Wonder Bagels is a Cornerstone of Jersey City Life

No one needs me to tell them Wonder Bagels on Jersey Ave is great. The lines halfway down the block on weekends can attest to that. But in case you need a reminder of exactly why - here we go:

• Despite the madhouse it appears to be on weekend mornings, it's actually fairly well-organized and quick-moving. The guys behind the counter are clearly used to working with and around each other and patterns of productivity emerge. It's rare they take long with an order and in 6 years, I've never once had something be wrong.
• The menu is varied with everything from bagels to wraps to salads and they use Boar's Head meat for anything deli-related
• Freshly squeezed orange juice and  fresh carrot juice
• Some outdoor seating - it may get claimed early but on nice days, it affords great people watching
• A wide variety of bagel toppings - cream cheese flavors including walnut raisin, olive, scallion, etc., along with a few choices of tofu "cream cheese", white fish salad, salmon and so much more
  
   
• The tofu spread - incredibly smooth and silky, quite flavorful and they have scallion and vegetable varieties available. This particular one is one of the better tofu options I've had. 
• (tofu scallion on everthing bagel)
• It's fun to watch the cat
• If you get a breakfast sandwich bagel, e.g. bacon, egg, and cheese, they do not skimp on any of those ingredients and they're very flexible about what you want to add or take away when ordering.
  
• The coffee is one of the better non-specialty coffee shop coffees in Jersey City. This is particularly true of the iced coffee which they make with coffee ice cubes so nothing gets watered down.
• And of course, the bagels!They are continually being freshly made and brought out warm with at least 8 available varieties at almost any given time - all very good. A bit crisp and chewy on the outside while soft and delicious on the inside. If you're lucky enough to get one of the warm ones, do yourself a favor and do not wait to eat it; instead, enjoy the soft, fragrant comfort of a great bagel right away.
• My personal favorite, the sundried tomato bagel with scallion cream cheese. I've never been happier with a bagel combination (and this specific version of it) in my life and it's hard to stray. Slightly salty with the slight bite of the scallion to cut through the richness of the cream cheese....so good!

All in All

Wonder Bagels, located at 517 Jersey Ave (for my purposes) with two other locations at 431 Danforth Ave and 433 Sip Ave, is always a reliable choice, and for many, a Jersey City tradition. While I wouldn't go so far as to say they are the best bagels ever (there are a lot of good bagels; there are also a lot of really bad ones), they are reliably delicious and the best option in Jersey City and the surrounding area. Prices are pretty low, but depending on what you order, can add up quickly. A bagel with cream cheese comes in under $3, but a breakfast sandwich could put you close to $5. Wonder Bagels can also be found at Legal Grounds coffee at 170 Grand Street.