Better Know a Bagel: BB’s Bagels

Bagels were the second-most-voted-on category in our 2017 Jewish Atlanta Favorites survey (Goldbergs took top honors), serving as a reminder that we needed to restart our Better Know a Bagel series, in which I search for Atlanta’s best bagel.

I took a trip up Ga. 400 to try out BB’s Bagels in Alpharetta for breakfast. According to its Facebook page, BB’s has been open since 2007, but I’d never heard of it until a few months ago.

So how does BB’s stack up to Atlanta’s best on our five-bagel scale? We find out in this week’s edition of Better Know a Bagel.

Atmosphere

From the outside, BB’s has the look of an old-school diner. Bright aluminum siding and a big sign that reads “BB’s Bronx Bagels” greet customers turning off McFarland Parkway to grab a bite to eat.

It was crowded inside when I met my dad, a frequent accomplice on these highly scientific bagel missions, and we had to wait about 15 minutes to sit down. At BB’s you have to stand in line to get a table if there is a wait. Fortunately, though, the line moves fast, and the servers are experts at moving people through.

Once we sat down and ordered, we had our food in about 10 minutes.

Verdict: 4/5

Bagels

BB’s is a purveyor of traditional New York-style, kettle-boiled bagels, made fresh daily on site.

I ordered the lox platter and was surprised to discover that despite the hefty $11.49 price, it isn’t actually a platter but instead just a plate with a lox bagel and a massive serving of capers on the side. By comparison, my dad ordered a veggie omelet platter for $5.99 and got home fries and a bagel with it.

The bagels at BB’s are some of the best I’ve had in Atlanta and come in some wacky flavors, including rainbow and “Chedda,” but the two I sampled were a bit too doughy. The shop misses out on full points here for those infractions.

Verdict: 3/5

Spreads

The cream cheese at BB’s is top notch. In classic New York fashion, it is light enough to spread but heavy enough to layer on thick atop a bagel.

The shop also has some unusual schmear flavors, including olive pimento, apple cinnamon crunch and KitKat. At $3.49, a standard egg-and-cheese bagel gives you the most bang for your buck at BB’s, but the shop also offers a variety of breakfast sandwiches and a full breakfast menu with omelets, corned-beef hash, French toast, buttermilk pancakes and more.

Verdict: 5/5

Overall

BB’s is one of the few places to get authentic New York bagels in the far northern suburbs of Atlanta. If you live there, you probably already know how good this bagel shop is. If you live intown, BB’s is quite the haul, but I’d still recommend trying it out.

Whether you’re in the mood for a Sunday morning adventure or you simply find yourself in the area, BB’s won’t disappoint.

Verdict: 4/5

Next time: Bagel Palace in Toco Hills

Previous Ratings

• Brooklyn Bagel Bakery & Deli: 5/5
• Bagel Boys: 4.5/5
• Art’s Bagels & More: 4.5/5
• Hoboken Bread & Bagel: 4.5/5
• New Broadway Cafe: 4/5
• Bagelicious: 4/5
• Soho Bakery and Deli: 4/5
• Goldberg’s Bagel Co.: 4/5
• Sunny’s Bagel & Deli: 3.5/5
• The General Muir: 3.5/5
• Brooklyn Water Bagel: 3/5

Photos by David R. Cohen