The Upper West Side has long been a battleground for the title of the best bagel in New York City, but one of its key players, Absolute Bagels, has abruptly closed its doors. The shop, located at 2788 Broadway between West 107th and 108th streets, has been a neighborhood staple since it was first opened in 1992 by Sam Thongkrieng, a Thai immigrant who brought his expertise from Ess-a-Bagel to the UWS community. In an unexpected turn of events, a broker confirmed to West Side Rag that "It's my job to re-rent the store" now that Absolute Bagels is no longer in operation, as mentioned by Eater.
Speculation about the sudden closure started to swirl on December 11 when the bakery failed a Health Department inspection, which unveiled serious health code violations such as "evidence of rats or live rats," and "live roaches," as reported by Eater. Social media quickly picked up on the closure, with locals expressing both shock and nostalgia for a beloved establishment. As one might expect, the scene at 2788 Broadway has become a topic of considerable chatter among UWS residents and bagel aficionados alike.
Addition fuel to the firestorm of speculation was added by a statement Rafe Evans gave to West Side Rag, describing the closure as "out of the blue" and "a bombshell." While many beloved dining spots rebound from health violations, especially those as entrenched in the community as Absolute Bagels, Time Out suggests the owner may have been ready to retire, taking this incident as an opportunity to step away from the bagel game discreetly but dramatically.
Amidst the confusion and disappointment, there's a light at the end of the tunnel for local bagel lovers. Evans has expressed optimism about the future of the space, indicating strong interest from "bagel people" in taking over the famed Absolute Bagels locale. "There's a ton of interest already from bagel people," he mentioned, with plans to list the commercial space by the end of the following week, according to Time Out. Regardless of its past, the future of 2788 Broadway remains firmly in the realm of doughy, round breakfast foods—a small consolation for those mourning the loss of an UWS cornerstone.
