the bagels are pretty good. They also load them up with cream cheese and their veggie cream cheese really is quite delicious. My boyfriend loves the variety of sandwiches you can order and reports back that the lox is okay. I've only had their hamentaschen and have to say I really enjoyed them. So, food is A-OK. With that in mind I'll give the place three stars and continue to visit the place.
(3)Kelly C.
After reading other reviews I had some high hopes that this would be one of the better bagels I'd have in Boston. I was fairly disappointed. The bagel was ok but I didn't think they were better than the food store's bakery bagels. I got the cream cheese and lox sandwich. The sandwich was good overall but I didn't think the bagel was anything special. Also, for $10 I expected an amazing sandwich. I probably wouldn't come back here again for a bagel.
(2)Diana T.
Seriously the best bagels in all of greater Boston. I would know because I am a bagel connoisseur; I've tried so many bagel shops all around Boston and I haven't found a place that makes bagels like Kupel's does. Their bagels are hard on the outside but really fluffy and soft on the inside... How a real bagel should be! These are the only bagels in the area that are even comparable to New York style bagels. Also, they have some of the nicest employees I ever met!
(5)Alex H.
Well, this is an automatic 5 stars just because Boston doesn't have any other bagel place better than this. If we were in NY or even Baltimore, this might only be getting a 3 or 4 star. But what are you gonna do? Drive 4 hours for your bagel to be a little softer!? A couple things to know if bagel bakeries are your thing but you are new here. I believe somewhere on the windows outside it says 'parve.' Don't worry about that at all. This place is not 'parve,' it is dairy! You will not be getting fake cream cheese (unless for some reason you choose their tofu 'cream cheese'. Secondly, it is certified kosher. How such confusion happened, I have no clue. Yes, they have the everything, egg, pumpernickel, etc, and scallion cream cheese and whitefish salad and all that good stuff. They also have those goy flavors such as jalapeno bagel or honey walnut cream cheese. Don't let that scare you. The place is still good. If you are buying other pastries there other than bagels and stuff, you're on your own. I never buy that stuff there so I have no clue.
(5)Justine M.
I used to enjoy this bakery, but the manager has turned me off Kupel's completely. A few weeks ago I went in for a bagel. To pay, I handed the manager cash over the counter. He dropped a dollar into an open tub of cream cheese, picked up the dollar, wiped it off, and then used that cream cheese on my bagel! I'm not a clean freak by any standard, but even I wouldn't eat that cream cheese after money had been dropped in it. Today, I decided to give Kupel's a second chance.... Bad idea. Right after I'd placed my order, the manager stepped out of the back, wiped his nose with his bare right hand, put a glove on his left hand (handling the glove with the snot-covered right hand), and proceeded to take my bagel out of the toaster... TOUCHING IT WITH BOTH HANDS. Why did you need both hands for this task?! The nice girl behind the counter made me a new bagel when I explained my frustration, but I wish I'd had the guts to call that manager out. How absolutely disgusting!!!! I will never give this restaurant my business again.
(1)Julia C.
I read rave reviews of Kupel's so I was initially so excited to check it out. My boyfriend and I went on a Sunday morning and the place was PACKED (line out the door). This made us even more excited- we were practically expecting bagels made of gold and silver. My boyfriend ordered a bagel sandwich and I ordered a bagel with cream cheese and lox. We ordered a few pastries to go as well. Ordering was stressful due to the amount of people there, and the staff wasn't too friendly (which I am sure was due to the high number of customers). The sandwich and bagel with lox were pretty good, but nothing out of this world. Unfortunately, my boyfriend's pastry was stale and I can't even remember what I ordered it was so run of the mill. I've only returned once since on a weeknight just for kicks. They were clearly closing, but the staff member helping me was super nice. I ordered a raspberry rugelach and paid quite a hefty sum for it, but it was yummy! Kupel's is good, but not a regular spot for me.
(3)Molly K.
I used to come here when I was little, and I loved the delicious smell of baked goods as I walked through the door! However, as I've been coming here recently, I have not enjoyed the quality of their products at all :-( I want to enjoy it of course, because I want to support a local business.) It seems like the quality has dropped off, to be honest. A few months ago, some friends from out of town were coming to visit and I bought about $50 worth of goodies from here for my guests. Even among the diversity and wide array of baked foods I bought for them, not one of the pastries was very good or fresh. Like I said, I hate saying this because I want to like Kupels, but the quality was just so not-good! If they step up the quality, even by a little, I will definitely be coming back to my favorite childhood bakery!!
(2)Sheila S.
Super fresh bagels and pastries with friendly service. Around the Jewish holidays they stock up and are ready to serve many parve treats! The cream cheese they have is whipped and delicious. Prices are pretty reasonable for what you get since many items you can't get elsewhere.
(5)Victoria P.
I spent maybe 3 minutes in here so my review will be short. Ordered half a dozen bagels and they were all delicious. The guy who packed them up wasn't particularly friendly, but whatever...it's just bagels. I noticed they had tofu cream cheese which I was recently introduced to and loved, but haven't had the chance to try it here. Will be back for more bagels, tofu cream cheese, and possibly some pastries.
(4)David C.
Ugh, Kupel's, why'd you have to go and ruin my everything bagel with fennel seed? I guess I'm going to have to start asking what exactly "everything" entails when I try new bakeries. It's ok though, your chocolate Rugellah more than made up for it. I ate half a pound of that dense, doughy deliciousness in less than ten minutes, and I regret nothing. Your flat tire was enjoyable as well, although a little odd. I don't think I've ever had a pastry quite like it. I'll be back to try your hamentashen when I come down from this sugar high that I'm riding.
(3)Dessa R.
Bagels! I miss bagels. I'm sorry to sound like every other New Yorker in Mass, but my experience has been that Boston is just not so good at bagels. Must be the water. Still, I had not given up on finding a great bagel in this city. The line snaked throughout the store. I considered this to be a good sign. We waited patiently, like (kosher) cattle, and finally arrived at one of the smiley teenagers taking orders. I noticed they had many cream cheeses, and many suggested combinations for your bagel. But I already knew what I wanted. It's what I had wanted for days. I got an everything bagel with lox and cream cheese. B got an everything bagel with garlic cream cheese, raw onion, and cucumber. They offered to toast them, but also reminded us that they were still warm from the oven. Sweet! We both enjoyed our bagels very much, and thought the other's was gross. That's just the way the bagel crumbles. But seriously, if your bagel really does crumble, throw it away and buy one from here, 'cause mine was pretty damn good.
(4)Lily S.
So i'm not much of a bagel connoisseur but i had a pretty solid experience here. Came in mid afternoon the other day while killing some time before meeting a friend and was in serious need of feeding myself. I decided on a plain bagel with lox and cream cheese. Was really pleased with the amount and quality of fish. The scallion cream cheese was delicious and i had to hold myself back to keep from licking my fingers in public. Also, they have like 87 different flavors of cream cheese. 8-9$ for a delicious meal that kept me full the rest of the day seems totally reasonable.
(4)Renee H.
Been meaning to try this place and so glad I finally did. Amazing selection of baked goods. Very hard to choose. Prices are very affordable and we had good service. No card minimum either which was great considering all I got was a cherry Danish for under $2 Definitely going back.
(4)Bret C.
Very good local business that's been a big part of Brookline for lots of years. Not as amazing as people make it out to be. Bagels are good (cinnamon sugar is a good one) and the bear claws, apple turnovers and raspberry hamentashen are highlights. And remember, they're closed on Saturdays!
(3)Claire Helene B.
Love love love love love the rye bagels with caraway seeds, and the plain ones = bulging with freshness and lovely finish on the outside. I suppose if I had a taste for other flavors, I'd also love them too. Love the lox and olive cream cheese spreads. You can buy nova here too. The bagel bar can be raised no higher.
(5)Jenny B.
Kupel's is a great bakery. I love bagels and there's no better bagel in town than Kupel's. They have great schmears too! I know everyone raves about the bagels in New York, but this place is as good, if not better than any bagel that I have had in NY. I love this place. Two thumbs up!
(5)Olivia L.
Being a fairly new Brooklineite, I have been here just once to get bagels and pastry to take to a brunch party. The counter person seemed impatient with me for not recognizing some of the pastries and asking questions about them. Aside from that somewhat negative encounter, I will say the bagels are tasty. I got a tub of cream cheese here, also, which was a great convenience for me, as I was taking them to a friend's house. It was great not to have to make another stop on the way for cream cheese. The pastries I got were, in my opinion, less tasty. I advise staying with the bagels and you can't go wrong. I will return for some more delicious bagels at a future date!
(4)ROB L.
We got a dozen bagels here and one pastry. Apparently, we got the wrong pastry. It was about $5 (rugullah is priced by the pound), kinda cheesy, and really dense. Maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea. The bagels were all right. I guess I was comparing them to Noah's bagels in SF, where I go at 7 AM and get a dozen straight out of the oven. These weren't as soft or chewy as I expected them to be, nor were they as dense. They invoked a sense of bagel shaped bread in my mind. I'm glad I stopped in to support the local shop, but my personal tastes in bagels vary from what they make.
(2)R V.
Their chocolate flat tire is a certifiable federal Superfund-level disaster area. The pastry twist is so thin, the chocolate so abundant, and the sugarcoating so thick and impenetrable -- both on top and bottom! -- that, unlike their oddly bread-like Danishes, it can't even pretend to be a breakfast food. It's a hubcap-sized half-dessert, half-scud-missile abomination that ranks up there with Patsy's danishes and Carol Anne's chocolate horns as one of the most ridiculous, irresponsible and wonderful pastries in Greater Boston. Most of their other pastries are either ordinary or flat-out weird (like those hamburger-bun Danishes), but the flat tire alone justifies this place's existence.
(4)Rani P.
I am not a morning person, yet I become one in order to get a fresh bagel with spread from Kupel's. I was starting to lose hope in Boston- constantly searching for a bagel with the right density, the right size, the right amount of raisins... After three of my Jewish friends listed Kupel's bagels as what they want to eat after Yom Kippur fasting- I knew it would be a life changer. And it was. Don't be surprised to find me sleeping outside the door in order to be eating a bagel within 5 minutes of waking. (I guess it also works to just freeze and toast them when I'm ready...)
(5)Benjamin I.
My partner and I found this place while on vacation in Boston. The onion bialys and bagels are very good. The first time we went the staff was very friendly. It was a great experience. We came back again just before we left, as we had another bialy craving. We were really a big fan of the garlic and herb cream cheese. Coffee wasn't so great, but there is great coffee right across the street at A4.
(5)Nitya D.
Yay! Bagel shop with tofu cream cheese! Makes my vegan belly happy. Very friendly staff, variety of soft and dense bagels, with a couple of tofu spreads. For non vegans, they, of course, have several regular cream cheese flavors. Family owned and operated (no longer by the namesake family, however). It's a nice shop with history, character and the only place I'll go to for bagels in Boston.
(4)Alana F.
Damn good bagels. Damn good schmear.
(5)Carrie B.
Classic Jewish bakery with bagels, bagel sandwiches (with wide variety of cream cheeses and fixings), rugelach, hamentaschen, babka, etc. Large pastry menu, with many varieties of cookies, brownies, bars, danish, muffins, apple turnovers, etc. Kupel's also sells a wide variety of breads, including the usual challahs (several kinds), rye loaves, and pumpernickel, plus a very small selection of organic artisan-style breads. I've probably tried them all by now, and none have disappointed. Kupels does not, however, bake any crusty breads, so no baguettes or the like. Also, not much in the way of whole grains. The pastry items all seem to be made with white flour, no whole grain scones or muffins. The small selection of organic breads is a small step toward modernizing the offerings, and I'd love to see them do more in that direction.
(4)Lindsay S.
This is one of the greatest places I've ever been to in Brookline. One day my roommate and I were trekking to some UPS store that was far far away when we stumbled onto this gem. I'm Jewish and when I saw that it was a Jewish bakery I had to go in, so I dragged her inside. The rugelach is to die for. I've seriously never had better. It comes in a variety of flavors, but my favorite is the cinnamon chocolate chip. Also the shop has year round hamentaschen. Ummm YES. Those also come in a wide variety of flavors. Also I love going here in the mornings for a nice bagel sandwich. Every time I'm in Boston, I come in here just to pick up rugelach for my mother. She loves it that much too.
(4)Cwot W.
This place has the most flavorless baked goods. I can't figure out why it's so busy. I feel like the items taste like the food they eat in the movie "The Matrix" (when they are out of the matrix).
(2)Carrie C.
Well I have to admit that I can't really give this place a fair review. I stopped in the other day on my way past and didn't see anything that looked appetizing and even though I was the only person in the place the staff didn't even acknowledge my existence. After reading that they were shut down by the health department for rodent feces in their kitchen, I'm glad I bugged out of there. myfoxboston.com/dpp/news…
(1)Imran G.
Had trouble finding a good bakery with bagels. We got lost in Coolidge Corner and stumbled upon this place, and because we hadn't had bagels in such a long time we decided to step in. Then, we realized how much stuff they had. Great. Not really. We finally decided on a chocolate chip rugellah, and while it was a mediocre pastry at best, the most shocking thing was the price. One rugellah for $5. Wow, that's expensive, right? Apparently the weirder thing is that they charge for the pound for this. Was not aware of this at all... I also wasn't aware of how different I look. The clerk kept staring at me without smile despite my efforts to break the ice. Now that I think about it, I should probably go refresh my Star Wars memory. In "A New Hope" there is a scene at the cantina in which some of the guys just don't like Luke Skywalker. Damn, now I really want to go watch Star Wars Ep IV: A New Hope.
(1)Teddy S.
Visited 3 times in the past 2 months. Not again. Went for bagels, pastry and challah. Rosenfeld & Bagel Rising make much tastier bagels. Like some of the other reviewers, think the quality has gone down the past few years. The bagels are too light and except for the toppings, have no flavor. The pastry is just ok. Bought assorted items (elephant ears, bubka, etc...) and they lacked any real flavor. Bought 2 bubka's last week (apple & berry) and there is more fruit on a piece of toast than in either bubka. Too bad. Most people seem to be happy with the sandwiches, but I like to buy the bread/pastry and make my own sandwiches.
(2)Ryan M.
This spot on Harvard St. has excellent reviews, and there isn't any question as to why. The bagels have a nice firm exterior and a slightly doughy interior. The staff is friendly and prompt as they serve you your choice through the vast selection of shmears, bagels, pastries and goodies. The prices are reasonable, local and family owned. What more could you want? I just wish I lived closer to the Brookline area to take advantage of this spot.
(4)Karina L.
Pretty yummy bagels and nice outdoor seating for nice days. I much prefer Michael's Deli down the street at Coolidge Corner for bagels, even though they're not primarily a bagel place. I got a sesame bagel with lox spread. The bagels are chewy (just how I like it!), but I think the cream cheese lacked flavor. Compared to other bagel places, there isn't much cream cheese variety. The worst part of my experience was the service. I thought they were having a bad day but, after reading other Yelpers' reviews, it seems like they're permanently in a state of hangover/drug withdrawal. When we walked in, there were no 'Hello' or even acknowledgment of our presence. There's no clear path from where to order and where to pay. We had to wave our hands in front of their faces to get their attention -- they what I ordered twice, forgot to ask me to pay, and then gave me $15 extra in change (which I promptly gave back). They sell bags of day-old bagels and muffins for pretty cheap (comparable to normal supermarket prices). I can imagine that they still taste pretty good.
(3)Matt R.
They have amazing bagels and challah bread. Their service is unbelievable and you feel right at home when you walk in. They treat a one time customer just like a regular. If I can recommend one item it would have to be their pan challah. It's so fresh that it practically falls apart.
(5)Ian L.
Holy crap. I asked for an onion sesame bagel with salmon and capers. What I receive is a trash pile of salmon with a veritable orchard of capers cascading down beautiful pink fleshy slopes. Seriously, way more salmon than I ever expected. I expect to see a breaking news update this evening on the extinction of salmon as a result of this sandwich! Their bagels are freaking amazing as far as bagels go, though the everything bagels tend to go quickly. Just be prepared to wait 5 or 10 min in line to order--this place seems to be a popular spot.
(4)Bria O.
OBSESSED with this place. Everything is amazing and they move the line along quickly. Also great deals on bulk bagels etc. Really friendly employees. Unfortunately closed for Shabbat on Saturday but that's the price you pay for amazing kosher bakery.
(5)Kim K.
Kupels serves not just bagels but a huge selection of everything - bagels, pastries, muffins, etc. They have good prices and the store is relatively clean. The bagels are good, kinda chewy though.
(4)Hui Ying C.
Tofu lox bagel was generously creamy and tasted just like the real thing, vegans and non vegans gotta hop on the Kupel train! Apple puff was beyond amazing as well. Friendly staff and awesome food in a summer day :D
(5)Meizi H.
Their bagels are a bit chewy for my taste. And their croissants might be the worst I've ever tried. They were plain and salty. Maybe it was wrong batch. I ordered half dozen of bagels and they only put five of them in a bag, which I just found out when I got home. I tried their multi-grain, raisin cinnamon, onion and wheat bagels. They were okay. Their services were off whilst they busy chatting with each other. I like to support local shop but their quality of food and service keep me away from it!
(2)Melissa P.
Of the 26 different types of certified Kosher bagels to choose from, all are handmade and all guaranteed delicious. It seems most of us are accustomed to grocery store-brand flavorless bagels that taste more like Styrofoam than anything else, but Kugel's soft, doughy textured bagels are without chemical additives. Kupel's keeps their food prices surprisingly low. You can get a bagel with cream cheese and a pumpkin-spiced coffee for just $3.19. Check out their weekly deals for other reasonably priced offers. Not only does Kupel's have delicious bagels, but they also have rows upon rows of pastries. Smaller sweets have swamped the market, but Kupel's makes large to extra-large pastries from cheese (pareve) danishes to blueberry muffins to black-and-white cookies, just to name a few. Some bakeries offer an assortment of these very simple bagels, but such variations on the classics often stale and tasteless. Kupel's bagels however, are a different breed - chewy and tinged with a tantalizing freshness.
(4)Lauren E.
From a Jewish New Yorker carb queen, trust me these soft, doughy bagels are not to be missed on any jaunt through Brookline. The coffee was remarkably good. The service was friendly- there weren't many people in the store while I was there but I can tell this place would get bogged down with lines during breakfast time.
(5)Anna C.
Thank you for being open today! Best breakfast especially on a snow day! Great bagel and lox deal
(5)Whitney D.
This bakery is wonderful. The bagels and sandwiches are fantastic. My go to is the Tom Brady--smoke salmon, capers, onion, cream cheese--on a garlic bagel. It's outstanding. I've tried a few variations--the Truth, and this is the best. We've tried a few of the pastries, and they're only ok, which is why I gave this a 4--that and it's closed on Saturdays...obviously understandable, but always a disappointing realization on Saturday mornings. The cookies are good, but the rest is just ok. Maybe it's just that it's being compared to the bagels, which again, are amazing. The staff is usually friendly, they seem a little busy, but I understand. Overall, a great place!!
(4)Meghan O.
Kupel's has incredible bagels, and the young staff is very helpful. I recently picked up 5 dozen bagels to serve to volunteers at an event - the cashier was very patient with me and volunteers were thrilled to enjoy such a delicious breakfast!
(5)Robert M.
After reading all of these reviews, I should have stuck with the bagels. I thought a bakery was supposed to be good at everything but I've been burned there twice now, and it isn't going to happen again. Not going back. Black and White cookie or "half moon" cookie, twice, had a stale bottom and some weird overture of something I thought was salmon like. (But I didn't see the lox in the same display case) The raspberry bear claw was not at all flavorful and the potato knishes weren't all that great either. I'm going to have to find someplace else for other than bagels.
(2)Andrea S.
I don't miss Brookline, but I miss Kupel's. Those bagels are so damn good. Plus, two dozen day old bagels for $1? How can you possibly go wrong. So what if you arent 100% sure what they are. Also, it's cheap. Honestly I would go in, get two bagel sandwiches, two drinks and a thing full of cookies for $7. Are you sure? Did you want more? It all comes out in the wash though, because they rang me up once for like $18 on a $2 item. Somebody probably falls for it sometimes. It can be a little rough in the line when you are hungover, but those glorious bagels are totally worth it.
(5)MaryTyler M.
I know this isn't Kupel's fault, but every effing time I go here someone cuts me so obnoxiously that it would seriously be a WRAP if they weren't elderly, or with their children. I have been additionally afraid to stand up for myself because the staff never says boo, which made me think thse folks were regulars and that I should respect their years of patronage. But now I've been racking up miles at this place, so eff that. The next time I get shoved by baby stroller I am going to eat that baby's bagel. Also, the bagels are really good. A huge selection of them, as well as of toppings and cream cheeses (hello, tofu-lox). And they're def your one-stop destination for Herring Snacks.
(4)Melissa A.
Meh. Bleh. Blah. That's what I think about Kupel's. I've tried to like this place. I've really tried. I've gone there a handful of times, and am disappointed every time. First off, their service is really slow, so don't go there if you're ever in a hurry, even if you're the 2nd person in line. It will still take forever. Second, their bagels are blah. Yes, they have a lot of flavors, but the ones I've had have been somewhat bland and quite dry, even when I get the bagel at 8am. Very chewy, which isn't a bad thing, but a chewy bagel doesn't mean it has to be dry. I have had some of their cream cheese, which is good, and the only reason they deserve any stars at all. Their pastries are blah as well. I got an apple pocket once and I thought it was also quite dry and didn't have as much apple filling in it as it should. So overall, I've been disappointed on various occasions by Kupel's. I really wanted this to be a great place, too, because I live so close. Alas, I will be getting my bagels elsewhere.
(1)Han K.
The only decent bagel in Boston I'm convinced. Reminds me a lot of Long Island style of bagel joints, no frils, tons of choices in bagels, bialys, and of course tons of different cream cheese. The bagels got a nice chew to them, it should hurt your jaw to eat a full bagel and these deliver.
(5)Lady M.
Love Kupel's! Best way to start a summer (or whatever!..but it's nice to sit outside) saturday when you're just a little hungover but ready to explore Allston a bit. Lots of options for bagels AND toppings, which includes fresh veggies like cucumbers (yum) and tofutti cream cheese (yum again). Decent coffee too, major plus. If I was still living in Brookline, I'd definitely frequent Kupel's more often this summer.
(5)Andra Z.
It's been a while since I wrote my first review of Kupel's. Time apparently does heal all wounds. My negativity in the last review stemmed from the service at Kupel's. Turns out, the more you go the nicer you are! And, if you're not pushy, picky or overall obnoxious, the staff is more than willing to give you anything you want--gasp! I love their bagels, their cream cheese and all their assorted baked treats. And, let's face it, how many times in my life am I going to live across the street from a stellar bagel shop? I'm guessing this is it. Kupel's, I love you!!
(5)Doug F.
I like Kupel's. The 4 stars is for the selection of cream cheese, which is very tasty and hard to find elsewhere. They have a good selection of pastries as well. Otherwise, I agree with the reviewer who mentioned slow (I'd call it relaxed) service and bagels that just aren't that good. They're bland and dry no matter when I go and no matter what flavor I get. Kupel's is still better than Shaw's, but the Rosenfeld Bagel Company in Newton has superior bagels.
(4)luke b.
Hmm. Yeah... I dunno about the rest y'all but i don't find this place appetizing at all. As a Jew, I feel i know a thing or two about bagels. Bagels and circumcision... but we're talking bagels here... I've been to Kupel's twice and have NOT been happy. My bagels have not been soft on the inside, crisp yet chewy on the outside. My schmears have been bland and flavorless and have actually given me a stomach ache. To sum up... FEH! Love, Luke
(1)Romulo R.
A nice bagel joint. recommended by a good friend, I really like their menu. The bagel was very tasty and service was fast. It was relatively busy but that was no biggie.
(4)Alaina B.
If you asked me a year ago to rate Kupel's, I would have given them five stars hands down. Sure, not the best bagels I've ever had, but I grew up near NYC so there's really no comparison. However, for the Boston area, this was as close as you could get. Lately however I've noticed the quality of the service and the food have dropped. It seems busier in there now, and there are a lot more people working there to accommodate that. This has made the service a bit lacking sometimes, as it can get confusing. The spreads are still the best, and the bagels are still good for the area but I've noticed a drop in quality. Still better than bagels from chain places and most other bakeries around here that I've seen, though. The pastries are hit and miss, but the bread is always good. They usually have good specials where you can get a half dozen bagels, some cream cheese, and some lox for around $6.99 which you should definitely take advantage of. Also the sandwiches they make are decent. As for bagel types to recommend: salt, egg, and garlic have been my favorites. They make jalapeno bagels but I have yet to try them. Oh and while currently this place rates "good for kids," as the place is small and can get crowded kids may feel very cramped in here. Kids will definitely like the food, but don't plan on keeping them inside for very long depending on their age and their ability to sit still! We went with three kids, ages six through ten, and it was a bit of a nightmare at some points!
(4)Orly M.
My family makes a pilgrimage here every Sunday morning. My dad gets up at the butt crack of dawn to stock up. Kupel's has the best bagels in Boston -- nice big, fat NY style bagels. If you think they're ordinary, stick to your finagle a bagel or whatever crap, more doughy goodness for me! Awesome cream cheese and good lox. Note: not all lox is made alike. However, go to the butcherie down the street for your lox and save some moolah. Kupel's is a great place for a nosh. Back in my vegan days, I remember appreciating that Kupel's had options for me. The perks of a Jewish bakery -- there's insentive not to use dairy in baked goods so they can be consumed with meat. I'm not a big pastry person, but my parents looove the elephant ears here. And I think I remember some mighty fine half moons from my childhood. As a kid, I woke up at the asscrack of dawn to go to Kupel's w/my Dad so I could get a mint brownie. So shout out to you, mint brownie!
(5)A W.
For a treif-eating Jew, the idea of a pareve cookie is a little "mehhh." However, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my half-moon cookie. And the bagels? Wow, don't even get me started. They were perfectly chewy while retaining moisture. I WILL be back here.
(5)Nora B.
I didn't think whitefish salad sandwiches could be tastier than at Michael's deli, but Kupels actually has the edge here. They have a number of good sandwiches at pretty reasonable prices. Also a bargain is the ginormous half moon (aka black and white) cookie. For $1.99, you get what really amounts to a small cake with a heap of frosting, which you should really share with one or perhaps two other people. The chocolate side tastes a bit like a hostess cupcake, and I mean that in the most positive way.
(4)Jane L.
I actually didn't expect much from Kupel's, albiet the positive reviews, being that I am from NY. I went on a Tuesday morning - granted, there was a line but it was my turn to order in no time. I got a WW bagel with tofu cream cheese and a small coffee - all came out to a whoppin' $4.45. Pretty expensive, if you ask me. The bagel was fine - moist and chewy - the way a bagel should be. I wouldn't mind returning to this Kosher bakery during my next visit.
(3)Ben G.
This place has the best bagels in all of Boston. Although i have some friends from NY that dislike this place, claiming that its not as good as bagels in NYC. but thats just because New Yorkers think everything is better in NY. They have a wide selction of bagels, cream cheeses and pastries. But the most noteworthy aspect of Kupels is the Bubka. thats right folks, remember from Sienfeld? Cinnamon is a lesser bubkah. If you've never had bubka before, you owe it to yourself to go to kupels, get a chocolate bubka. While your there, get some bagels and some chive cream cheese and start living. By the way this place is shomer shabbat ( they're not open friday night- saturday night) so don't try to roll up saturday morning all hung over expecting to get bostons best bagels.
(4)Nicole P.
I heart cream cheese and Kupel's has about 100 different flavors! Definitely the best spot around for a Sunday bagel and cream cheese. (Not open Saturdays) There are many different types of bagels too- I like the whole grain with maple cream cheese personally. They also have tasty baked goods like danish, challah, cookies and other pasteries- also cold cuts, lox etc. There are only a few tables so not the best place to sit and eat.
(4)Creative N.
This is hands down the best bagel I've ever had. Some very good friends (Sarah & Trav) move from San Diego to Boston a couple years ago and when we went to visit them the first time, they took us to Kupel's (which was right down the block from their first place) and we've been in love ever since (our friends have since moved to Jamaica Plain and we still hit Kupel's every time we're in town). As a side note, this is the same Kupel's that my friends (same Sarah referenced above) parents took her to as a baby when they moved back east! The smell radiating from this place as soon as you get on the same block is AMAZING! Fresh bread, yeast and everything else yummy. Mmmm, writing this is motivating me to get back to Boston ASAP to get me some Kupel's (and visit friends)! I tend to love their everything bagel's and their smoked salon but I've had almost all their bagels and they are all delicious. Fresh made, consistently delicious and very nice staff that is patient when you go to place your order and something else catches your eye and causes you pause in the ordering process! Also, if you're ever so inclined (which I am), they sell a 5lb birthday bagel! As soon as I can convince them to ship it to me in San Diego, I'm going to make it happen!
(5)Diana L.
So, I'm not sure that what I ate at Kupel's was actually a bagel. I think it might have been, I dunno, drywall. Waxy exterior, dry interior, no flavor. When I read all these crazy good reviews of Kupel's, I'd thought I'd stumbled upon the H & H of Boston. Yeah, no. They have 4.5 stars on Yelp. That's like false advertising. Someone needs to say something about the jank food here. I shake my fist angrily at Kupel's-- arrrrrgh! The "Breakfast Special" of a bagel with egg, cheese and tomato plus a cup of coffee? At $2.99 it's cheap, I'll give you that. But it didn't taste good. T got a poppyseed bagel with cream cheese (ya know, to keep it simple) and it was so dry and tasteless she had to throw it away. This is the same woman who is constantly trying to feed me nearly expired foods to avoid wasting it. The coffee-- not even worth mentioning, except to say, blegh. The "chocolate stick" (chosen because it was almost sold out) tasted like a chocolate scented candle. Waxy and flavorless. Bad. Just bad.
(2)Alexis B.
I'm kinda of a snob when it comes to bagels because I'm grew up in New York. And seriously NY has the best bagels ever! I've missed them for a long time. When I go home I bring back 2 dozen. It lasts a week in my house! Well now I can get my fix. I was super hungover on Sunday and a everything bagel with chive cream cheese seemed to be my only cure. I drove my holy hangover Batman self to this wonderful place. I got a bagel for myself and a 1/2 dozen to bring home to the bf and roomie. Well the bagel rocked. It cured my hangover and my bagel fix. From now on I won't support any other Boston bagelry besides them! YAYYYY!
(5)Naomi U.
An authentic (if therefore boring) bagel place. I think the bagels at Bagels by Us are tastier...but that is always a matter of preference...Kupel's are tougher (in a good way...more gluten content?) Beware the hours are also 'traditional' so check if they're open before going.
(3)Eve L.
Here's what I like about Kupel's: Their rugelah. It's the best I've found in Boston. It's really, really good. Here's what I don't like about Kupel's: Their challah. It just isn't sweet enough, and it's too bready and not eggy enough. Also, their complete incompetence about taking large orders. We were considering having rugelah instead of wedding cake, and we wanted to order it from Kupel's. But they refused to take our order, refused to take our order, kept saying "call us back in a week, call us back in a week." I mean, what's so hard about WRITING DOWN A FUCKING ORDER? Eventually, we gave up and decided to just get cannolis from Bova's, which it turned out, were a big hit. Their loss, obviously. They could have had a big fat order for our wedding. Dumb asses. With business sense like that, it's hard to see how they're still in business.
(3)Alex L.
Went here for breakfast this morning and had the Tom Brady (atlantic smoked salmon, tomato, chive cream cheese and tomato on a sesame seed bagel). I can honestly say if was one of the best bagel sandwiches I've ever had. Service was quick and attentive and prices are pretty reasonable given the quality of food. There are lots of goodies to peruse and very discounted bags of day old bagels that I will definitely be bad to take advantage of. Highly recommend.
(4)Jonathan G.
It's not right to have that last review there. Yes, this place is not H & H bagels. But, come on, waxy eterior and no flavor? Ridiculous. I go here often and I am never disappointed. When I bring in bagel's to my students, they clamor for and demand that it be Kupel's. Their cream cheese is good, they always have fresh lox, they have a wide variety of delicious bagels (I am a fan of the California bagels, especially), and their baked goods rule. On top of that, where else can you get good fresh rye bread in Brookline? Nowhere! With that said, their babka's are a little weak on the fruit filling and their coffee is kinda chalky. But who goes for the coffee? If you are judging this place on cranky NY person standards, than you will probably be disappointed. The bagels are smaller and drier than your typical melt in your mouth NY variety. However, they are better than anywhere else within a 10 mile radius, and they are locally owned and operated.
(4)Dave D.
Love the bagels here! I'm a sucker for Lox cream cheese and I love theirs! The price is somewhat pricey, but given the location its understandable. They have pretty decent service, its not going to knock your socks off buts they are polite. If you want bagels, you gotta go to a Kosher bakery, why not go to the real deal!?
(5)Dale N.
Tried the plain bagel with plain cream cheese. Very decent while hot and fresh, average the next day when toasted. I would definitely get bagels here again, but I am still in search of a perfect, delicious bagel.
(4)Kristin S.
I'm a New Yorker on a mission to find a bagel in Boston that is made correctly...boiled, not baked. I thought I had found that in Kupel's..... when I first started going there about 4 years ago the bagels were great. However, lately the quality has gone down hill. The insides aren't as soft and they don't toast and/or freeze as well. The real reason for the low rating is for something other than the bagels. I was waiting in line one day looking at the case of cookies and pastries and I realized that the poppyseeds were moving. Poppyseeds don't move. They were bugs. All over several different kinds of the baked goods. I thought maybe it was a fluke and went back only to see the same thing. Gross. No more Kupel's even if they are the only boiled bagel in town. :(
(1)Rebecca H.
Definitely the place to start a perfect Sunday morning. I ordered a black and white bagel with light miami lox cream cheese, tomato, and onion. It was the best bagel of my life. Go here for the bagels. I've ordered baked good before and wasn't as impressed (hermit cookies that we just okay-- I'm spoiled because my grandfather bakes the best hermits, an elephant ear that was pretty good I suppose, and a black-and-white cookie that tasted like it DEFINITELY was baked too close to the lox-- fishy taste + frosting = garbage can). There is usually a line, but it moves quickly and is completely worth it (I reiterate: for the bagels).
(5)Laine K.
I thought this place was good, however, after discovering Bagelville in Quincy market, I realized that I did not know what a good bagel is!!! These bagels are very dense and already the next day they get hard. Not worth the money at all. Plus, the customer service is ridiculous. People who work there look like the last thing they want to do is work and be there, especially male workers are very rude.
(1)D M.
My beef with the south? NO GOOD BAGELS! They've got good buiscits, though! I have been sitting here thinking about my lack of breakfast here today, and I thought of bagels.....mmmm, bagels! This is my #1 place to get bagels ever! They make hands down the best bagels I have tasted. I've spent a lot of time with people who know a thing or two about bagels (my first taste of Boston was working and living in Brookline Village) and these are boiled to bagel-y perfection. My favorites are the everything, which is wonderfully salty and they do make good sandwiches with said bagels. They are everything you want in a good bagel, and they have a wide assortment of cream cheese, and if you're a keeper of all things kosher, this is a good place to go. I've never tried any of the baked goods such as the cookies and sweet treats. This is definitely also what you'd expect a bagel shop to look like as well.....it's very simple and open early in the morning.
(5)Joseph G.
The best cream cheese in MA! Ordinary bagels, nothing you should go out of your way for. Weak and tasteless coffee.
(3)Dachary C.
Note: This review pertains solely to the baked goods at Kupel's, not the bagels. I hadn't planned to visit Kupel's and found myself there by chance, so I didn't know anything about it before I had arrived. I was initially impressed by the quantity and variety of baked goods - they had so many different types of things, and it all looked soooo tasty. I'm a fan of rugulah, so I had to try that... and there's my never-ending quest for a good peanut-butter cookie. My friend got three other types of baked goods, all of which looked very yummy (and she graciously permitted me to nibble from them.) I wasn't particularly impressed by the taste and quality of the baked goodies. I've gotta say, it was just average. The peanut butter cookie was too dry and fell apart when I tried to break off a piece - not hard and crunchy, perse, just dry. As for the rugulah - I like the stuff at Rosie's Bakery better (please don't kill me!) The bites of the stuff my friend had were interesting, but nothing heart-stopping. After seeing the variety and quantity of items at Kupel's, I've gotta admit to being disappointed by the taste. Pros: fabulous selection and price. Cons: average baked goods. Next time, I'll have to try a bagel.
(3)Jeremy W.
Good bagels have always been hard to find outside of NYC, and that was especially true in San Francisco. When we moved back to the Boston area we found Kupel's in our neighborhood right away, and these are some good bagels! This is the kind of place you can hit up at 6 am on a Sunday and you will already have company. Definitely nice to have a real (and local) bagel place nearby.
(4)Dianna B.
First, be aware that there is a system to ordering, and you must be ready for your order. On Sundays, there is a line out the door, but it moves fast. Stand in the line, know what you want, know who is ahead of you. When the next server (of about 3-5 of them) is free, very clearly state your order -- if there are multiple people in your party, a single person should order -- and inch along towards the cashier. At the cashier, pay, tip and leave. And then enjoy........bagles that are chewy on the outside, soft on the inside and are still warm from the oven. Try the onion & herb. Note, there are only a few small tables inside. Don't bother getting the coffee. On cool fall days, site outside on one of the Harvard St benches and eat 'em while they're hot.
(5)Michelle P.
Forget about New York City Bagels....Kupels is where REAL bagels are made. My apolgies to my girl in the Bronx, but I don't think she'll be reading this anytime soon! Their garlic bagels with their veggie spread is a breakfast, beyond champions. I miss their fresh bagels, that are toasted to order and lavishly spread with the cream cheese. They put it on so thick, and you get crunchy pieces of vegetables. I think over the course of 9 months (that I worked in that area) I tried every single combination that they had to offer. Actually I doubt that is even possible. I know I tried more than I can remember. Their hamentashen and knishes are delish as well. Though I have to say that Rugelach at Catering By Andrew's is devine esepcially when you are lucky enough to get it fresh.
(5)Jen L.
To anyone giving this place lower than 3 stars: are you freaking serious? Okay so they're not as good as New York bagels (I do think it has something to do with the water, but maybe I'm crazy). But they are excellent for Boston. I have lived here for 3 years and can tell you that this is the best there is. Sure, I still smuggle home a dozen from H&H to eat and freeze after a NYC trip but if I need a quick bagel fix in the Boston area, Kupel's is where I go.
(4)Julie T.
I am really not a big fan of Kupel's whatsoever. I'm not a big fan of their pastries or their bagels and maybe I'm just kind of lame, but it always seems very messy when I come in there. The pastries taste old and never seem fresh and the bagels don't seem to be anything special. The cream cheese is good and toppings are plentiful, but I could just as well go to Bagel Rising and get a better bagel and in fact, I could actually get a bagel sandwich! Their coffee is weak too, by the way. I know plenty of people love it and I'm sure they love it for good reason, but for me? This is a no go.
(1)Jenny N.
I'm sad I haven't been able to catch them when they have fresh bagels in stock. I'll have to try a weekend morning...But I did try a hefty stick of chocolate rugallah last night (I think it must have weighed 1/4 lb.!) and when I pointed at a 'hermit' cookie to ask what was in it, the counter guy shoved one in my hand and waved me off, urging me to try it. It was kind of funny, but I guess they were in a hurry to close up for the day. I liked the rugallah much better (a bit unusual because they use whole chocolate chips in it), but I'm definitely coming back to try the bagels some time!
(4)LKT T.
I used to stop by this place all the time on the way to my bus stop in Coolidge Corner. I thought I better patronize my local mom & pop businesses even though I'm no Jew. I liked their pastry which I would get every morning. I never tried other stuff on their menu but I can tell you I love their pastry. If I ever move back to CC, I would definitely frequent the place again.
(3)Caitlin M.
I wanted to love this bagel. I wanted this place to fill my New York bagel and lox need but sadly it pales in comparison. I love the prices and the selection but the bagel itself is not that great. I loved that they had a wide variety of whole wheat bagels and their pastry selection looked okay too. The line is long and it takes awhile and it would be worth it if the bagel was better. I enjoyed the lox and they customized my order which was great. I want to like the bagels here so much that I will try it again but feel I will have to wait for New York or Montreal for my bagel fix.
(3)Steph H.
I really wanted to like Kupel's Bakery and tried their bagels three different times. All three times the bagel was dry and the garlic on the bagel was burnt, so not very impressed. I actually did a blind taste test with Brueggers, and Brueggers won hands down. Even my dog preferred the Brueggers bagels (I don't feed my dog bagels, but wanted a second opinion).
(2)Scott F.
As a longtime Bostonian and Jew, Kupel's has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Back when the Jews were wandering through the desert, they'd often stop by Kupel's for a bagel 'n' lox. These guys are open New Years Day, Xmas Day, and usually at 6 AM. The bagels are soft and lovely on the inside, generously flavored, and nice 'n' chewy on the outside. Despite what some loud-mouthed NYer will tell you, these're how bagels should be. They've usually got a special going with 1/2 dozen bagels, lox, and cream chese for about $10. Best deal going ... get that, show up at my house for breakfast, you'll be loved. Purists argue that toasting a bagel is a sign of ignorance, but with all the flavoring these guys put in, they come alive with a light toasting. I tend to rhapsodize about the Cissel/Rye bagels. Their onion bagels are pretty damn impressive too. If you prefer cinnamon raisin, you're a horrible person. There, I said it. Those aren't bagels. Feh. They've got lots of pastries, but not all are perfect and wonderful (hence 4 out of 5 stars). Stick to more "traditional" Jewish stuff and you'll be safe. Their hamentaschen are so good, they're made year round. I prefer the apricot, but the raspberry runs a close second. There's a lot going on, and the place is often busy, so know have your order ready to go. They won't waste your time, don't waste theirs. Also - you can call ahead for big orders, parties, etc. They'll have your order waiting and ready to go. Much better than going in and annoying the others in line as you order 3 dozen bagels, and a couple of these, and some of those, and that other thing on the end, and a .....
(4)Max W.
Kupel's is an old style bakery, bagel, and coffee shop. The food is traditional New York Jewish style, and fabulous. It's a bit chaotic inside, the place is closed Friday evenings and Saturdays, and it's not as pretty as many of the new "chic" food places in Boston. But it's tastier, cheaper, and quicker. In a town where 90% of the bagels are terrible, Kupel's are pretty good. Not as good as you'll find in the Mid-Atlantic, but pretty good. The pastries aren't all the best that you'll find anywhere, but most of them are good and some are great. The rugallah is the best I've ever had. If you want a real treat, try the cinnamon chocolate chip. It's heaven.
(5)s. c.
I've finally found my neighborhood bakery. When a corner bakery sells souvenir t-shirts, you know there's something special there. I love fresh bread, and hate paying a lot of money at the grocery for stuff I could make at home. But a bag of day-olds (8 bagels) for $2? Fresh rye bread for $2.79?! ELEPHANT EARS BIGGER THAN MY FACE?! Don't mind if I do... this week, and the week after that... I always get a bagel and something for my pantry or treat cabinet for the rest of the week. Tasty, affordable, and a wonderful local business. The place is really hopping on Sunday mornings - it can feel a little overwhelming and claustrophobic, but a bagel with cream cheese (and maybe, some adventurous day, tofu lox) is one of my favorite comfort foods.
(4)Rachel G.
The pile of chain bagel places in Brookline meant that I didn't get to Kupel's until I'd been living in the city for almost 5 years (shame on me). I wouldn't put too much stock in the New Yorkers' gripes about the quality of the bagels, mostly because I think New Yorkers need to climb down from those impossibly-high horses they always seem to ride into Boston on, but as a Philly-based lifetime bagel eater, I was impressed with Kupel's variety and their bagels' stalwart, chewy texture. Any place that makes whole-wheat everything bagels, swirls chive and lox cream cheese together (the Miami Lox spread), and is willing to serve me both of those things plus red onions, cucumbers, and tomato for under $5 is a place I will happily revisit. Service was good on a busy Sunday around 10AM--just don't plan on dining in, as there's only a couple small tables tucked into the front of the store and they're usually swarming with babies and strollers. They also observe the Sabbath, so no Saturday service.
(4)J A.
Pretty much the best bagels, Rugallahs, Challah and other Jewish pastries in the Boston area. The wait can be excessive at times so be prepared or come early.
(4)Renee H.
These are the bagels I dream of....that is all. Oh wait, no its not! I get to try a new schmere every time, what could be better! AND they all come in light variations as well....mmmm.....bagels....
(5)Rachel M.
This place has been a mainstay in my life since childhood. I am happy to report that Kupel's has only gotten BETTER in the past few years, and still carries all the treats I loved as a kid. Get the half-and-half cookies, the hamentaschen, the babke, the bagels and the challah. Yum!
(4)Kristine M.
Some of the best bagels in the area. I think Rosenfeld's is closer to NY bagels, personally, but Kupel's are pretty darn good. The thing that will keep me coming back, however, are the potato knishes!! They are HUGE, delicious, and CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!!! A potato knish + an apple = a perfect work lunch for about two bucks. Whenever I'm in Coolidge Corner, I'm going to stock up on their wonderful knishes. Next I'll have to try their ruggulah!
(4)Aluminum Chefs, C and T.
Kupels has been a mainstay of my bagel education for years. Their bagels are awesome, their cream cheese is awesome - but there are a few things you should know before you start ordering: 1) There will always be a line. Deal with it. It's not fast either. 2) Their pastries are, unfortunately, not very good. They look great, but just are not up to snuff - especially with Clear Flour down the street. 3) Please know what you want when you get to the front of the line - don't "um" them to death when you get up there - just order your bagel and scram. That said, their Bagels are perfect and their selection of flavored cream cheeses is pretty impressive. They don't do a great job toasting bagels, but just buy a dozen and a tub of cream cheese and do it at home. It's worth the rules. Oh, they're also closed Saturday. It's the Shabbas, dude.
(4)Lindsey R.
Delicious bagels and very generous amounts of amazing lox, but disappointing customer service every time. Today they were out of veggie cream cheese, jalepeno bagels, capers and onions. Why be open if your out of so many items?! Staff continually gives wrong bagels, doesn't accommodate needs, and is not friendly. Unfortunately this local is taking her business elsewhere after giving it several tries
(2)Daniel M.
By themselves, the bagels at Kupel's rate three stars. Bagel for bagel, there are more flavors here than just about anywhere in the Boston area. Moreover...beyond the vast quantity, these are the freshest and tastiest that I've tried outside of NYC. Even if everything else about Kupel's was wrong, they'd still stand out because of their bagels. Particularly noteworthy is the vast selection of spreads behind the counter. From the generic regular cream cheese to the tofutti It's a better variety than I've experienced around here. Even the standard types, such as the chive, seem to stand out. The selection of baked goods is good - not outstanding, but very good. Customer service can be a bit slow at times, but in a relatively small place with a lot of people working behind the counter and a constant stream of customers coming through the door, that's understandable. Very worthwhile and always a satisfying trip.
(4)Iggy G.
Pretty good pastries, but incredibly unfriendly.
(1)Meera Z.
I used to live a block away from Kupels, and to be completely honest with you I never fell in love. They never wowed me - they were always just okay. The bagels are not soft and chewy, sometimes I'd got as far as saying they're dry! EW. I do, however, think that they have an amazing sandwich and cream cheese selection. I also think that their dozen bagels, cream cheese tub, and lox deal (I think for $9 or 10?) is great! Then again, when the bagels aren't awesome it's not worth it cos I don't want to eat 12 of them. If you're in the area and want a bagel then definitely check them out at least, but I wouldn't trek all the way over here just to try them! Oh yeah - and I get that they're Jewish and are celebrating Sabbath - but being closed on Saturday's just sucks!
(3)Maggie D.
Kupel's is right at the end of my street, and so naturally I stumbled in one morning in search of a cure for my incessant hangover, and was delighted to see what I'd found... Seriously: every flavor of bagel... in WHOLE WHEAT! So many options, so little time. More often than not when you go in to Kupel's in the morning and ask for your bagel toasted, they'll tell you it's still warm from the oven. What more do you want? My only complaint is that they are closed on Saturdays, but I can clearly live with that.
(4)Sabine S.
They won't let you use the bathroom even if you are seven months' pregnant and have a toddler on your hands. Is that even legal these days?
(1)Michelle K.
Take it from a New Yawker, Kupel's has the best bagels in Boston! By a landslide. They're doughy and delicious and well decorated! My favorite bagel type is Everything. And Kupel's shines above the rest by giving a generous coating of everything toppings all over the bagel, not just on the top. This is an important distinction from Rosenfeld's Everythings (often mistaken for the best bagels in town) because theirs had just a few seeds on the top, and sadly they fell off when I cut and spread cream cheese on my bagel. If I wanted a plain, I'd have ordered a plain. Well, this is not the case at Kupel's. Even if you eat just the bottom half, you'll still get all the delicious flavor. Kupel's has a humongous selection of flavored "shmears" (try the honey walnut mmmm) and even though it's put in 8 oz containers, it's also sold by weight, so ask for less and try 2! The raspberry rugelach and the lox I chose were a little disappointing, but I cannot praise the bagels enough. (Closed on Saturdays)
(5)Chelsea B.
I really wanted to LOVE this place as it has gotten so many amazing reviews but I gotta say I did not LOVE it with a capital L, which is what I expected. I think it is fine but after making the trip out to Coolidge Corner multiple times now just for Kupel's, only to come home and be semi-disappointed with how the food tastes, I think I am only going to go there from now on if it happens to be convenient or if I am with people who adamantly want to go eat there. I will say the prices are AWESOME. $3 for a bagel with a lot of schtuff on it was a great surprise. Sorry to all you Kupel's lovers, I really wanted to love it but I just simply like it.
(3)Lindsay K.
Just moved to Brookline. As soon as I saw this place, I knew I'd like it. Unpretentious and delicious. Day-old bagels for $2.00 is my JAM!!!
(4)Paul F.
Last year I was there I got cream cheese. The counter person overfilled the container and then used his finger to get the excess off. He then put his finger in his mouth and ate the cream cheese. I refused the cream cheese and left. I was the there yesterday and asked for a sissel bread. The server had no clue what a sissel bread was. The other people didn't know either. Being a Jewish bakery, a sissel bread is a common item. The problem is the store has a captive audience and the help are poorly managed and tained. The bager are a disgrace. Try Katz Bagels in Chelsea, a real bagel. Kupel's are on par with supermarket bagels.
(1)Alexandra R.
I love kupel's. Their challah is out of this world! If I could fit it in me, I could probably eat a whole one in one sitting. Now I have to go get one, brb. They have lots of different kinds of bagels and a lot of the time you can tell who made the batch because they are different, but not in a bad way! Their hamantaschen with the poppy seed filling is awesome, like whoa.
(5)Busy L.
Bagels were fair at best. Dry on the inside and not crusty on the outside or chewy. Bruegger's is more authentic and that's not saying alot or a good comparison considering it's a chain... Also bought some rugallah for $8.99/lb. 3 pieces set me back over $10. Holy cow. Again, nothing exciting that I would run back to get more. Bought a blueberry loaf and have yet to try. My guess is it'll be just OK.
(2)Michael W.
Always a great bagel and I have to say I like when they run out of my favorites because it forces me to try something new. Garlic and everything bagels are a must. Sunday morning is not the same with out walk to kupel's and a everything bagel with Miami lox cream cheese and smoked salmon. The tuna salad and white fish are also great... don't worry about the line, it goes fast and while you wait you can pick out some good rugalach
(5)Karrie W.
Tofu & chive cream cheese on a whole wheat everything bagel is so good that I've yet to try something different. Family & friends rave about the baked goods, and they certainly look fabulous.
(5)Dalina C.
Solid place to get bagels. My roommates and I usually go on Sunday mid-mornings. The line is usually fairly long, so patience is key. There is a good assortment of bagels and cream cheese (love their jalepeno cream cheese!). Everyone who works there is nice and pleasant, although some are a little more generous with fillings than others. I also think I'm charged a different amount every time I go in there even if I get the same exact thing, but whatever, it all evens out in the end. It's still a good deal at about $2 per bagel w/cream cheese.
(4)Byron M.
I used to live in Coolidge Corner and I love Kupel's. As others can attest to, there bagels are really good, and you do not need to toast them. In fact, when they are fresh and warm, they are oh soo good. If you are in the area, you may want to check them out.
(4)Finn M.
Kupel's gets five stars because their bagels are, quite literally, "as good as it gets." I've got friends from New York who claim that it is literally impossible to beat a New York bagel ("it's something in the water!"), but I don't believe 'em, and that's mainly because I can go to Kupel's and get fresh, perfect bagels: a little crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. They're great toasted with any spread you can think of (and believe me, they've got a lot of them) or just eating them plain right out of the oven. I've never had any of their other baked good, and to be quite honest, I don't care. They have like 20-30 different bagel varieties and they're all awesome. It's authentically kosher/pareve, which I love as well. No idea what the people who claim these don't taste "fresh" are talking about.
(5)Arezu S.
First time there. The employees were gruff and unhelpful, seemed in a hurry to rush us out. The chocolate babka wasn't particularly chocolate-y. I asked for a chocolate arugalach (however you spell that), didn't realize until I got home that they gave me raspberry. Wasn't terribly expensive, but I didn't feel welcome there.
(2)Erin G.
Kupels! My very first experience of Kupels was heading over there one morning around 8AM. I was going on one of my famous (to me at least) 8+ mile journeys around boston and i figured since the place was already packed, i should grab a bite there and be on my way. i waited in line checking out the immense selection and drooled as fresh hot bagels were dumped into each bin. I decided on just a plain jalepeno bagel, not toasted, not even cut, definitely no cream cheese. it was hot, it was filled with jalepenos and it was delicious. the perfect wake up call.
(4)Allie G.
Love, love, love Kupel's. I'm not a huge bagel snob (carbs, mmmm) BUT I think theirs are especially yummy. Veggie cream cheese (even reduced fat version) is excellent. Here's a heads-up: the weekend specials are a real deal, usually saving you at least 30-40% off of what you'd spend buying stuff separately. Just be sure to check the white-board before placing your order. You can eat there (two tables, I think) if you don't mind folks reaching over your head to accept their bags o' bagels--but it's probably a better place to stop in and get stuff to bring home or to a picnic.
(4)Eli R.
How things have changed! For years I lived in Brookline and came to Kupel's often. It was wonderful. I no longer live in the area, but two weeks ago, just before the High Holy Days, I was visiting Boston and decided to stop by. It was sad. The bagels and the pastries were fine, but the people behind the counter were rude, inattentive, and clueless. I got my order and left. Two days later I went back, hoping that it was an accident. No such luck. When a teenager in a funny hat started coughing on a rugelach being bought by a lady in front of me, I simply had to turn around and leave. Seriously? This is what it has become? I could not recommend it until something majorly changes about the service.
(1)allgimbel c.
Went here last week for the first time in years. These are the real deal and the college guy behind the counter was super friendly. I felt like I got my money's worth. (Everything bagel with lox spread and tomato, toasted, thank you.) Definitely worth straying from Bruegger's and Finagle...these are head and shoulders above those imposters. If you can't go here...check out the Iggy's outlet in Alewife Circle -- you'll have to go elsewhere for your schmear, though. Though I haven't tried them, lots of old school bakery items here too (rugelach, anyone?). I predict a return visit soon.
(5)Mary M.
I wish I liked this place better, which is an oblique way of saying that I wish the bagels were better. Still, they do have a grand variety of flavors without (quite) slipping into the madness of chocolate chip or french toast bagels or any of that foolishness. The bagels are decent, the rugelach is okay, the cream cheese is leaden...it's all right.
(3)Gee M.
I love Kupels in the morning--very early at 6 am on Sunday. The guy at the counter always remembers me and treats me right. The bagels are very good--yes I' ve had better, but still a real bagel and with lox and cream cheese, you have one great breakfast.
(4)Jonah P.
Best bagels in all of Boston! There are so many chain bagel establishments in the area and they all SUCK! Kupel's is the only place in the area that is similar to a traditional New York bagel shop. The bagels are big and chewy and fresh. I wouldn't say the service is overly friendly but certainly not rude, though you need to know what you want when it's your time to order. They have a few small tables but there are a couple parks close by and I used to prefer to eat at those parks when weather permitted. Very close to Harvard/Comm so skip bagel rising and walk the five minutes to Kupels if you live in the area.
(5)Kelly N Z R.
Love the bagels, love the tofutti cream cheese! This is the only bagel shop I know of that offers it. If you know of another, please let me know, but in the meanwhile, these delicious bagels are well worth the trek out to Brookline.
(5)Julie N.
The bagels here are okay. I don't think they're as flavorful as they could be and I think Bagel World (although a little outside of the city) is way better. They also do not have meat for their sandwiches (for religious reasons), but the cream cheese is really good. It's always super crowded, but they wait on you pretty quickly. I've bought other bakery items from here and they are definitely not that great. The people who work here are also not too swift. They are always fooling around and never listen to what you say. I think they could use a little more training or a lesson in listening skills because my bagel is never toasted like I ask. If you're looking for bagels, I may find a different location.
(3)Anne A.
The first thing to remember is that Kupel's isn't open on Saturday. More than once I've walked by, looking for a bagel and coffee, and stared mornfully at the closed doors. That said, these are the best bagels around. I usually order one of their whole-wheat bagels (everything, sesame, or raisin) to eat, and a dozen to last me through the week. If you get a whole dozen, it's cheaper to get excellent bagels here than "meh" ones at the supermarket. The baked goods are okay, but compared to the bagels are a disappointment. Also, while most of the employees are sharp and on the ball (they have to be --- there's usually lines out the door Sunday morning), if you get Sam expect to have your order and/or the cost of your order screwed up. I've had her serve me three times and things have never gone right.
(4)Chris C.
The only bagel place, in the area, that didn't have it's menu, logo and interior determined in some board room by a bunch of money hungry men in bejewelled yarmulkes (okay, that's just how I imagine the board rooms of bruegger's and finagle). Not enough good things can be said about a friendly place where the people serving you have contact with or are the people who run a business. The bagels are fresh and delicious as is everything else I've tried here. Prices are comparatively dirt cheap and the service was super friendly.
(5)Kylie S.
Kupel's bagels are divine. Oh am I happy I have moved back to the East Coast where they know how to make bagels. I love the whole wheat sesame bagels. At first I thought they looked too fat but they fit in the toaster oven and the taste and texture was just right.
(5)Diane I.
i almost lived down the street from here... and i'm glad it didn't work out. this place is amazing... no self control when it comes to their pastries.
(5)Mike D.
My favorite part about Kupel's is that they've ruined breakfast for several New Yorkers who should have known better than to buy bagels outside of New York if they're really the purists they claim to be. My second favorite part about them is their bagels, which aren't as good as the best I've had in New York but are certainly better than the worst and even the mediocre ones I ate there... and way better than any other bagels I've bought around here.
(4)Lacey P.
They have black and white cookies. They have giant chocolate flat tires. They have tofu cream cheese. They have old Jewish men arguing. What else would one need for breakfast? Worth the trek from anywhere.
(5)Courtney E.
I'm not a big bagel person, but I could be after seeing the selection at Kupels. They even have a wide selection of toppings, including the low-fat versions. I tried the Everything bagel toasted with cream cheese, which could have been better if it was actually warm. Even if it wasn't baked fresh out of the oven, I like it to taste as if it could be. Otherwise, for the price (like $1.50), it can't be beat, and their other baked goods, like the Rugallah is in itself, worth a special trip. Don't pass up on this place!!
(5)Aya S.
Kupel's has been my go-to place for a quick breakfast on Sundays. There's always a line, but the service is fast. I've come across a few grumpy employees, but the spreads and cream cheese are fantastic! Cheap, quick, and fresh.
(4)Stockton M.
Agree that their bagel's are more authentic than the bready/doughy local chains, but just not up to NY/NJ standards. Decent selection of jewish pasteries and chalah.
(3)fred j.
These bagels are just alright. More like a hard roll shaped like a bagel. It's the same consistancy ( HARD DRY FROM OUTSIDE RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER) not like it should be ( CRISP CRUST WITH A NICE MOIST CHEWY CENTER ). I know how popular this place is, but I like my bagels and these are barely bagels. I'm not sure they even boil their bagels.
(2)Jacob E.
The bagels are pretty good, and since nowhere else in the area is even close to acceptable, they get my vote. As a rigorously non-observant Jew, I wish that they would ease up on all the sabbath-observing. Being closed on saturday reduces the number of chances I have to go there by 50%.
(4)Flora R.
classic ny style bakery. consistently good bagels and all the tasty spreads you could want. every time my mom comes to town this is a required breakfast stop. they also have a good variety of cookies and breads, but most people are there for the bagels. it's packed on sunday morning - but totally worth the wait.
(5)Kate B.
Believe the hype. These are the best bagels in Boston. My fave is an everything bagel with hummus and tomato. With the long line (that moves fast) and limited table space, the store does get cramped. I recommend grabbing a bagel and heading a few blocks down Harvard Street. You'll come across a small park where you can sit and smugly enjoy your delicious bagel while you watch the masses wait in line for overpriced fare at Zaftigs.
(5)sheryl l.
I forgot my wallet and Kupels had enough faith in me to bring back the money another day. I was very touched by that. I of course paid for it the next day. Thanks Kupels!
(5)Fatty F.
Yesterday was an unusual situation, because I was in Brookline. Don't usually spend too much time there. So I stopped in to Kupels. It's an attractive enough looking place with some appetizing stuff and I loved the old timey sticker on the window from 1968 or 1969 that says by law I've got to leave my dog outside. Anyhow, I got this cookie. It was kinda terrible. Also this large pastry called a chocolate flat tire. Again an item that looked better than it tasted. I've got some Jewish friends who know I love Challah. They feed me Challah when i visit and usualy before I leave their heavily Jewish populated hood I buy myself a loaf or two to go. The Challah at Kupel's is the worst I've ever had.
(3)Laura A.
since i moved here i have been bemoaning the lack of a decent bagel. i'm from the new york area (the dirty jerz) where bagels are plentiful and made correctly i.e. not overly doughy and bready, the way it mostly is here. not so at kupel's. probably the best bagel you'll find in the city (although rosenfeld's in newton centre runs a close second). kupel's does it up right. highly recommended. you know a bagel place is legit when they close on fridays and don't open again until sunday!
(5)Mahogany G.
This is my first memory of a bagel. I mean a REAL bagel. I had just moved to the states and before Kupel's had only eaten the Thomas' bagels from supermarkets. This is where I learned that a bagel is more than just bread - it's something to be savoured. Something to look forward to on a Saturday morning. This is where I first tried flavoured cream cheese. I have such fond memories of this place and can't wait to get back to Brookline to get me some Kupel's bagels.
(5)Sus M.
they have a bunch of dope breakfast sandwiches. bagels were aight. they are probably really good when they've just been made, but all bagels are, yknow? the coffee was subpar, i actually threw my iced coffee away after one sip.
(2)kate L.
the only place that has cinnamon glazed bagels. The bagels are always cooked fresh and sometimes they have tasty cookies or other treats. The place has gone down hill a little bit but I still eat there all the time!
(3)Robin G.
We went here instead of Bagel Rising and were extremely disappointing. The bagel almost tasted stale and the cream cheese was flavorless. I will not go back for a bagel, but might try something else as the pastries looked good. Then again the bagel looked good before I ate it.
(2)John W.
please pardon my hyperbolic and alliterative exclamation: Kupel's serves Boston's best bagels, hands down!
(5)Brian D.
Some people say that Rosenfeld's in Newton has better bagels, but I show those people my middle finger. Excellent variety of bagels including numerous whole wheat choices. Great flavored cream cheese. Reasonable prices. Try a tomato bagel with hummus. Plus it is just down 100 ft down the street from Ana's Taqueria and the Daily Catch. Three great food experiences so close to one another. It is almost disturbing.
(5)Aaron M.
Just finished having breakfast there. The sandwiches were tasty (Randy Moss and an egg salad both on bagels) and the atmosphere had a nice NYC feel to it. I've been looking for a good bagel place in Boston and may just have found it. Also tried the humentashin which was also tasty.
(4)Anonymous P.
Good bagels but not NYC quality. Surly service.
(4)Ryan F.
I love bagels, and to tell you the truth i wasnt too impressed with kupels. ive only been there once so maybe i just caught it at a bad time and need to give it another chance. The bagels arent bad, but not as good as i was expecting after reading all the reviews. I would rather bagel rising down the street any day.
(3)So S.
BEST BAGELS IN BOSTON!! This is locally known for being one of the best in taste and freshness for old style Bagels. You have never tasted anything like this. Tons of variety! If you love bagels, you have to check this out. Near the T collidge corner stop, brookline (birthplace of JFK), so you have no excuses to taste what Boston is all about!
(5)Emily F.
I waited in line here for about 20 minutes on a Sunday morning, which was fine because I thought it was going to be really good. I'd read not to bother with the pastries, so I ordered an everything bagel with chive cream cheese. My bagel was doughy and undercooked and the server asked me about six times if I was sure that was all I wanted and then rudely threw my change on the counter. I live in Coolidge Corner and won't bother going past Breugger's next time I'm in the mood for a bagel
(2)Marina B.
Extensive selection and some interesting options to choose from. The Ray Ray has cream cheese and jelly. Odd combination, maybe. Delicious, yes. Not really anywhere to sit, so it's better to take out and eat elsewhere. A nice local option if you're sick of the more typical chains.
(4)Allie L.
I love their bagels here. No, they're not like the Bagels in New York, but I've yet to find a place here in Boston that can make that claim. There are tons of sandwich options, or you can create your own. The staff is generally pretty friendly and competent. Sundays are crazy so I suggest going on Friday and picking up a dozen bagels and toppings to avoid the lines.
(4)Katia M.
Maybe I'm spoiled because of the New York Bagel I grew up near, where my best friend's mom would buy salt bagels. She'd butter and broil them for us in the oven, and they were the best bagels I have ever had, before or since, counting ones in actual New York. What I'm trying to say is, I think I know bagels. Chewy inside, crisp skin, boiled, yeah. Anyway, I like bread, so it's not that round bread bagels offend me, it's just that I know better. I'd rather have the good stuff. And, um, these aren't round bread. Plus, they have whole wheat everything AND tofutti spreads, so what can I say, I'm in love. Getting a half doz for the work week here is a wonderful Sunday activity, just know that it will be busy as heck and you'll probably be asked what you want before you can even see all the options. Fear not. You'll get served.
(5)Taylor V.
If I lived closer to Kupel's Bakery, I would be there every single day. We are from Rhode Island and we do not have any Jewish bakeries in the state which I constantly crave. I have always heard stories about Jewish bakeries and deli's in Brooklyn, where my family is from, and RI has nothing! We visited Kupel's after a weekend in Boston and it was everything I could have ever dreamed of and more. The bagels were perfect and came in a variety of flavors. There are a billion different cream cheese flavors, knish (potato being my favorite), pastries, coffee and a great sandwich menu. The sandwiches are named after local athletes like Tom Brady. The smoked salmon was so fresh and the bagels with cream cheese just melted in your mouth. I took home a dozen bagels, smoked salmon and potato knish's for my grandparents and they bagged my salmon and cream cheese on ice for the ride back. They said it was exactly like their days in Brooklyn and even froze some bagels to save for a later date. We cannot wait to go back to Kupels. I think the staff knew I was a "tourist" because I was way too enthusiastic about being there but I couldn't help it! :)
(5)Jeremy K.
I love this little hidden jewel in Brookline... They have great food and it's very authentic. The people working there are friendly and always eager to help you out. They have bagels, lots of them. And theirs are delicious! Big and tasty! They have all kinds of them, you name it, they have it. They also have cookies of all sorts including various sorts of humentachen. That's awesome too. Their signature cake which I have yet to try is their bubka. Any Seinfield fan out there owes it to themselves and get one. I didn't do that, shame on me. I will next time I swing by though. Their food is freshly baked and their prices are great! Awesome place!
(4)Jeremy B.
Good bagels, very close to the real thing. No, you will never find the real thing outside of NY, so don't expect to.
(4)Miriam L.
Bagels...or bed pillows. You decide. This is not just another "I am from NY/NJ and miss their bagels rant." This is a case of extreme disappointment. Admittedly, I missed my mom, I missed real bagels and I needed something for breakfast. Much to my absolute delight, they even had salt bagels (I have low blood pressure, shut it). The salt certainly looked a little...meager. To say the least. The bagel looked a little...pale. To say the least. Yet I cheerily tripped out of the store ready for the bagel equivalent to a hug. It was not to be. I cut into the bagel. I noticed a distinct lack of "crust" - comes from boiling it a certain way I suppose. (I don't make bagels for a living.) And only after slicing the bagel in half, vertically did I realize... This bagel was masquerading as a bed pillow. I don't know what it is with this state, but bagels - REAL bagels - are not supposed to be puffy, white and bready. This offering was a good twice the size a bagel should be. It had no crust. At all. It had no semblance of a shell - nevermind that it was actually, in reality, barely salted. And the taste? I could have been eating store-bought white bread. I took the second half and proceeded to cut it into four thin slices to make what we "down south" call "Bagel Chips." I could have made them thinner and churned out six, but it was early, and I didn't want to cut myself while suffering from low blood sugar due to an inedible bagel. Anyone who has had a real bagel knows that you should really only be able to get two or three good thin slices from a bagel half. I rest my case.
(1)Dara C.
I tried in vain to come up with a list of things I would do for a fresh, hot Kupel's bagel. However, halfway through, I realized the list of things I WOULDN'T do for a fresh, hot Kupel's bagel was much easier to assemble. Namely, I wouldn't kill a kitten, and I wouldn't ever like Scott Brown. I think that's it, though.
(5)Mike M.
People usually rave about the bagels here, but the man, or woman (who knows really?)knows how to make some rugelach. My fav so far has been cinnamon chocolate, aka, "get your fat ass to gym tomorrow Mike". Thankfully they price by the lb, otherwise, I'd be on the Dr. Phil show as a cherry picker struggles to pull me out of my bedroom. Don't waste your time with the homentasch, cookies, or the bear claw. It's all about the rugelach!!
(4)Kathy A.
Fantastic bagels and smear. They have all sorts of flavors and added a new sunflower seed type. I also love that they have a whole wheat option for some of the different flavors. The best deal is getting the day old bagels or pastries that taste almost as good and are so much cheaper.
(4)Sarah A.
So, I am finally just getting around to this update, but I am knocking a star off my original review for a scary experience I had with Kupel's bagels back in March. It was right around St. Patrick's Day and I don't know, maybe they had some left over festive St. Patrick's Day green batter that some how made its way into a pumpernickel bagel (that's what I'd like to think), but I sliced open my big, beautiful pumpernickel bagel, to find a large section of GREEN. Now, I am just going to go along with the St. Patrick's Day green batter theory (maybe someone's half Irish or something) but I also must entertain the frightening thought that this was (gasp) MOLD in the bagel. So, ever since then, I've been a little traumatized and have been avoiding Kupels and favoring the asiago cheese bagels at Panera. I do still really like their bagels... sans green stuff. On another note, the challah is awesome. Holla for the challah!
(3)John A.
The other morning I woke up with a raging hangover. I stumbled into the kitchen and much to my dismay, I was out of coffee! So of course I was in panic mode when I remembered, "Hey isn't there a little bakery at the end of the street?" I strapped on my boots and warmest winter clothes then stepped out into the January cold in hopes that the imagined bakery at the end of the street existed and had coffee. And there it was...Kupel's Yes, they had coffee and it was delicious. They also had tasty bagels and quality customer service. All of this made my headache and frozen limbs seem ok.
(4)John S.
Simply the best. My wife and I can always agree to go to this place for breakfast. Seriously, best bagels and cream cheeses in Boston (technically it's not in Boston though) that I have experienced. As for all of the other pastries, I rarely delve into those. I had some rugelach once and it was extremely rich and expensive. But, I'm not so knowledgable about Jewish pastries. Anyway, eat bagels here!
(5)Shira K.
These are apparently the best bagels in Brookline, which is sort of sad, given the demographics of the neighborhood. They're fine. The service is excellent; the men who work here are lovely and patient. The selection of cream cheese is great, and fresh. They have hamentashen and chocolate chip cookies that remind me so much of my Hebrew school days. That is to say, not that great in an objective sense, but somehow, viscerally satisfying.
(3)Marcy K.
In grad school days #$^&^ years ago, Kupel's and I were best buds. We'd get together every Sunday morning, especially if friends were around, and "he" never disappointed. The bagels were superb, the people behind the counters were friendly, the black and whites were to die for, and the wait was even palatable. He treated me nicely. Because of more discriminating tastes, I suppose, Kupel's isn't my best pal anymore, and I can't even say we're friends. I went in to see the old guy today for old time's sake, so I could buy some Jewish rye to complement some kosher corned beef and pastrami that I will be purchasing this week. I also bought some chocolate chip rugelach (usually purchased at Reins in Vernon, CT) and challah rolls (usually purchased at Cheryl Ann's in Brookline) as well as a whole wheat sesame bagel (usually purchased at Bagels Plus, in Acton). Big mistake on all three fronts. The challah rolls were tasteless, the bagel was hard, the rugelach was dry, and the rye bread....well, just wasn't what I'm used to. I like rye bread crisp on the outside and in the shape of a football, and this was neither. And I like it to taste like rye bread. Looked like Wonder Bread with a slight tannish color. I know many other yelpers sing this place praises, which is great, but I'll stick to my old standbys, which are 1,000 times better for the products I purchased. Wish I could find a decent place to buy rye bread. The best place that sells it is in NY, but am not heading in to Yonkers or the Bronx anytime soon...unless someone wants to send me a ticket to the World Series. I know, I know. Am feeling a little guilty giving this place 2 stars, while most other people gave it 4 or 5, but I won't be swayed. Go, Yankees!
(2)Oleana B.
I don't know why I have never been in here. I have been walking by this place for years but somehow it must have been an awkward time for bagels. I got a bagel with lox, tomato and cream cheese and an iced coffee. Everything was amazing. Really fresh lox, a very generous amount of cream cheese and excellent bagel. The coffee was delicious. My brother got something called 'babka' which is bread with chocolate baked in. It looked very good. They also had challah and a bunch of bread on display that looked fabulous. What I got was so good that I was seriously considering going back again the same day and getting the same thing but that somehow did not seem right. Anyway this is my new go-to bagel place.
(5)Andrea E.
I, too, am a native NYer, but I'm not a bagel snob. Who can afford to be? Still the bagels here are just no better than you'd get at a grocery store or a plain old goyishe bagel place. I got a piece of apple strudel, pretty psyched to dig into it that night. It was SO bad, that it was worth having paid for it just because I got to imitate my father had he ever been given something so disgusting passed off as strudel. I got to mash it and make faces and say things to the imaginary waitress like, "You actually have the nerve to call this strudel? Where the hell are the apples? There is not one goddam apple in this thing!!" And there really weren't; it was a brown mash of something that I would only be flattering by saying it had the vague taste of cinnamon. Depending on when you go, you'll be served by a surly jerk or a nice kid, you'll have to take your chances. Or not.
(2)Ryan M.
I have the amazing privilege of living right down the street from Kupel's which is really a gift and a curse. On one hand I have the ability to get delicious bagel sandwiches whenever I want but on the other hand I don't have the patience/bankroll to dine out here for breakfast every day. It's a real problem I've been having. Kupel's offers some delicious bagel sandwiches named after past and present Boston sports figures and some of the best pastries in the area and is a staple of Brookline weekends. The only drawbacks I could name for Kupel's is that it is Kosher so it's closed on Saturdays and does not have sandwiches with meat and cheese touching (complaints from a Catholic boy) and that the lines on Sunday can be about 30 minutes long in the morning (complaints from an impatient boy). Other than those two things you will be pleased by the delicious bagels that Kupel's has to offer.
(4)Renee M.
I am kind of snobby when it comes to bagels and pizza because New Jersey and New York seriously have the best bagels and pizza ever! It's a fact! Anyway, that being said, Kupel's bagels come pretty damn close to the bagels I cherish from home. This place is an authentic Jewish bakery (closed on Saturdays, I learned that the hard way!) with bagels, challah and many other kinds of pastries. I always get an everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese and while it is a little pricey it is always worth it. Yum. My friend got challah from here once too and it was fresh and delicious. Only complaint is that there is usually nowhere to sit as it is very small inside and there are limited tables and chairs. Oh well, that's why I only come here on nice days!
(4)Lauren S.
"Oy, I'm having nightmares of honeycake and challah flying over my head!" I love Kupel's. I love the staff, I love the fact that nearly every flavor of bagel comes in whole wheat, I love sitting outside and eating a bagel on a sunny morning in Brookline. I'm not going to lie, as someone who grew up in New Jersey, I can't say Kupel's bagels top my list or even make it into the top five, but they are certainly decent, fast and can be topped with yummy spreads and comfort toppings. Nothing better on a Sunday morning!
(4)Amy L.
I love the bagels from Kupel's :) always fresh and they have best lox in the city. I usually stop by to grab a breakfast and all the staffs are always friendly and fast. I always get their whole wheat bagel or onion bagel with the lox. everything else is very tasty and fresh. good place for grab n go breakfast! :)
(4)Jeff D.
Was walking by here after lunch at Dorado and could not resist grabbing two whole wheat everything bagels for breakfast eats for a few days. Yesterday I did not toast it, as the bagel was still nice and moist and chewy. Today it was a bit harder so in the toaster it went. Both were delicious and flavorful and just the right size to fill me up. I can't wait to stop in again and buy some lox to go as well.
(4)Jane Z.
BEST BAGELS IN BOSTON. Hands down. I love them!! Whenever I buy their bagels and am driving home, they fill my car with their awesome smell. Make sure you go there early, otherwise they'll be out of bagels!
(5)K S.
4 stars for the bagels. They are clearly the fair haired child of Kupels. They are always fresh and have the perfect chew, and retain that chewy moist interior when toasted. My personal favorite are the salt bagels. I also get the miami cream cheese which is flavored with little bits of salmon and scallions. I take it home and run it through the mini chopper with side of lox. I end up with a perfectly smoky salmony oniony pinkish cream cheese. I have had the veggie cream cheese as well. Meh. It's like cream cheese blended with Knorr veggie soup/dip mix with extra shredded carrots. I just don't like it but it's not terrible. The baked goods leave a lot to be desired. Where is the love? They are dry and extra sweet. They remind me of things you get at BJ's or Costco. There are a large variety of these items but to me they all taste the same. I have not tried any of the breads but they look glorious. Perhaps for the next snow day I'll grab a loaf for french toast and update my review.
(4)Roxana F.
This review is for the pastries, not the bagels. I'm a pastry/dessert fanatic, so when I was walking by this place and saw the display case from outside I knew I had to stop in. Their display looks pretty good - lots of delicious LOOKING pastries. One of the young guys working there started talking to me...telling me "we're really popular, look at how many customers we had today" and showed me this long receipt with what I suppose was how many customers he had that day. Okay...strange first impression. Then I said I wanted an apple strudel and asked him how it was, and both the people behind the counter kinda shook their head and said that they wouldn't recommend that because the filling was like baby food. Okay...I like honesty so I appreciated the tip off but still found it kind of strange. So I got the apple claw or something along those lines, it had cinnamon sugar rubbed on the pastry bit and apple inside. Looked amazing...but didn't taste as great. My first bit was nasty. It didn't taste like apple...tasted like it was baked with or sitting near an onion bagel. And I hate onions. The apple filling was too sweet, probably to overcompensate for the rest of the pastry...but I didn't actually taste APPLE. I was biting through chunks of what I assume were apple, but if one were to not know what they were eating, they probably wouldn't have guessed apple. SO if you're in the mood for a pastry/dessert, skip this place and meander down the road to Beacon Street, where you can find Brookline Party Favors and Finale.
(2)Jessica S.
I love bagels from Kupel's! My roommate and I love to come here on Sunday mornings. The size and density of the bagels is perfect and the amount of cream cheese isn't overdone. Paying $6.99 for a poppy seed bagel with cream cheese and lox is a bit pricey, but they do give you enough lox for two people to make up for it. All of the pastries and Jewish desserts look incredible as well, but I have yet to try them. Areas needing improvement: 30 minute wait on a Sunday morning, prices are not written on all baked goods, and apparently ordering a "side of lox" means a side of lox flavored cream cheese instead of the actual salty goodness.
(4)Elizabeth S.
I want to be in love, but, I'm just.... not. Why: 1) I miss New York. I miss New York bagels. I only lived there for a year, and those bagels ruined me for life. (Is it really in the water, like Kramer says?) 2) I'm never sure what is parve and what isn't parve at Kupel's. I am a big fan of dairy, and a tad creeped out by parve. Words of Kupel's wisdom: 1) Get the Shaq. Cream cheese, lox, tomato & lettuce, best bang for yo' buck. 2) Be careful who you order from. Today my bagel-mate had pretty much the worst server ever: "Is it okay if the eggs are cold? I forgot to warm them up." [blank stare] "It'll take like 45 seconds." "That'd be cool, thanks." Umm... who prefers their eggs cold? He then tossed all the toppings on the bagel in such a way that they all fell out upon eating. My girl was great, though - perfectly made bagel sandwich. All of the baked goods look delicious but I never know which are parve... I'm assuming most of them are. I bought one once and bit into it and realized it was NOT cheese. Byebye pastry. Moral of the story: if you keep kosher, this is the place to be (and the constant crowds agree). If you don't, it's still a fine bagel place for Boston standards. I'ma keep looking for my dream bagel.
(2)Ian C.
I've been in Boston for two years now, and I've been struggling to find a decent bagel. I happened upon this place last week, and my faith in Boston's ability to supply delicious bagels has been restored! Their cream cheese was delicious (homemade!) but the best part was the bagels themselves. Chewy in the center, but the perfect amount of crust. The taste was exceptional. I got an egg bagel as part of a sandwich with salmon, onions, and cream cheese, and it was perfect. The ingredients balanced each other out just right. I also got a Challah to go, and it was delicious. I finished it in literally two days... I just couldn't stop eating it! That staff at Kupel's was really nice and patient. They were really helpful and helped me pick out the perfect sandwich, and even offered me a free bottle of water. Needless to say, I can't wait to go back!
(5)Kathleen C.
If this review was only for food, I'd give it a 4. However, due to the total confusion of the customers and staff while I was there, this is dropping to a 3. I tried a variety of pastries, some better than others, but the frozen dough thing - fabulous! The service was so strange, though. There was a woman in front of us who had sampled a bunch of items, but apparently hadn't ordered. This was learned after we were asked for our order, and the woman started yelling at the girl behind the counter (and us)...not sure who was helping her with the samples, but it seems that would constitute being helped.... When we finally got to order, the person we ordered from was confused and didn't add all of our items to the order. Then, when she forgot things, instead of adding them, she kept asking if we still wanted them. Of course we wanted them - we ordered them! So, while I might stop in for pastries (ok, probably will), I have a bad taste in my mouth from the service. It stopped me from going back in a second time while in the area and visited a stop down the way instead. However, I'm sure I'll give it another try...sometime....
(3)John P.
Oh Kupel's. So conflicted about this place. Their bagels are outstanding. Like, legitimately outstanding. They are chewy, and have body, but remain soft (a rather difficult dichotomy to embody). All your favorite bagel varieties (poppy, sesame, everything, etc.) are available in both white and whole wheat versions (which is fantastic for the health conscience). I literally order two whole wheat sesame with garlic herb cream cheese when I'm there- it's worth the double dip. With all that said, I never encountered a customer base that is more rude, pushy, or inconsiderate in all of Brookline. I've been in the area for nearly 7 years, and I am routinely amazed at how brazenly obnoxious these older Brookline folks are (rude to the staff, rude to other customers, disregard basic line etiquette, etc.). I'm also amazed that the staff makes it in the morning: most look hung over every time I'm there on a Sunday morning. But hey, if I had to deal with Kupel's rude regulars on a weekly basis, I too would be equally despondent on the job. Bottom line: a great bagel, but only if you can stomach their customers (and poor service).
(3)Jamie H.
let me preface this review by saying that i love cream cheese. LOVE it. one of my favorite foods (if you will) in the world. kupel's has an amazing variety of cream cheeses, ranging from honey walnut, strawberry, scallion, olive, vegetable, and many others. they also offer light versions of many of the flavors. second to the fact that i love their cream cheese, every time i have the privilege of having a bagel sandwich i think to myself... "no other food in the world is a better vehicle for cream cheese than this bagel." so embarrassing to admit, but so true. chewy, soft, and always enough flavor to make it worth it. i don't know how they manage to get so many sesame seeds onto the surface! the only thing that kupel's is lacking is spicy mustard and mayonnaise. egg sandwiches are just not complete without condiments. and it would be great if they were open on saturdays too!
(4)Dela B.
I've been to Kupels many times over the past 3 years and I still can't make an accurate assessment of their bagels. In terms of selection, Kupels takes the cake with their countless varieties of cream cheeses, bagel toppings, and whole wheat offerings, but Kupels lacks the consistency that would keep me going regularly and actually recommending it to others. Some days, I would compare Kupels to the amazing Ess-A-Bagel in NYC, and other days, the bagels are so dry that I'd easily prefer a bagel from Dunkin. Not quite sure what the issue is, but I don't really like the feeling of gambling on my bagel quality. If I'm going to make the trek to get a bagel, it had better be better than what I'd get from Shaw's or Dunkin two blocks away.
(3)Joshua S.
While I was in Boston for a wedding we ended up in Brookline, headed to 4A coffee shop right across the street(we're kinda coffee tourists) We walked in and the place was packed, this lovely younger woman took my order...unfortunately I was looking for a bagel and wasn't in a position to see the bagels or the selection of toppings. So I just ordered a plain bagel with plain cream cheese. Which, seemed to bring a wave of disappointment over the girl taking my order, within about a minute I had my bagel, which is probably one of the best I've came across. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Boston, and I'll definitely try something a little more exciting than plain and plain.
(4)Kristine S.
I won't deny it... Kupel's makes a tasty bagel. I was delighted to go to a bakery that I could eat with a Jewish friend because it is kosher. Great kosher bagels to nosh on and enjoy with a good friend = winning situation..... except when... The counterperson helping me out looked at me like I had four heads when I was trying to order a "Randy Moss": plain bagel, lox, cream cheese, and onions. They have a special bagel sandwich menu named after Boston sports and other various athletes, and the guy didn't know the menu at all. After repeating what I wanted and even told the guy to look at the second listing on the left on the menu, he was staring at the combo figuring out what to put on my order. It gets busy; there was a lot of trash left on tables that I ended up pushing aside because I couldn't find a trash can (later spotted after eating next to the door). It would probably better for such a busy bakery to have more staff continuously clean around the seating areas. This place would be downright awesome if only it was kept cleaner and the staff was a little more knowledgeable about their offerings and menu. Worth coming back again though just to see if my visit was a one time bad experience.
(2)Harry H.
Not impressed with the heavy cinnamon rugullah (guess that's the traditional spelling) for $3.42 (8.99/lb). Appreciated the old school place with fat B&Ws and twist bagels, but wouldn't return.
(3)Stevie P.
I have heard GOOD things about this place. I had my first Kupel's bagel in February with cream cheese and lox (it wasn't toasted because the bagels were served during a class). It was delicious, even though I prefer toasted bagels. My second experience (first time at the bakery) was TERRIBLE. Get ready for a funny story: Sunday morning began with driving to the bakery with my friend (she's never said anything negative about Kupel's). There was a long line, but I knew the wait would be worth it, because, like I said before, I heard RAVE reviews. I ordered THE BIRD (bagel with lox, cream cheese, and capers). It's around 7 dollars, but I love capers and I couldn't wait to try it. My bagel barista asked what kind of bagel I would like and I said "ONION, PLEASE!" (loudly and clearly). I should have watched him as he made my sandwich, because I ended up getting THE CRAWFORD (two eggs, lettuce, onion, and cheese) on a POPPY SEED bagel. What the heck? Totally wrong! The place was loud, but I was close enough and clearly stated my order to him, with eye contact and everything. I'm not the only one with the bad experience... My friend ordered a bagel sandwich. She wanted lettuce, tomato, and onions on it. Her bagel barista says "Sorry, we're out of tomatoes" - um... it's a Sunday and people are hungry for bagels! You can't be "out" of tomatoes - all you have to do is run to the back and get the next batch of sliced tomatoes - but no. We sat down to eat our orders and my friend noticed that there were, in fact, TOMATOES in stock. She just had a lazy bagel barista. I'll go back again - just not on a Sunday. But seriously... how does THE BIRD become THE CRAWFORD, and ONION,PLEASE become POPPY SEED?!
(2)Ann L.
Whole wheat everything bagel? Yes, please. Amazing cream cheeses available in full flavor and low fat varieties. Line snaked around the tiny store on a Sunday morning. This is not a surprise. Limited seating available, so take your goodies home with you!
(4)Sam S.
REALLY disappointed. I drove half an hour there and half an hour back only to find that they messed up my order, which was a BASIC order. I ordered each item one at a time, and clearly. I ordered a plain bagel, toasted, with lox and cream cheese and an everything bagel, not toasted, with lox, cream cheese and tomato. Instead, I got a plain bagel with lox and an everything bagel with lox flavored cream cheese. The lox flavored cream cheese was disgusting - it honestly tasted like cat food. The lox was OK, but not great - I have had much better from the supermarket. I also ordered a black and white cookie, expecting it to be made in the traditional style, and it wasn't. The cookie was good, but there was WAY too much frosting, and the frosting was made for a cake, not a cookie. Cake frosting stays soft, whereas cookie frosting should become hard. It was so sweet that I actually had to wipe it off and eat the cookie plain. Finally, I ordered a container of white fish salad to go. I was really disappointed to see that it wasn't made in house like I expected, but instead it was pre packaged. I haven't tasted it yet, but it was still pretty disappointing. All in all, I won't be going back. The bagels are good, but they weren't that busy and still messed up my order. BUMMER.
(3)Lia B.
I stopped by here on my way to Alexander from MiniLuxe. I'm not usually out in Brookline very often, but I think I will come out of my way to come here! I had a sandwich, I don't remember what it was called, but it was chive cream cheese with cucumbers and onions. It was amazing. I had it on the egg bagel, and I was in HEAVEN. The bagel was perfectly chewy and it rivaled the incredible bagels I've had in New York. We also got a loaf of challah, and it was delicious as well. Soft and slightly sweet, it tasted amazing even two days later! The staff was incredibly friendly and patient with us, even when we debated and changed our order several times. I will definitely be back.
(4)Britton R.
Bagel's were good, chocolate babka was great, vegan cream cheese available.
(4)Marissa S.
Best bagel I've had since moving to Boston 3 years ago. Reminded me of the bagel place from where I grew up near Chicago, which nothing compares, hence only 4 stars!
(4)Monique S.
OMG. I ate the whole thing. Mmm. I passed by this place several times but this is the first time I found it open. I don't even remember what I got. I believe it was an apple flat. It's filled with apple and sprinkled with a generous amount of cinnamon. To make things better, it was only $1.99. Now who can beat that? I didn't mean to eat the whole thing though. It was well worth the calories though. The staff was very friendly and really knew the selections.
(4)Scott B.
Five stars solely due to this being my favorite bagel and lox ever. I get it on an onion bagel with chive cream cheese.
(5)Trish K.
I used to love going to this sweet Jewish bagel shop on Sunday mornings with my beau until recently when I'm pretty sure management fired all their mentally capable employees and hired young men and women from half-way houses for the tax breaks. Actually, I'd be insulting those living in half-way houses by saying they work at Kupel's; these clowns probably need to hit rehab first. On a Sunday in November while waiting in line I saw: 1) a male employee turn on his phone/radio in the middle of taking an order and begin rapping an Eminem song; and 2) a female employee accidentally toss a Sharpie marker into a tub of cream cheese. I'll spare you details on how incompetently the employees took orders and goofed around in front of the long line of customers, but you get the idea. The particular young woman who took our order asked us no less than 3 times if we wanted our bagel sandwiches toasted, to which we replied 'yes' each time. Amazingly, our bagel sandwiches were not toasted 15min later. When I asked about flavors of coffee she was surprisingly able to read off the list of flavors, but when I told her how I'd like my coffee she informed me that they were actually all out of those flavors; good to know. Kupel's... oy vey!
(1)Adam C.
If this is really the best bagel experience in Boston then that's downright tragic. The bagels: not crisp in the slightest on the outside and rather bland overall. I've heard descriptions on Yelp of "white bread", "waxy", "sad" and I'd generally agree with all of those. The service: abysmal. I thought neighborhood places were supposed to be friendly. The teens behind the counter couldn't have been any less interested in doing their jobs. We get it, working at a bagel shop necessitates waking up early. You don't have to let the world at large know how cranky you are every second of the day. I will say that the black & white cookies looked pretty good but I can't put up with the "service" again to find out. I can't think of one reason to go here over a Bruegger's.
(2)Jason K.
So you're from NY and you want a half descent bagel here in Boston? That's not going to happen at Brueggers..Yuck! This place however will get you a bit closer but still will not live up to NY style bagel stores. Not to mention that on a busy weekend day they will have a line out the door full of brookline yuppies. Just suck it up and take the three hour drive down to NYC for all your bagel needs and then freeze a dozen in your fridge.
(2)Anya S.
I love love love this place!!! Top ten reasons for Kupels being the absolute best. 1. Best bagels in the city!! 2. Kosher! 3. Cheap!!!! 4. Friendly service! 5. Yummy lox (very reasonably priced) 6. Every spread that you can possibly think off, they've got it. 7. Weekend deals are a real deal. 8. Potato knish. I wish they would hire me, so I can steal that recepie. 9. Chocolate babkas!! Yum! 10. Rugalach!!! BONUS 11. If you want to see me in my natural habitat, come to Kupels, get a bagel, have a seat, Im a regular there.
(5)Claudio P.
Great bagels, get the salmon, it's totally loaded and delicious. Highly recommended next to Bagel Rising.
(5)Cris L.
Best bagels in Boston (there aren't a ton of choices, but still...). Not open on Saturday (Shabbat) but otherwise, a super cool bagel shop in Coolidge corner area. The sweet treats are delish too (just take one look at the black and white cookie) but the bagels/smear's are the star of this joint. Their selection is large (for cream cheeses too). Prices are fair and they do take debit/credit cards.
(4)Hersh N.
Kupels is a perfect example of a neighborhood store. Delicious food. Excellent and caring service. great quality and fresh ingredients. Supports the local economy. Very reasonably priced. The owner is personally working and available most of the times at the store. He will talk to you and make sure you have a good experience. I personally love "The Welker" sandwich. Their selection of cream cheese is delicious and fresh. Much better than Bruegger's. I once went to the store on crutches and the owner just started talking to me. Later on when me and a friend went in to pay for our bagels, we were told it was on the house. Its been more than 2 years now and the owner still comes around and personally says hi. Cant emphasize enough how this is a perfect cornerstone business in the brookline community. A business, that while being at the top of its trade is still able to provide competitive pricing and great quality.
(5)James O.
(1st time here) Although I like bagels, I have never been crazy about them, so reviewing bagel places is a bit redundant. However, Kupel's definitely has some pluses: +Incredibly cheap (IS THIS BOSTON?!!?) +A great variety of whole wheat bagels (not just the lame plain, sad, brown one) +100% Kosher (legitimately) +Decent cup of coffee I tried "The Truth" bagel sandwich on a whole wheat everything bagel: lox, herb cream cheese, tomatoes, and capers. I absolutely love salmon, especially on a bagel with cream cheese. Unfortunately this salmon was super salty and the cream cheese was literally lathered on. A bit overwhelming for me. The bagel itself was great, crispy, and nicely toasted. This place is very small with limited seating, and a line quickly builds up. But with 4-5 kids cranking out sandwiches, it moves pretty fast. The array of pastries on display look delicious as well. I'll definitely stop by again if I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come back here.
(3)Eric L.
One of my favorite bagel spots. Try the lox! Good selection of bagels and pastries. I usually get a bagel with cream cheese, but they have bagel sandwiches too. Also, I like their coffee, but it's nothing special. Kosher, so don't ask for bacon or ham (like the ignoramous in line behind me). Small little place with more outdoor seating than indoor. Neither of which could hold more than 10 (on a good day). I recommend it if you like bagels and a more traditional Jewish bakery. Don't expect the huge NY style bagels though (not to say these are small or anything).
(4)Emily A.
New York bagels these aren't. However, if you're in the hunt for a bagel in the Cambridge/Allston/Brighton/Brookline area, these are probably the best thing you'll find. Yes, the service is a bit...uneven. And yes, you may have to repeat your order three times, or stop and correct them while they're erroneously putting someone else on it. And yes, I've paid four different prices on four occasions for the same exact item (depends on who rings it up, apparently!). BUT it's the only place in my neighborhood where I can get tuna salad on a bagel with capers and onions, which I love, so it earns 3 stars in my book.
(3)Marshall S.
I was at Kupel's on 11/29/13 at 2:39Pm. I bought a rye bread. I couldn't believe while I was paying for my bread another clerk was filling an order for bagels, dropped a bagel on the very dirty floor and picked it up and placed it in the bag. This is the dirtiest bakery I have ever been in . It even smells dirty, the clerks don't wear gloves.
(1)Mo C.
I only went for the bagels, simply because I do not particularly enjoy sweet treats. But the pastries that were in the case when you first walked in did make my mouth water a bit. And some of them were HUGE! So to break it down simply, they offer up tasty bagels in many varieties (whole wheat everything is my fav). They also have many condiments (different flavored cream cheeses and more) and also make sandwiches (of the bagel variety of course). You can buy a half dozen or dozen to take home and also offer their cream cheeses in 8 oz or larger containers. Along with the crazy variety of pastries and breads...This place has plenty to offer Much better than Bagel Caboose in Maine, what bugs me about them is they put a semolina crust on the bottom of their bagels. Kupel's has their toppings on the top and bottom of their bagels. Like i said the everything bagel is kind of a big deal!!! one other thing, pronounce Kupels like 'Couples'.
(5)Kristen C.
Traditional Jewish bakery which means the stars here are of course the bagels. And they are real, and dare I say it, 'New York style' bagels, with a glossy outside and satisfyingly chewy to bite into. All the traditional flavors are there, with a couple less conventional ones such as jalapeno. Probably the best bagels in the city.
(4)Sarah M.
iIf you can get through the line, they are the BEST BAGELS in Boston. the CHALLAH BREAD is wonderful and the ALMOND COOKIES are extremely addicting, especially with morning coffee. The other pastries aren't that great, but I will always go back for the bagels and cream cheese.
(5)Michelle L.
I love bagels. Granted, I've never had a New York bagel, but I can spot a bad bagel from a mile away, and I know to look for that chewy texture and denseness, and that special distinctive malty, just plain bagel-y flavor. Growing up in the DC metro area I actually used to get fantastic bagels from the now-sadly-defunct Chesapeake Bagel Bakery. I used to eat them plain, untoasted-- not even with cream cheese, just savoring the bagel on its own merits. I remember the crackle as I tore it open, the steam rising because it was always fresh and warm... Oh, oops. I was supposed to be reviewing Kupel's, wasn't I? Well, I've spent my adult life in Boston searching for something approaching those perfect bagels I remember. And Kupel's comes pretty damn close. Theirs is the first bagel I've had around here that's good enough to not require toasting-- the test of a real bagel and not just bread with a hole in it. I actually had the pleasure of polite, prompt, and unimpatient service during my visit, but then, I came in midmorning on a weekday, not a Sunday, and there was no rush. I was thrilled by the variety of whole wheat options. I tried whole wheat cinnamon and, when I'd finished, promptly ordered two whole wheat poppy seed and two whole wheat everything bagels to see me through the rest of the week. (and oh, they do not skimp on the poppy seeds. Each one is a bonus point in their favor.) I also tried the black and white cookie/cake/whatever. It was astonishingly huge, but a bit dry once I ate it later that day-- not sure if waiting affected the quality or not. Not bad for the price, but doesn't hold a candle to Lyndell's. Ah well. Next time I'll try the babka. (I've wanted to try babka since that episode if Seinfeld and I've STILL never tasted it, though I've had my share of black and white cookies in the interval.)
(4)Heather S.
So, I happened to be in Brookline after dropping my dvd off at my favorite video store, Movieworks, and I was hungry. Hungry, hungry, HUNGRY! First, I was thinking of getting chicken soup with noodles and matzoh balls at Zaftig's, but I had that earlier in the week. Then, I was rounding the corner, and saw Kupel's. I thought, Jewish neighborhood, bagles, "Bet they're as good as the ones in Brooklyn." Nope! This was the worst FRESH bagel I've ever had in my life. Fresh, as in not frozen Sara Lee bagels, or those ones that come in vending machines and have no shelf-life listed on them. Or, in this case, maybe "fresh," as in a rebellious bagel that refuses to taste good. WTF? It was soft and hard, flat inside, not fluffy & chewy, and when my teeth hit the back layer of the bagel, it was like chewing through cardboard. I stopped myself. Why waste the empty calories that Yahoo! says are in bagels (all bread and no vitamins)? There is no way that they boil their bagels! I should have known. All the cookies in the bakery were flat and pale and looked like statue-replicas of themselves. ICK. This is not even close to a NY bagel. Not even close. Kupel's = Cardboard.
(1)Rana H.
I'm from NYC and I'm Jewish so I know a good bagel when I see one. That being said, this definitely fulfills my cravings for a good bagel. They are the real bagels, not the small fried hard kind that they sell at Brueggers. Great spreads. I tried the veggie one and it was tasty.
(4)Kaveh Z.
The only reason I am not giving 5 stars is the long wait time. Only one Microwave oven doesn't make sense. The bagel was perfect though
(4)Steven R.
Man I love the bagels here! We always get our weekly bagels here and have never had a bad experience. They offer tons of different types of bagels and you can't go wrong with any of them. I personally love the cinnamon glazed one though!
(5)Elly F.
No frills bakery. They have a lot of different bagels. I tried their poppy seed bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon, was good but expensive.
(3)Jim S.
Really nice and cute place. You can order a variety of bagels and other cute desserts here. The cool thing about this place is that everything is named after a street in boston, which was really unique. I ordered the Harvard ave on egg roll, which contained honey cream cheese and jam. It was pretty delicious, even to someone who is not a huge fan of cream cheese. To all the cream cheese lovers out there, you will love this place cuz it has SOOO many different types of cream cheese, which unfortunately I cannot appreciate as appropriately.
(4)Tyler P.
Ordered whitefish salad with lettuce and tomato on sissel rye, pumpernickel with regular cream cheese. Sign out front says top ten bagels in america. It is definitely a good bagel, on par with any good bakery. Their real claim to fame is their combinations. Salmon, whitefish or tuna salad, great. Classics too, egg and cheese, just cream cheese, etc. Only 3 tables, plenty of seating for very small groups. very attentive and quick service.
(5)Ben S.
best bagels in boston-the prices are great and it is for sure worth the line. they have some of the best cream cheeses around oh my god you need to come here. typing this out i'm realizing that i need to go there...tomorrow..it's that good
(5)Allie B.
Multigrain everything bagel + chive cream cheese = bomb.com I need to become more adventurous and try their other more obscure bagel delicacies ... But seriously dough.... Them bagels dough...that cream cheese. Not sure I'm willing to take the risk and try new items because I'm so pleased with my usual. Boyfriend got the (adventurous) Fenway- egg salad and jalapeño cream cheese on an everything bagel. He inhaled the dang thing in 0.8 seconds . No complaints there A bit crowded during normal breakfast hours - but as a late riser, I have no problem rolling in at 11 and getting whatever I want asap.
(4)Mika S.
I feel bad giving such a popular neighbourhood bakery a two-star rating, but the service here is terrible! I came here on a Saturday last year, ordered a cinnamon raisin bagel toasted with strawberry cream cheese, and was given a plain, un-toasted bagel with regular cream cheese. It was so packed that I left the cafe in a hurry, and didn't realize that I was given the wrong bagel until I was a couple blocks away. I gave Kupels a second chance this past Sunday, and had an even worse experience with the service! My boyfriend and I ordered a toasted Garlic bagel with Salmon cream cheese, a toasted Cinnamon bagel with Honey Walnut cream cheese, a Raspberry Bear Claw and a Chocolate Cinnamon Rugallah. Our server was clearly struggling with our order (although it was hardly a complicated order) and it ended up being over a 10 minute process. He just took off while I was halfway through ordering, and didn't re-appear for a couple minutes; he didn't toast our first bagel, and had to start over; and he forgot our order numerous times. Honestly, I was ready to leave before getting my food. After what felt like forever, we finally got our food and left. As I was about to eat, I realized that the Cinnamon bagel was never toasted and the "Garlic" bagel was not actually a Garlic bagel. Are you kidding me?! I do sympathize with the staff because Kupels is an absolute zoo on the weekends, but this is kind of ridiculous. The mystery bagel with the Salmon cream cheese was by far the best, but the Cinnamon bagel and Honey Walnut cream cheese did not live up to my expectations at all. The Chocolate Cinnamon Rugallah was decent, but not what I was expecting in terms of taste (specifically the chocolate filling). Like I said, I feel bad for giving such a neat little neighbourhood cafe such a low rating, but I can't ignore how poor the service is.
(2)Jaclyn S.
Went here to a long line on a Saturday afternoon just for a sweet tooth fix. We had 2 hamentashens and rugelach - both tasted traditional and sweet, the hamentashen had less filing that I usually like. I want to go back to try other things, esp ones I haven't heard of!
(4)JO. C.
The local place that only local people know how tasty baked-goods is. A place doesn't have fancy interior designs, big windows to see through it, nor indie music playing while you eat in the store. The only thing they have, and always, is a dozen baskets of baked-goods. When I visited Kupel's in the first time, I ordered California bagel w/ tofu lox (I am a salmon lover!), and a cup of latte. I ate in the store, watching people come and go. They usually left with at least two bags of their goods, pastries, cookies, bagels, and fancy breads. You can tell they are frequent customers because they know exactly what they what to order in a second. After finishing my bagel, I can't help to line up and order a half-dozen bagels to go. Still now, every time I go to Kupel's, I will order one to eat freshly right there and take more out for the next few days.
(4)Stacey G.
As a native New Yorker I don't think there are any bagels that compare to NY bagels. This is the only place I have found in Massachusetts that will make a New Yorker smile and say those are some good bagels. Highlights - whole wheat sesame bagel (not made in most bagel shops, yum) - tofu cream cheeses - true feel of a bagel shop (the line on Sunday mornings is long but hang in there it goes by quickly) - pastries: they have one pastry that is like ruggela but it's not cut up individually (many flavors, all delicious)! - the service is excellent!! Everyone is very nice there. Change: The pastry - I wish they did have them in individual portions so I didn't have to eat/ buy the whole thing Make sure you come here because you will not be disappointed!
(5)Neechi M.
We heard great things about Kupel's so probably went with higher expectations than we should have but it was a decent bagel experience by Boston standards. Here are the main highlights: The Good: 1. They have a good variety of bagel types -- we went at 11:30AM on Sunday and despite the long line still had a lot of selections available so kudos for that. 2. The staff is very nice and accommodating. 3. Salmon was good. Nothing special, just good. 4. Cream cheese was excellent. The Bad: 1. The whole wheat everything bagel has rye seeds on it (gf thinks they were caraway seeds but they tasted like rye to me and I hate rye so wish I knew this beforehand since I've never seen them on a bagel before). The salt bagel tasted good though. 2. The bagels have good crunch to them on the outside but unfortunately aren't soft on the inside. Einstein Bros has better bagels honestly but these ones are bigger. The Ugly: 1. Eggs are microwave Dunkin Donuts style -- pass (wish I knew this before going because we went primarily to have a bacon, egg and cheese) 2. Asked for bacon and the lady looked at me like she had no idea what bacon is. I don't understand why a bagel place wouldn't have bacon so massive points off for this. UPDATE 2/16/15: Apparently Kupel's is kosher so that's why there's no bacon. Oh well, heads up to those who didn't know. 4. $8.99 for a bagel with cream cheese and salmon is quite steep. Conclusion: Pass -- If you're willing to travel (drive, bus) check out Katz Bagels in Chelsea instead of this place. Kupel's is seemingly popular based on its location more than the quality of its food.
(3)Christine K.
Great ice coffee (fair trade, too) - not burnt like at Starbucks, and very deep/rich. Their lochs bagel sandwich is a must, of course! An extra perk: they sell day-old bread for quite cheap, so get there in the morning for a big ball of egg rolls for $2, or pumpernickel bagels for $3. If only they had wifi, then this would be the perfect little neighborhood bakery to spend the day at.
(4)Caitlin M.
Went here today with some friends from Philadelphia. We got a mix of bagels and chocolate cheese rugelach. The bagels were delicious but they go heavy on the cream cheese. The rugelach was amazing. The wait was long--don't expect to pop in here on a Sunday morning between 10-1 and not wait. The servers kept checking back to confirm what people wanted on their bagels. They could probably be more efficient in their service, but it's a leisurely Sunday breakfast so I didn't mind. I really want to try some of their challah soon.
(4)K. Grace K.
Excellent bagels. Plenty if whole wheat options, and many flavored of lite cream cheese. Also basic bagel vegetables available for 25 cents (onion, cucumber, tomatoe). I had a sesame seed bagel and lite jalapeño cream cheese. Loved it. There was a generous amount of cream cheese, but I normally use less. (So maybe that undoes the lite/whole wheat choices. :) )Tasty though. I will get cream cheese on the side next time and maybe split cream cheese with my husband who orders his own bagel. They only sell onion bagels on Fridays and Sundays, their busy days. I came back on Friday and got 6 onion bagels and 8 oz cream cheese to keep at home. Great. I do wish the nutritional info were available. But whole ingredients aren't hard to approximate. Thanks, Kupels, for making the healthy options numerous, attractive, and tasty!
(4)Justin F.
Kupel's has some of the best bagels I've ever had. I go in wanting a bagel and walk out with a dozen! I've learned they are great toasted and are good days later! Please do not let the line scare you off!! Oh, and their pastries are great as well!
(5)William F.
Rude staff! The man behind the counter started helping other customers after getting our pastries, and got irritable when we asked him to pay. Then he started helping someone who came in after us. Seems disorganized- we walked out without our food since it took so long.
(1)Kayla S.
Kupels is literally the best bagels in the Boston area. The staff is a little eh. Some of them seem so disgruntled . but then the other ones seem...I don't want to be mean but...dumb. Dumb meaning I've had a few people just totally butcher the order for simple orders. Not because I did anything weird or said anything to confuae them. I will say Like "can I have a prudential on a plain bagel"for example . so simple. and they will just not make the prudential or leave out ingredients and put it not on a plain bagel. That's just a random complaint. Everything else is awesome! The coffee. The baked goods. The bagels. Ugh it's so awesome. I wants some now!
(5)Joaquin X.
Yup, the best bagel spot I've ever been to. Worth the long wait in line. Lots of options available. Closed on Saturdays. (Of course!)
(5)Dinara E.
I cannot believe I just paid $5 for a rugalah that tasted like mold. If I hadn't brought it home already, I would have gone back for a refund! Literally tasted like it was made at the beginning of the week, it's Friday now.
(1)Meghan G.
Great bagels! Very busy on weekends but line moves fast. Lots of great light cream cheese options that taste great! I'm a fan of the Boylston, which is cream cheese, red onion and tomato.
(4)William S.
I've been going to Kupel's for years. It's hard to beat classic Jewish baking. The pricing is a bit high, but that's to be expected for kosher food. The bagels and other bread are splendid, but it's the pastries where Kupel's really shines. Poppy filling is a taste right out of my childhood. It's so hard to get the level of sweet to balance right with the flavor, but Kupel's nails it every time. And they homentashen (traditional triangle cookie with fruit filling) are nice and crispy - not the crumbly disappointments you find all too often. One thing that some of the reviewers seem to have missed: this is a kosher bakery. There's no meat of any kind (since they serve dairy and kosher laws forbid the two mixing), and especially no bacon. There's cream cheese and lox, and if that's what you're looking for, it's hard to find better.
(4)Marcy Z.
Bagels for Jews. No Asiago or cinnamon raisin! Classic bagels and shmears like whitefish salad, chopped liver, lox cream cheese. The pastries are REAL and fresh! No refrigerated dough with corn syrup flavored glaze. Flaky melt in your mouth SERIOUSLY! Carry home a challah bread and use as you normally would pepperidge farm...you won't regret it. We got a little of each of the things mentioned and spent $30.
(5)Nik A.
Now this is a place you take your granny for breakfast. They have a wide variety of bagel/sandwich options and will make everyone happy. I love having many cream cheese choices.
(3)Annie K.
This is the most authentic bagel place I have found in the Boston area!! The lines confirm that this Jewish bakery/deli is a jewel to be coveted. Their delicious bagel sandwiches are named after various Boston T stops and are packed with authentic flavor! Their whole wheat poppy, chive cream cheese, and lox sandwich is to die for. Get there early or late to beat the lines but, even if you do get stuck, it's worth the wait!
(5)Sutanuka L.
Yum yum bagels !!! I love the Coolidge corner bagel. So fresh and the bagels are freshly baked too. They always sell out early!
(5)Devin S.
I had heard a lot about Kupel's before trying their bagels for myself. I work at another bagel shop in Boston and so I eat a lot of bagels--I felt that I needed to try the fabled "Boston's Best Bagel" for myself. Today I finally did try one of their bagels. And the thing is, my mind wasn't blown. I attribute this to my preconditioning to have high expectations; the egg bagel with honey walnut cream cheese I had was good. But it wasn't outstanding, and the bagel itself was even a little dry. I think the best thing about Kupel's is that there is something for everyone here: a great variety of toppings, spreads, and pastries. Just don't expect a life-altering bagel experience.
(3)Steph C.
Real bagels!! Everything there is great. Freshly made everyday, with an amazing selection of pastries and variety of bagels. Get there early, cos lots of things sell out by the evening, which is unfortunately when I usually get there after work. But hey, that usually speaks for itself and I can't blame them for selling out if their stuff is that good. The rugallah is AMAZING. Truly. I've tried my fair share from a bunch of places around MA and NY.... And they are pretty close to the top for me. Not too sweet and just the perfect texture!!! Prices can be steep for certain things, but honestly, as a person who works in the food industry, you definitely get what you pay for. Definitely make it out to kupel's at least once a month since I moved north of the city a few years ago!
(5)Susan M.
This review is for one item only, the raspberry hamentashen. This is not a very good cookie, the filling tasted artificial without any raspberry flavor and the cookie had an off putting overly sweet taste which just didn't blend at all. Terrible In the garbage it went. There is nothing good to say about this cookie do not waste your money.
(1)Kim B.
Gster and I have lived around the corner from here for about a year, and we have always had our favorite bagel shop on the other side of Brookline (Aka Allston). However, one day I decided to adventure to Brookline. This turned out to be a bad decision. It took me about 10 minutes, and 4 illegal U-Turns to find a parking spot. I naively walked in the door of Kupels, only to find a long, long, long line. I estimated about 20-25 minutes.... it was over an hour. At some point, I thought about leaving, but I had stuck it out for long enough, and really wanted to try it. I also was very very hungover, and the thought of moving was painful. After about 60 minutes in line, all I got was 2 bagels, one with butter and one with cream cheese. They put way way way too much butter on it, and the bagel did not taste anything out of the ordinary. I also was not impressed with the service, as the line should have, and could have moved a lot faster. As a side note, their focus is on sandwiches, deli and Jewish pastry specialty items, none of which I tried. I hate to rate them so harshly on bagels and service alone, however, if 40% of your business is bagels and I was not impressed, it doesn't entice me to go back and try again. All in all, After walking by and dreaming about it for months, i was disappointed.
(2)Juliane S.
I used to walk by Kupels often when I used to live in the area. Today, during a visit to Brookline, I finally decided to give it a try. If you like lox, tuna, whitefish salad or egg salad in your bagel, then this is your place. Personally, i love lox on my bagel. I went with a more original one called, " Cleveland Circle", which had lox, plain cream cheese, tomato, and onions on an everything bagel. Noms, delicious! I definitely will go back for the bagels and sandwiches. I took a star off because their apple strudel was a huge disappointment. I tried eating it, but the filling was just not good. I basically threw the strudel away cause I knew I wouldn't eat it.
(4)Haley S.
I really was not impressed by Kupel's Bakery when I came in most recently. I came here a few times as a teenager and really liked the bagels and the wide variety of cream cheese available, but this time, the bagels were not good. I had a plain bagel with honey walnut cream cheese, and had one bite of it before throwing it away. I mean it just wasn't worth the calories to eat more of it. I was really looking forward to it too! I ordered the elephant ears for a family member, and she said they weren't great. She is used to getting them at a bakery in NYC which has the best elephant ears in the universe, so I'm not sure it's a fair comparison for kupels! The challah bread I purchased was also stale. Come on Kupel's! Selling stale challah should be a crime. I was really looking forward to making challah French toast but instead, it was fed to the birds. I don't think I'll be back again. There are plenty of other bakeries that serve up confections that are consistently delicious, so why bother with Kupels?
(2)Chaz W.
If I want an egg warmed up in a microwave, I go to Subway. If I want someone who doesn't know what sausage is, I go to a vegan grocery store. If I want a small, tasteless bagel, I ask Dunkin donuts for a quarter of their plain bagel. If I want all 3 I go to Kupel's.
(1)J M.
This place was once awesome but the extremely poor customer service and poor quality food has made the place horrible. The workers handled money and food with their gloved hand which is extremely unsanitary. All this while making the bagels at and almost purposely slow pace. I watched on of the guys take 2mins to arrange the tomatoes on my bagel. All that time and when I took it out of bag it wasn't together at all. Bagels and lox are one of the simple pleasures but they managed to screw that up.
(1)P. S.
Heard a lot about this place so decided to check it out. Good selections on bagels and pastries. Prices are little too steep. Had everything bagel with veggie cream cheese. Cream cheese was super but the bagel was not that great. It was soft like a subroll. Coffee was 1 Star. Prob. won't be back for that price and quality of bagel.
(3)Stephanie M.
Delicious cookies and challah bread!
(5)Laura C.
Extremely delicious bagels, cream cheese and sandwich combos. I used to frequent this place a couple of times a week, and I miss it after moving away. I once got some rugallah pastry that I found to be really disgusting but I think that's how it tastes and maybe I just don't like it. So I go for the bagels only. My favorite is egg salad and jalapeño cream cheese on a whole wheat poppy seed bagel. They have lots of bagel and cream cheese varieties, and also have tofu cream cheese that I've never tried. They are also open pretty early. Love it.
(4)Josef K.
Don't know how the food is but the worst service ever. Been waiting on line for 45 minutes. What kind of a bagel store is this. Not sure why they can't have more help this is a college town after allm
(2)Roshini K.
So we've gone by this place a thousand times and finally decided to stop in for bagels...best decision ever. There was a line, but trust me, its worth the wait! I cant for the life of me remember what the name of my sandwich was but i got an onion bagel with garlic and herb cream cheese, cucumbers and red onions. It was so delicous and fresh! My boyfriend got the prudential sandwich which he all but finished in one bite with a huge smile on his face, and he's a hard one to please! We also got a half pound of the infamous chocolate and cream cheese ruggalloh. Cant wait to start digging into that! After Bagel Rising closed in Allston, ive been dying to find a new bagel place that had fresh ingredients, perfect bagels and friendly service and i think ive finally found it! Cant wait to come in for more!
(5)Grace H.
Great bagels in my opinion (and they have a chocolate danish that is amazing), but the customer service and assembly line preparing orders is terrible. I'm giving Kupel's two stars specifically for that - expect a long wait (sometimes out the door) as each employee takes your order one item at a time, providing mediocre at best customer service and constantly running back and forth to ask you if you're ordering anything else. The process seems to be a bit of cluster. Once they've prepared your order, the individual employee that prepared your order rings you up - wouldn't it make more sense to just have stationary cashiers and other employees that prepare orders and pass them along? (Yes, it would.) I would recommend getting orders to go, as inside/outdoor seating is limited and often occupied.
(2)