A ‘Seinfeld’-Permitted Bagel Establishment Out of NYC Lands in D.C.

New York bagels are coming to the nation’s capital. And these aren’t simply New York-type bagels; relatively, H&H Bagels — which opened its first location in Manhattan in 1972 — brings its 50-year-old recipe to Mount Vernon Triangle (601 Okay Avenue NW).

H&H is now open for ordering as of in the present day. It’s celebrating its D.C. debut on Thursday, June 12 with thriller worth reward playing cards valued between $5 and $100 for the primary 200 prospects.

sH&H purists can be glad to listen to the bagel and schmear menu can be equivalent to the unique. To keep up its iconic texture, chew, and style, H&H sends its dough produced from kettle-boiled NYC water right down to its latest location. “Bagels are baked contemporary on-site [and] now across the nation, in order that irrespective of the place you’re, you’re getting the actual NYC expertise,” says director of selling Jesse Stein. Since its Higher West Aspect debut many years in the past, H&H has expanded throughout the town with shops within the Higher East Aspect, a number of airport outposts, and Penn Station.

Whereas H&H is sticking to its recipe roots, it’s branching out when it comes to sure flavors and mixtures. Take a brand new spicy scallion cream cheese, which is infused with a mix of dried chili peppers, after which blended with contemporary scallions for a slow-building warmth. Stein additionally teases some “enjoyable collaborations arising towards the top of the summer season” that can be obtainable each in D.C. in addition to places nationwide.

Classics, nevertheless, will all the time be a staple at H&H. The Bacon, Egg, and Cheese stays the preferred sandwich on the menu “by a mile,” says Stein. Its every part bagel, by the way in which, is its best-seller by far.

H&H Bagels

H&H Bagels

The D.C. debut marks the model’s third growth out of its Massive Apple house base, due to the nationwide franchise rollout introduced in 2024. Boca Raton and Santa Monica are already open, and future retailers are destined for Tampa, Jacksonville, and West Palm Seashore, Florida; Knoxville, Tennessee; Chicago; and LA.

However D.C. is particular, says Stein: “There was nice curiosity in bringing H&H to the neighborhood, and we’re excited to be in such an awesome location accessible to so many Washingtonians.”

Whereas New York Metropolis could also be recognized for its bagels, D.C. definitely holds its personal in the case of baked rings of goodness. The nation’s capital has no scarcity of fantastic native retailers, together with decades-old Bethesda Bagels, Shaw newcomer Pearl’s Bagels, and Buffalo & Bergen — the rising D.C. enterprise from Lengthy Island-born restaurateur Gina Chersevani that ships dough each day from Queens.

However this rising bagel tradition, says Stein, has solely added gas to H&H’s fireplace. “We all know that the bagel scene has been having its second in D.C., and we’re very excited to hitch that neighborhood,” says Stein. “It’s nice to be coming right into a area the place there’s already ardour round bagels.”

H&H Bagels

Based in 1972 by Helmer Toro and Hector Hernandez, the unique H&H Bagel was as basic because it will get. The New York Occasions stated it was the neighborhood’s “most celebrated vacation spot for what is sort of probably the Higher West Aspect’s most iconic meals.” The cult-favorite amongst locals and vacationers alike was popularized over time by appearances in Intercourse & the Metropolis and Seinfeld.

H&H famously performed a starring position on Seinfeld. Returning to work after a 12-year strike, Kramer finally ends up sabotaging the bagel machine and goes again on strike throughout “Festivus” — and reminding us all that the hourly minimal wage in NY was simply $5.15 within the late Nineteen Nineties. From a worth perspective, its cream cheese bagel with mix-ins like scallion, veggie, strawberry, and extra is now $5.75.

H&H Bagels

—Tierney Plumb contributed to this report