There are good bagels. There are great bagels. And then? There’s New York style bagels.
So when my buddy Rocky (who lives in Bexley and apparently had a desire to improve my life) kept hound-ing me about going to Fox’s Bagel & Deli, I was worried it would be a good bagel, but nothing more.
So for that reason, I just didn’t go.
I was bracing myself for disappointment. Like, there’s no way this place lives up to the hype, right?
Well… I finally went. And all I can say is this: what the hell was I thinking?
Fox’s Bagel & Deli Is Quietly One of the Best Bagel Spots in Columbus
Owner Jeremy Fox has been grinding in the Columbus food scene for over a decade. We’re talking everything from food carts and OSU campus spots to North Market and beyond. This isn’t a random bagel shop that popped up overnight… this is years of obsessing over doing things right.
He’s put in his 10,000 hours and then some, and the second you walk into his Columbus bagel shop, it hits you.
Options. Everywhere.
Bagels, sandwiches, schmears… just rows and rows of decisions that inevitably lead you to ordering tons of extra food to take home.
Fox’s Bagels are LIGHTS. OUT.
I grew up being obsessed with cinnamon raisin bagels. They were far-and-away my favorite bagel. And then after living in NYC for a bit, I became extra annoying about them. Because in New York, they tend to do cinnamon raisin bagels differently.
We’re not talking bagels that have cinnamon and raisins in them. We’re talking literal works of art.
You know the swirl ones? Where the cinnamon is twisted into the dough instead of just sprinkled in?
That’s the standard in my brain. And that’s exactly how Fox’s does it.
We’re talking:
- Slightly crisp outer shell
- Dense, chewy interior
- That perfect balance where it actually feels like a real bagel (not just round bread pretending to be one)
Because often, a good “bagel” in midwest terms just means good circular bread. But it’s these small details that turn a good bread into a phenomenal bagel.
Don’t Sleep on the Cream Cheese
And this is where things get interesting, because the bagels are great. There’s no question about that. But the homemade cream cheese might actually steal the show.
Fox’s makes their own, and it’s lightly whipped so it feels airy and smooth, but still packed with flavor. It’s not that heavy, overly dense, store-bought stuff that just sits there like a brick (looking at you, Philadelphia Cream Cheese).
This stuff actually elevates the bagel.
The Bottom Line: You’ve Gotta Try Fox’s Bagels in Bexley
Everybody needs a friend like my buddy Rocky in their life, because sometimes you just need a swift kick in the butt to discover something that’ll change your life.
Well, here’s your kick. Don’t let it pass you by!
Thanks, Rock!
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