Lox and bagel platter
Photo: Mudwater · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

The lox bagel emerged on the Lower East Side in the early 20th century as Jewish-immigrant appetizing stores refined a way to use the briny cold-smoked salmon shipped down from the Pacific Northwest packing trade. Russ & Daughters opened in 1914 on Orchard Street and pioneered the hand-sliced, paper-thin Gaspe Nova-style cut that defines the platter. Zabar's brought the same template uptown to the Upper West Side in 1934. The appetizing tradition (dairy and smoked-fish under kosher law) made the lox-bagel-and-shmear a Saturday-morning institution that survived as a New York identity marker long after most appetizing stores closed.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Common allergens: Gluten, Fish, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 15 minTotal 15 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 fresh New York-style bagels (water bagels, hand-rolled and boiled if you can source them)
  • 8 oz (225g) plain cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 8 oz (225g) cold-smoked salmon (Gaspe Nova style; sliced paper-thin)
  • 1 small red onion, sliced as thinly as possible (a mandoline helps)
  • 2 tbsp non-pareil capers, drained
  • 2 vine tomatoes, sliced 5mm thick
  • Dill fronds, to garnish
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Method

  1. Slice each bagel horizontally with a sharp serrated knife. Toast lightly if you must (purists do not; a fresh New York bagel needs no help).
  2. Spread a thick layer of room-temperature cream cheese on the cut side of each half. The cream cheese should be soft enough to spread without tearing the bagel.
  3. Lay 2 to 3 ribbons of lox over the cream cheese in overlapping folds; the lox should drape, not flatten.
  4. Top with sliced tomato (1 slice per half), shaved red onion and a teaspoon of capers.
  5. Scatter dill fronds on top and crack fresh black pepper over.
  6. Serve open-faced, with a wedge of lemon on the side. Each diner squeezes lemon to taste.
  7. Eat by hand; a knife and fork is not the form.

Tip from the editors. Hand-slice lox paper-thin against the grain with a long, thin blade; supermarket pre-sliced is rubbery. Cream cheese must be at room temperature or it tears.

Where to eat lox and bagel platter

Lox and bagel platter in New York City

Russ & Daughters ★ 4.9

$$ American DinerLower East Side

Russ & Daughters has slung appetising on East Houston in New York City since 1914: hand-sliced smoked salmon, sturgeon, schmaltz herring and bagels to take.

OrderThe Classic: Gaspe Nova lox, cream cheese, tomato, onion, capers on a poppy bagel.

TipThe shop is for take-away. Sit down at Russ & Daughters Cafe around the corner on Orchard for table service.

Directions Book

Russ & Daughters Cafe ★ 4.5

$ CaféLower East SideWifi

Russ & Daughters Cafe on Orchard Street is the sit-down sister of the Houston Street counter in New York City. Located in Lower East Side. At 127 Orchard St..

DrinkEgg cream

TipBrunch books two weeks out on weekends. Tuesday and Wednesday lunch is the easy walk-in for the same plates.

Directions Book

Zabar's ★ 4.6

$ BakeryAppetising, deli, bakeryUpper West SideWalk-in only

Zabar's on Broadway has anchored Upper West Side appetising in New York City since 1934. At 2245 Broadway. Booking recommended. Reservations advised.

Worth the queueBlack-and-white cookies, babka

TipTake a number at the appetising counter the moment you walk in; the bakery side has no number system.

Directions Book

All New York City signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want lox and bagel platter covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →