H&H is the first West Coast location of a classic New York bagel shop that’s made cameos in Sex and the City and Seinfeld. The solid bagel sandwiches are the biggest sellers in Santa Monica, and the front counter operates like a beautifully chaotic breakfast assembly line with eggs frying, bacon sizzling, and bagels toasting. The bagels themselves are good, though a bit less puffy and chewy than what you’d expect from a traditional NYC variety, which is why we prefer them as sandwiches with a thick layer of whipped cream cheese rather than on their own. The best of them all is the simple textbook BEC, which homesick Jersey folks can also order with Taylor's pork roll instead of bacon. Just come early if you can—some days they sell out of everything bagels by lunchtime.

Food Rundown

video credit: Cathy Park

Classic Bacon, Egg & Cheese

H&H's toasty-hot BEC nails the holy trifecta: fried eggs with crisp edges, ribbons of crackly bacon, and a layer of gooey melted cheese that holds them together like glue.

photo credit: Cathy Park

Jalapeño Cheddar Bagel

The least traditional (at least actually to NYC purists) bagel at H&H also happens to be one of the strongest. The baked cheddar creates a golden shell, while the inside stays soft enough to pull apart. The bagel has a lot of flavor with a smidge of heat, and it's even better when filled with scallion cream cheese.