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Isaac's Bagels

4.5 (96 reviews)
Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

Isaac's Bagels Photos

Business Info

ISAAC'S BAGELS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Isaac's Bagels

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Reviews With Photos

Outside
Ally F.

Aesthetic: Classic, old school bagel shop. My Favorites: Sesame with sun-dried tomato cream cheese! Experience: This was the perfect easy breakfast before jumping back on the road. There is nowhere to sit, you come in, order your bagel, and go! We tried an Everything Bagel with dill scallion cream cheese and a Sesame Bagel with a seasonal sun-dried tomato cream cheese, and both were incredible. I'd be a regular if we lived nearby, it was so perfect.

Priscilla R.

Loved these! I have been looking for bagels that taste like home and these are close. I never thought I'd miss something so silly like NYC bagels but I do. Came on a Sunday early afternoon right before the line got long. It's a tiny shop with no real seating inside. Mostly an order and pick up spot. There are some seats/tables on the side on the sidewalk but not many. We did wait quite some time for our order even getting there before the madd rush. They had your regular bagel options nothing fancy which was fine. I love sticking to basics. I went with a bacon (well done) egg and cheese on an onion bagel. It was amazing! Very flavorful and salty. The eggs were a great texture (not runny or overcooked) and the bacon was well done. My only gripe is that I'm used to huge bagels from NYC rap for the price. Though I honestly was full off half of the bagel and a cup of chai latte. The other half tasted just fine later that afternoon reheated that's how soft the bagels were. Overall I would come back when I have a nyc bagel craving.

Sausage egg and cheese
Kassim C.

What I recommend: The sausage, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel Isaac's Bagels is my go-to spot in Durham for a real New York style breakfast sandwich. The sausage, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel hits every single time. The bagels are fresh, the eggs are cooked perfectly, and the flavor reminds me of the classic bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches you'd find in NYC. The service here is always top-notch and the staff is super friendly. When I first started my graduate program in Durham, this was my favorite breakfast spot. The sandwiches are big enough to split, half for breakfast and half for lunch, which makes it even better. If you love a classic bacon, egg, and cheese or sausage, egg, and cheese, Isaac's is an absolute must.

Arielle H.

First time at Isaac's and what a sandwich! I had the tuna and chips and it was so tasty. You'd think the chips would get soggy after awhile, but nope--crunch remained intact and that's how you know it was slamming! Don't walk, run!

Menu
Justin F.

Babe woke up craving NYC bagels. I had heard of this shop and decided it was going to be the move. When we arrived, we found a small shop to order from with some seating outside on the side of the building. It was full but not too long of a wait. Looking at the menu I want to try everything but settled on the vegetarian bagel on salt and pepper bagel. The food came out quickly and a table opened up outside on this beautiful day. My bagel was so so good, one of the best bagels I have had. This will definitely be my preferred bagel shop in Durham.

Egg salad on an everything bagel
Jiyoung S.

If you are into bagel sandwiches, Isaac's Bagles is where you need to go. My go-to option is the egg salad on an everything bagel. It has never ever failed to make me dance with happiness. Weekend can get quite crowded as it's super popular, so I recommend either being patient or order online before heading over. If you are ordering a drink via online order, they will make the drink when you get there so you can have the hot drink. Consider that when you are picking up your order.

Menu
Rahima J.

Wow. This place was so delicious. They make the food very fast and it is so fresh! The sandwich options are endless and you can always get the classic bagel and cheese. They have some outdoor seating but it's mainly a grab and go place. So many different options to choose from but the turkey club hit the spot.

Sausage Egg and Cheese on Sesame Bagel
Rachel S.

Love Isaac's Bagels!!! Quick service. Street parking. Amazing food for price point. Highly recommend.

Lox bagel sandwich
Jarod N.

Lovely and clean bagel shop in Durham serving fresh bagels, bagel sandwiches, and killer coffee. The Sichuan chili oil cream cheese was a unique flavor that I found quite tasty, but my friends said the lox bagel sandwich was a little on the plainer side and should've upgraded to a flavored cream cheese. The bagels themselves were fresh, but in my opinion were not as fluffy as I would've liked, but still good! Their lattes were the star of the show, according to my friends. Service was kind and speedy. Note: there are no tables or seats inside.

Everything bagel with jalapeño cream cheese & BEC on everything bagel
Sydney H.

We stopped at Isaac's bagels after going to the farmers market in Durham. there was street parking and we were able to snag a spot right in front. There was a bit of a line out the door, but it moved fast. we ordered a bagel with jalapeño cream cheese and a bacon egg and cheese sandwich both on everything bagels both were absolutely delicious. The bacon egg and cheese sandwich was my favorite because it came out hot and fresh and the cheese was super melted. We waited maybe 10 minutes at most for our sandwiches after ordering I can't wait to come back again.

Egg and cheese bagel with sausage
Brittany L.

Delicious bagels! The staff was super kind and welcoming. They answered all my questions and gave excellent recommendations. I tried the egg and cheese with sausage on an everything bagel and it was great!! I have to come back to try some of the other bagels!

Egg and cheese (with tomatoes) on a sesame seed bagel

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6 months ago

Great lox bagel and solid customer service. Highly recommend. I had mine on the everything bagel.

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

Business owner information

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Isaac H.

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2 years ago

I had their bagels at the farmer market. One salt and pepper and one cinnamon raisin. Tasty and lots of cream cheese

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2 years ago

Best bagels outside the tri-state area. Wonderful service. Great variety, easy in and out parking.

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3 years ago

Best bagels I've ever had. Absolute perfection! Interesting cream cheese flavor options too!

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3 years ago

Not only are these the best bagels in the Triangle, they would be considered great in New York. Best bagels ever.

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2 years ago

Picked up some egg and cheese breakfast bagels on our way to hiking at Eno River. Fresh and delicious. Iced coffee was very good too.

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2 years ago

Amazing bagel place!! Best that I've found in the area. Reminds me of the bagels up north.

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4 years ago

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Ask the Community - Isaac's Bagels

Do you have bialys?

Bialys aren't on our regular menu, but we have made them as a special in the past.

Are these bagels boiled before baking? Thanks.?

Hi - we boil our bagels in water laced with malt syrup just before seasoning and baking. All of our bagels are hand rolled and kettle boiled.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - Isaac's Bagels

We also got a BEC on a salt & pepper bagel (SO GOOD) and cinnamon raisin bagel with honey fig cream cheese.

Mentioned in 5 reviews

Read more highlights

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Located in University Hill, this bar offers a host of daily drink specials, charcuterie and…read moresandwiches. We visited on a weekend evening and seating was plentiful. We sat outside since the weather was nice - they have comfy lounge chairs and an aesthetic setup with string lights which really add to the ambiance. We ordered a couple of sandwiches - mine came with chicken, bacon, and plenty of cheese. The food was tasty but average. The service was a bit slow and we unfortunately ended up having to go inside the restaurant to request the check to get to our next destination in time - however, staff were super friendly. Overall, the vibes outside were amazing and I would consider returning for drinks on a warm evening.

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Aperitif - Inside seating

Inside seating

Aperitif - Ch ch ch cherry bomb, boozy tiramisu, expresso martini

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Aperitif - Bar and inside sitting area

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This bakery is amazing! I stopped by here on a random weekday and loved the strawberry and cream…read moremacaron and it was SO delicious I had to come back for a box! Truly, these are the most delicious macarons I've ever tasted, and I've had way too many! These have a great bite to them, slightly chewy texture and the smoothest, TASTIEST filling ever. I tried the Bridgerton themed Early Grey one to the double chocolate and black sesame, my favorites are the nutella (not too sweet but tastes heavenly) and strawberries and cream. I think everyone in the rtp should try these at least once!! I know it's going to be the hostess gift I grab whenever I visit friends from now on. They've got also a great selection of baked goods and the chocolate crThey've also got a great selection of baked goods and the chocolate croissants are perfectly flaky and delicious!ssiants are perfectly flaky and delicious!

Checked out this bakery on the way to Durham since I had it bookmarked and wanted to try out their…read moremacarons. We happen to arrive as they were taking freshly baked croissants out of the oven so we opted for one of those as well. I was impressed with both and would return if I'm in the area. I enjoyed the variety of flavors available to choose from in regards to the macrons. I selected a 6 pack and liked the birthday cake flavor and salted caramel the most. The croissant was quite delicious as well. The bakery is located downtown so you will have to find parking, that was the only inconvenient aspect of it. It wasn't busy when we arrived so I wonder if they would have more customers if it were located in a section with more foot traffic or easier parking. Overall we had a pleasant experience.

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Sweets by Shayda
Sweets by Shayda
Sweets by Shayda - Macarons

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Disappointing customer service. I wanted to buy a friend a gift certificate to Cocoa Cinnamon, and…read moreI was charged, but then I was told it would come in my email. That I would need a code. My mistake, I didn't leave with a physical gift certificate. I did receive an email with my receipt, but no GC. I went back to the shop on Hillsborough and I was told they couldn't help me, and gave me the manager's email. I've emailed twice and no response. Really disappointing.

Photos
Cocoa Cinnamon - Inside

Inside

Cocoa Cinnamon - Chai Latte

Chai Latte

Cocoa Cinnamon

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Isaac's Bagels - bagels - Updated May 2026

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