In the bustling city of New York, renowned for its bagel delis on nearly every corner, every true New Yorker has a cherished spot for a lox and cream cheese bagel. For celebrity chef and television personality Andrew Zimmern, that place is Russ & Daughters. “I order from there almost every month. I’m hooked,” Zimmern shared on TikTok.
Zimmern reminisced about his first visit to Russ & Daughters at the age of five, claiming it changed his life forever. He mentioned that his family has frequented the deli for five generations.
While the terms are often used interchangeably, it’s important to note that lox is not the same as smoked salmon. Lox specifically refers to salmon belly cured in a salty brine. Similarly, gravlax is a traditional Nordic dish featuring salmon cured with salt, sugar, and dill.
The illustrious history of the bagel traces back to Eastern Europe, introduced to America through immigration, particularly within the Jewish community. Russ & Daughters has its origins in New York from 1901 when founder Joel Russ immigrated from present-day Poland and began selling schmaltz herring from a barrel on the Lower East Side. In 1935, he made all three of his daughters partners, renaming the business to Russ & Daughters. Today, the deli is famous for its diverse selection of cured and smoked fish as well as bagels.
Andrew Zimmern’s second favorite bagel shop is located on the Upper West Side.
For his secondary lox and bagel destination in New York City, Zimmern cites Barney Greengrass, which he considers a close contender to Russ & Daughters. The chef has a history with this deli, visiting since childhood, as his grandmother lived just a few blocks away.
Zimmern mentioned he prefers Barney Greengrass for a different vibe. The deli offers limited seating and breakfast service, including eggs, coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice, rather than just a walk-up counter. Additionally, celebrity sightings are common, with figures like Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David reportedly “huddling and giggling” in a corner.
Similar to Russ & Daughters, Barney Greengrass has over a century of history in New York City. The original owner opened his first store in Harlem in 1908 before relocating to its current site on Amsterdam Avenue in 1929. Since then, the deli has been serving beloved smoked fish, liver, and bagels, with a particular reputation for their sturgeon, a firm, flavorful fish that is the source of caviar, notably their smoked sturgeon, which pairs exquisitely with freshly made bagels.