Where You Can Find Andrew Zimmern Eating A Lox Bagel In NYC

Chef and television personality Andrew Zimmern has made a career out of eating foods in far-flung locales in his "Bizarre Foods" series. But when it comes to what some consider to be more conventional dishes, like lox and bagels, he goes with two very old-school spots in New York City. Zimmern now lives in Minneapolis, but he's originally from NYC, where he grew up in a Jewish family. So, he can lay claim to knowing a thing or two about bagels and lox with a schmear of cream cheese, a dish invented by the city's Jewish residents at the turn of the 19th century.

Though Andrew Zimmern's favorite food city is the ethnically diverse borough of Queens, his absolute favorite spot for lox and bagels is in Manhattan's Lower East Side and it's been around for more than 100 years. "Russ & Daughters is where our family has gone for five ... generations," he said in a May 2024 TikTok video. "I order from there almost monthly. I'm addicted." His second favorite spot is Barney Greengrass, another Manhattan institution on the Upper West Side that's even older. 

Whether Zimmern prefers smoked salmon or lox on his bagel is up for debate, since lox has become a general term for the salmon you put on bagels. Both of Zimmern's favorite spots carry belly lox, which is cured in a salt brine but isn't smoked and nova, which is cured and smoked (and has become the more common choice for the dish).

Andrew Zimmern knows how to find the best restaurant in any city (hint: go with local foodies' picks) but in the case of lox and bagels, he doesn't need any help. He's been going to both Russ and Daughters and Barney Greengrass since he was a child. Joel Russ, a Jewish immigrant from Poland, founded Russ & Daughters in 1914. The business is still in the family and is now run by members of its fourth generation. 

Barney Greengrass, the deli's namesake, opened his deli in 1908 in Harlem. The business, which is also still owned by Greengrass' descendants, has been in its current location since 1929. It's also been featured in various films and television shows over the years, including "Seinfeld."

Zimmern points out that the two shops offer very different experiences. The original Russ & Daughters is take-out only (though the family did open a café on nearby Orchard Street in 2014) and has a few other locations throughout the city. Barney Greengrass offers more of a sit-down breakfast experience with plenty of opportunities for people watching. "The great thing about Barney Greengrass is you walk in and it's like New York City royalty is in the room," Zimmern said. "It's like, 'Oh, there's Jerry Seinfeld having breakfast with Larry David.'" Zimmern swears by both shops for his lox and bagels. "Not even close," he said of the competition.