CL food critic Jon Palmer Claridge went in search of the perfect bagel earlier this year, and he found his holy grail at Clearwater Bagels. Dense, chewy, with a moist crumb and a touch of sweet malt, these bagels stand out above all the rest. Take a bite, close your eyes, and be transported to bagel Valhalla (aka New Yawk).
This article appears in Sep 19-25, 2013.