The NYC Spot Martha Stewart Goes For 'One Of The Best' Smoked Salmon Bagels

People flock to NYC for pizza, but don't overlook the city's lauded bagels. Signature New York bagels are boiled before being baked, and the city's water is one of its secret ingredients. Each unique element that makes up the water contributes to the baking properties, and the result is golden-brown, chewy, and tasty enough to attract mile-long lines that even Martha Stewart wouldn't mind waiting in, as long as its topped with her favorite smoked salmon.

We've spent decades blindly trusting Stewart's opinion, and she's earned that right. While she'll be the first to share her love of the finer things in life, she also appreciates affordable bites just like the rest of us. There are endless appetizing stores and Jewish delis in New York City, but only one that Stewart bothers to visit, and it's been an NYC classic since 1908. When asked where she likes to grab cheap eats, Stewart is quick to name Barney Greengrass. "I'll stop on my way home for one of the best bagel, cream cheese, and smoked salmon sandwiches," she told Condé Nast Traveler. It's been a fixture on NYC's map for ages, pulling in hoards of tourists and locals alike, and the fresh New York bagels are just the start.

After more than 100 years in operation, Barney Greengrass is still family run and has hardly changed. In 1929, the beloved old-school spot moved from Harlem down to its current corner on Amsterdam Avenue, where its vibrant red sign can't be missed. 

The bright green awning outside the beloved spot calls out the establishment's well-earned nickname: The Sturgeon King. In addition to smoked salmon that's a favorite for neighbors and Stewart, the queen of the kitchen also speaks highly of the deli's chopped liver on rye bread. Aside from smoked and cured fish, meats, salads, and spreads, the shop features sweet Jewish staples like rugelach, babka, and hamentashen.

Martha Stewart isn't the only legend who adores this Upper West Side deli. Anthony Bourdain once said he would always make a pit stop at Barney Greengrass as soon as he landed in the city, and Phillip Roth famously enjoyed the chopped herring. In 2006, the deli even won An American Classic Award from the James Beard Foundation.