Cousin of H&H Bagels Opens Near Site of Upper West Side Original

The Upper West Side will once again be home to H&H Bagels. H&H Midtown Bagels East made its debut at 526 Columbus Ave., between 85th and 86th Street, on Thursday. It’s not the original H&H that was once a mainstay in the neighborhood, but as hands have changed and lawsuits happened, H&H Midtown Bagels is the closest relative to the famous bagel recipe. Like the outpost on the Upper East Side, the UWS location offers bagels, a slew of flavored cream cheese, fish, and sandwiches.

H&H Bagels closed its UWS location in 2011 after 40 years in business. At the time, it was a killer loss for the area. The Times said that natives of the West 70s and 80s saw it as a sign that "the neighborhood is finished," and Mimi Sheraton called the resulting bagel scene "deplorable." After new people took over the UES shop, original owner Helmer Toro sued to make sure the name changed. He later ended up in jail for stealing from employees. The bagels themselves returning under new owners is a big deal for the Upper West Side. Neighborhood blog West Side Rag called the opening "exciting" for the neighborhood. "So if you were up late watching the news or whatever and you’re feeling stressed out (or happy), you can at least get a nice fresh bagel," the blog writes.

• NEW H&H BAGELS IS OPEN! CAN IT ‘RETAKE THE UWS BAGEL CROWN’? [West Side Rag]