Not a restaurant I know, but hey, it’s about food and if you’re looking for bagels in downtown, Benchwarmers is one of the most popular bagel shops in Raleigh and the best in the downtown area. Benchwarmers use a wood-fired oven, heirloom grains, extended fermentation, and fresh-milled, pre-fermented 100% organic flour to make their modern bagels. They have 6 styles of bagels including the usual classics and some unique cream cheese spreads including pimento cheese, Maitre d’hotel (herby + lemon), Carolina reaper (spicey), pecan butterscotch, and a cashew (vegan).

Benchwarmers, serving wood-fired bagels and craft coffee in downtown Raleigh's Transfer Co. Food Hall, is an exciting collaboration from the masterminds behind Jubala Coffee—one of Raleigh's beloved, local coffee shops—and Boulted Bread, a bakery that earned acclaim with one of Food & Wine’s Top Croissants in America and Bon Appétit’s Best New Bakeries in 2016. Not your average bagel shop, the menu—the work of chef John Knox—includes unique sandwiches like a house-cured lox with deviled egg spread and duck rillette with sour cherries and pickled onions.

One of the newest bagel shops in the area is Brandwein’s Bagels in Chapel Hill. Since opening their doors, they have taken the local foodie community by storm, being referred to as the best bagel shop in the Triangle by more than one blogger. Our own Real-Tour Experience partner, Megan at NC Eat & Play even said ” Thank you, @brandweinsbagels for blessing my life with some of the best bagels I’ve ever had.

While Benchwarmer’s makes some great bagel sandwiches and other treats in the mornings, on Friday and Saturday nights, they create some of the best, unique pizza around. Their cheese pizza is almost like a marriage of regular pizza and focaccia, highlighting simple, wonderful ingredients on an incredible crust. Our order: Cheese pizza + side of ranch

Food Hall, Benchwarmers offers breakfast sandwiches on their freshly baked bagels, and, yes, they do taste as good as they look. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by benchwarmers (@benchwarmersbagels) on Aug 11, 2020 at 9:03am PDT

Food Hall, Benchwarmers Bagels is a great breakfast on the run. Their homemade bagels served plain, with cream cheese, or as a sandwich are delicious comfort food to kick your day of right. Note: Closed on Mondays

Food Hall gang, Benchwarmers—a collaboration between Josh Bellamy and Sam Kirkpatrick of Boulted Bread and Andrew Cash of Jubala Coffee—prides itself on giving equal attention to both coffee and bagel.

This restaurant serves a variety of delicious bagels that I'm sure you'll love. Moreover, these bagels come with a large variety of delicious toppings. So, there's likely a bagel you'll like.

Davie St. | Tuesday-Friday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | This shop takes bagel sandwiches to the next level — and food magazine Bon Appétit agrees.

Since its start in 2014, the team behind the bakery also has launched Benchwarmers Bagels and Bright Spot Donuts, both in Raleigh, The News & Observer reported.

But, I have to say – the menu isn't very “New York” in its options, nor is it trying to be. They have southern twists on sandwiches and creative cream cheeses.