I grew up in New York City, home of the bagels, where they're made fresh and served hot. They're thick yet soft with a satisfying chew, and the perfect slight crisp exterior. Collegetown bagels is the most popular bagel spot in Ithaca, but I don't find nostalgia in the bagels, primarily due to the tougher texture. However, I do really enjoy their spicy Italian bagel and rosemary salt bagel (although a bit too salty to my liking), and especially their cream cheeses. My favorite has to be their parsley-garlic cream cheese which is loaded with garlic and the freshness of parsley. Other honorable mentions include veggie and bacon-scallion cream cheese. I've had a few of their sandwiches as well. Their Havana Breeze doesn't include much ham or pickles, and the bread was quite greasy on inside and outside which made the sandwich overall very heavy. Their Tour de France has roasted turkey, Brie, apples, honeycup mustard, bacon on multigrain bread (I substituted for focaccia. The bread was soft, but I would've liked it more if it had more seasoning (like some Italian/herb seasoning). The sandwich is cold, but I think having it warmed up/toasted would meld the flavors together better. There was a generous amount of bacon and Brie, but the overall sandwich just didn't seem homogenous. Perhaps a sauce or jam (like a bacon-apple jam) would've helped to bind the flavors more. Lastly, their earl grey hot cocoa consisted of an earl grey tea bag in watered down hot coca which was a bit disappointing. Overall, not the best bagels I've ever had, but their cream cheeses are delightful. I'll still go back to try their baked goods and other sandwiches. read more

Collegetown Bagels - Tour de France (roasted turkey, Brie, bacon, apple, honeycup mustard on focaccia) - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

See all

We had their bagel special for February chocolate chip and they were delicious! I called to see if they had them and the girl was so nice to place them to the side because quantities were limited. There is ample seating in the restaurant read more

Wait time could be long since they're usually pretty packed. The ambiance is nice. Last time I got a bagel, it was way too salty. The bagels were okay. They do have a lot of different options for the bagel and the cream cheese, which is really cool. Would I go again? Probably, if I'm craving a bagel from time to time. Wish it could be a grab and go type of thing for me but it's just too packed. read more

Took my daughter to visit Cornell University, and stopped by Collegetown Bagels for lunch. I felt the store was very chaotic when we arrived at 12:15pm. Maybe everyone was ordering lunch at the same time? The food was great. Service was nice. Maybe next time if I come again I will choose a different time so that I can enjoy my food in a more peaceful manner. read more

It's been 6 years since I've been to a CTB (when it was still at it's collegetown location, and I lived down the block). The sandwiches and food have always been overpriced, but finally now I can spend the money and judge it based on the quality. We got a variety of sandwiches on the two days we came, and both were really good, but small in portion. The bagels were just...not proper NYC bagels, but I guess it's the best they could do here. The sandwiches with Turkey really do hit the mark, though. The drinks are ok, but I can't really judge as a tea drinker who had a sip of someone else's chai latte. Overall though, the workers were really efficient and kind. Normally, I'd come to CTB to sit and people watch on the patio, but not sure how this will work now at the new location. read more

Collegetown Bagels - the inside of the store - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Hands down the best bagels in Ithaca and our surroundings area. So good that I mail them to friends as gifts. Just sent another care package out last week. They make deliveries easy and convenient. I'm ashamed to admit it but I wake up craving their yummy bagels- especially the salted rosemary with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and roasted red peppers. That's a made to order treat that I get each time I'm in their shop. Their coffee drinks are good too. They have alternatives for people who don't drink dairy. I will try on U next visit to capture pictures of my meal before I quickly eat it. Unfortunately it always to be an issue for me. Ugh! Can't wait to hear what you think of their bagels and wonderful coffee drinks. read more

I thought this place had a lot of potential, but it fell short for me. They have a huge selection of bagels/sandwiches/wraps/salads, desserts (both housemade and packaged from Ithaca Bakery), smoothies, and tea/coffee. There's lots of seating inside and out, and the shop has a nice rustic vibe with lots of gifts and packaged food for sale in addition to the fresh food. Some of the tables inside have plexiglass dividers between, some don't. It was moderately busy when I visited at 1:45 on Tuesday, but they were reasonably quick in getting orders out. I went with the Varna's Vegan Sandwich, a Coconut Cake Slice, and the seasonal Geller Cup (turmeric steamed milk). The sandwich was just okay. The marinated seitan was actually pretty flavourful, but otherwise the sandwich was pretty plain. I felt like it needed a spread of some sort (even just plain vegan mayo would have done the job) to tie it together. Apparently it comes with balsamic vinaigrette, but when I was eating it, I'd thought this flavour was just coming from the seitan - they either need to use more vinaigrette or add something else. The bread could have just been packaged wheat bread from the grocery store. It was fine, but I was expecting more from a bakery. The cake was stale - hard and dry. The frosting was hard and flavourless, and wasn't sticking to the cake. There were lots of shredded coconut throughout the cake, but there just wasn't enough moisture in the cake to actually support the coconut and make it taste right. The Geller Cup was good - pretty sweet for my taste, but the turmeric flavour was strong. They make it with a turmeric syrup instead of a powder like other turmeric lattes I've tried, which would explain the sugariness, but on the positive side, the drink wasn't at all powdery and there was no pile of spices at the bottom when it finished. I might be give this place or another location a second try because the concept is so promising, but if I had a similar experience with the food again I definitely wouldn't be back. read more

Collegetown Bagels - Varna's Vegan Sandwich, Coconut Cake, Geller Cup - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Walking into this establishment, it looked overwhelming and full of choices. I had an apple pie bagel with regular cream cheese. It was toasted perfectly. My BIG issue wasn't with the food but with the cleanliness. The plastic covering for the salad bar was disgusting. Easy enough to clean but was left filthy. read more

See all

This is one of those places that I wish to rate higher, but at every visit something always happens. Last time, they messed up the order this time they made me wait for quite sometime, just to pack a bag of begels. All customers before me and a couple after were served while I was waiting for my number to be called. But it wasn't until I reached out to the cashier that I got my order. read more

Excellent food; delicious and nutritious! Everything is made with care. Friendly, polite staff and plenty of comfortable seating. A great way to start the day. Highly recommended!!! read more

We've been looking for some good New York bagels with schmear. This place was okay. The bagel was good (not great); the honey walnut cream cheese was delicious but sparse. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit but would eat here again if I was in the area. read more

Good breakfast sandwich place. I ordered the California Sunrise on an Asiago bagel, which was eggs, avocado, onion & melted pepper jack cheese. It was good. I also had a specialty iced latte, but the name escapes me (something chocolaty). I was desperate for caffeine and it tasted especially good, due to that desperation. CTB has an extensive menu and lots of options for breakfast and lunch. It was almost overwhelming, when presented with all our options. I can see why that this would be a very popular place in Ithaca. This location had both indoor and outdoor seating, which was nice on a beautiful sunny morning. Hope to come back sometime. read more

Collegetown Bagels - California Sunrise on an Asiago bagel, with an iced latte. - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Great concept, well executed...and if you love bagels, then give it a go! Daughter and I split a couple of sandwiches...the open-faced tuna melt on an everything bagel (yum!) and the West End (consisting of roast beef, a spicy honey mustard dressing and tomato) which was a grilled Panini style. Both sandwiches were full of flavor and quite filling. Along with chips and a drink the meals were priced reasonably, especially for the quality of what you get. Fun place, could see hanging out here with a coffee and getting your work done. read more

Collegetown Bagels - Split sandwiches...open-faced tuna melt and a West End - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Definitely not among the better bagels I've ever had, that's for sure. Service was quick and friendly, but only part of our order was accurate. read more

Fresh and delicious sandwiches great service. Sitting with a friend and enjoying lunch together The Robin is amazing read more

Collegetown Bagels - Turkey swiss lettuce and tomato on a fresh roll - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

The best place in town for quick casual delicious dining. Their coffe is strong their bagels are chewy. What more do you need?

Stopped in with my wife and my sister (both of whom are celiac - and my sister has a dairy allergy). They were accommodating of both food restrictions with gluten-free and dairy-free options. I had lox on a gluten-free bagel and it was delicious. read more

Had a mess up on my orders 5 days ago but decided to give them another chance. I ordered a roasted turkey deli sandwich for pickup and when I pulled apart the sandwich halves I noticed there was no turkey. Not sure how they could forget turkey on a turkey sandwich but at least they got everything else in there... They were still very nice when I called and remade it for me after with the turkey which is why I gave 3 stars. read more

Collegetown Bagels - Turkey sandwich but they forgot the turkey - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Real bagels. Real bagels. One of the most challenging adjustments when one moves away from Ithaca is finding an adequate bagel. I just returned home to Ithaca for a few days and I got bagels here each day. They have a nice chewy skin and a dense, soft, malty body - as they should. Get them in the morning for the best results. They also have excellent bialys. CTB is great. Over the past 30 years, they have grown and become a bit more bourgeois, but the bagels still rock. A+++ read more

We order our lunch from this CTB location more or less every week. I particularly like their Havanna Breeze (it's lighter than the Cuban available at Ithaca Bakery) and the 6 Mile Creek (which isn't offered at Ithaca Bakery). If you are not planning to eat there, we highly recommend placing your order online in advance. They'll send you a text notifying you when your food is ready, and it's consistently available for pick-up about 10 minutes ahead of the scheduled time. read more

I was looking for something that was healthier than fast food and I don't know Ithaca very well. Someone recommended this place to me and I'm so very glad they did! When I walked in, I was kind of confused as to where I was supposed to order. I found my way toward the back of the area where they assemble food. No one acknowledged me for the first 3 minutes or so, they were busy making food. That was ok with me because I was trying to decide, their menu is extensive. They have pre-made green salads and sides such as rice and potato salad in a cooler section. They have everything from paninis, to wraps, to pizza bagels. After racking my brain, I decided to go with their Zabs Panini because it sounded good and it's a best seller. IT WAS AMAZING!!! It had turkey, avocado, chipotle aioli dressing, and fresh mozzarella. It was cooked perfectly and everything was soooo fresh! They were out of the ciabatta bread that it went on, and I can't remember what kind they used, but I wouldn't have changed a thing!! It was seriously one of the best sandwiches I've EVER had. I am going to dream about it! They also had bottled drinks and tons of desserts (some were very fancy slices of cake and dessert bars) in the place, as well as ice cream. I grabbed a peanut butter/chocolate chip cookie to have for dessert. This was just ok. Didn't seem super fresh and could have been more flavorful. When I'm in Ithaca again, I will definitely go back to this place! read more

As a bagel shop, this place is awesome. As a bakery: top notch. Cafe: fantastic. Yes, I do like CTB. For Ithaca, this place is a pleasant surprise, being more akin to what you would expect from a big city, little neighborhood bakery. The food is fresh and the flavor combinations are very tasty! The rosemary salt bagel is my favorite. Every time I go in to CTB, I end up finding something new to try. If you are in Ithaca, I very much recommend this place. read more

Collegetown Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

The whole milk in my hot latte had gone bad...... This happens around noon when they have a lot of orders.

I guess it's my own fault for anticipating this to be a great bagel experience. It was a so-so bagel experience. I got a garlic bagel and it was sadly underwhelming; still edible, just not great. I asked for it toasted and got it back badly burnt. Also the coffee wasn't that great. It tasted mostly like the cup it was in. Their cream cheese was delicious at least, but ultimately I have no clue where they source it from. Maybe their bagels are better when not toasted? Too bad, this could be a great shop if they fine tuned it a bit better. read more

Lots of sandwich options from cold to hot choices. Different options in meat and bread. Very tasty. The sandwiches are pretty costly and the portions are on the smaller side. Can be very busy during lunch read more

Collegetown Bagels - Cookie - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

See all

I go there at least once a week. I usually order on their website and then go there for pick up. Things have always been good until today when I found a BURNT bagel (photo of which is uploaded) after I got to my office. About 1/3 of the bagel (measured in area), (or 1/5 measured in diameter), was literally BLACK and AS HARD AS STONE. This is obviously not acceptable by any standard. I kept wondering how they could decide to serve this to a customer. Maybe it is because it was a to go order, and they knew whoever got it wouldn't trouble returning to the store for exchange. So a piece of advice: check your to go orders on spot when you order from them to avoid unwanted surprise. I give 3 stars instead of 1 because I had good experience with them before. read more

Collegetown Bagels - they serve burnt bagel - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

I'm a regular here and for the most part this location does ok. But today I ordered a sausage egg and cheese, and they forgot the egg... I understand they were extremely busy but that's a pretty big mistake. read more

I was looking for a nice sandwich place, and Collegetown did not disappoint! They had a HUGE selection of sandwiches/bowls/pretty much everything. I decided on getting the Zabbs panini--I'm a sucker for anything with avocado--and my friend and I ended up sitting and waiting for thirty minutes. It was pretty busy and we didn't want to bother anybody, but when we finally checked, it turned out that they forgot about our order! They were super good about fixing it though--it came out hot and ready a couple minutes later, and they threw in a couple free cookies. Overall, friendly staff and good food. Would come back! read more

Delicious food with quick service, and so many options! I went twice for breakfast over Thanksgiving weekend while visiting from out of town, and I was impressed both times. I had the Big Red pizza bagel and then a peanut butter & banana bagel the next day. Portion sizes were pretty generous and I enjoyed both meals. It was difficult to pick from the massive menu, and I wish I'd been able to come back for lunch too. read more

Same great menu as the other branches, but since it's not actually in Collegetown it's much more spacious and quiet if you actually feel like doing work in there. If you live on that side of Ithaca and don't feel like going to campus this would be a great alternative. It's also much cleaner since they don't have nearly as many students going in and out of here. For sandwiches, I recommend the Autumn Sky, CTBLT, or the Mediterranean. For bagels, Big Sur and California Sunrise are my staples. Same goes for every other branch. read more

Don't order from the online/curbside feature. No matter what time your order is for pick they will bump your order if another larger order comes in. Had a 12:30pm pick up for a 1pm meeting and still waiting for my 6th sandwich at 12:53. read more

they have really good bagels and the servers are absolutely adorable, they are so sweet and helpful! I got the cinnamon raisin bagel toasted with cream cheese and nova. it is so good read more

Collegetown Bagels - cinnamon raisin toasted with cream cheese and nova - Bagels Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Good, quick breakfast place. I got the Brooklyn bagel sandwich (egg, bacon, and I added cheese). The sesame bagel was good, but the sandwich was a bit greasy. The staff was pleasant. It was nice to see the bagels being made right there - you know it's fresh. read more

Wow lots of different choices for different bagel sandwiches and very creative/fun atmosphere. Very college-town. Order process can be difficult your first time there mainly because the menu size. read more

My husband and I LOVE CTB. They always have great soups on the menu, and they have an enormous assortment of sandwiches - there's something for everyone. I've tried the Javi, Flat Rock, Maggie's Farm, West End Melt, and Reuben, and all have been delicious. The breads here are wonderful - each is done well, and compliments the sandwiches perfectly. My husband sticks with the Big Sur, but nearly died when he tried some of my Maggie's Farm sandwich last weekend. The East Hill Plaza location is great, because it is not nearly as crowded and insane as the Collegetown location, even during the weekend's lunch hour. It also tends to have a slightly older crowd - more grad students, professors, and professionals. CTB is one of the very few Ithaca eateries we'll miss when we leave next year. read more

good for quick meals and people watching. as a cornell alum, this place is a must-go for the euphoric memoriez

We were taking a boat out for the day and they simply didn't make 3 sandwiches which left some of our friends without a lunch for the day... their solution was for us to come back and they would make them which clearly we couldn't do due to the time frame... shit service read more

When two bagels toasted with Tofutti costs just under $10 you have to seriously question an establishment. I will not be going back.

Good bagels , but horrible and disrespectful service. Every time we go here we have to wait forever to have someone to take our order and then wait forever for someone to get our bill. When we order the employee always puts on this face. This women called Victoria was for some reason so annoyed with us that she ignored our simple question on what bagels there were and gave us this face when we were trying to finish our order. And then while we were waiting for our order we were told there was no ingredient for our bagel. This is not our first experience of horrible service with an employee here. I would really recommend the manager to work on employee training or we would not be coming back for this type of treatment. read more

Good bagels and food. A few solid vegan options. Nice place. They also have a few vegan desserts that are pretty good.