Florida
Where are the best bagels in South Florida? The readers have spoken and the winner is …
Who makes the crispiest, chewiest bagels in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties?
Well, we left the decision up to you after receiving hundreds of nominations earlier this month as part of our Best of South Florida Dining series.
With a half-dozen bagel spots to choose from (because of a tie), readers faced a tough decision on their plates. But they rose to the occasion to pick the best from this batch of finalists, in alphabetical order:
- Bagels & Co. (Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors)
- Bagel Snack (Pompano Beach)
- Brooklyn Water Bagels (multiple locations)
- Broadway Bagels (Plantation)
- Grampa’s (Dania Beach)
- Mo’s (Aventura, Hallandale Beach)
No matter which way you slice it, toast it or slather it with schmear, the top vote-getter was … Bagel Snack in Pompano Beach!
The details
Bagel Snack has been serving up New York-style deli cuisine to hungry diners since opening its doors 45 years ago. Husband-and-wife co-owners Jonathan and Thelma Simes took over running the restaurant and deli at 1237 S. Powerline Road in August 1992.
“We take pride in making a quality product,” Jonathan Simes said. “We want to thank our loyal and dedicated customers for making us No. 1.”
The bagels are prepared with high-quality ingredients, and then boiled and baked, which is why customers enjoy them so much, he said.
“We still make bagels the old-fashioned way,” he said, adding that they’re baked to a golden brown, “with a soft, chewy inside and a warm, crispy outside.”

In addition to bialys, their menu offers 13 traditional bagel flavors made from scratch: plain, pumpernickel, cinnamon raisin, sesame, marble, poppy seed, everything (egg and whole wheat), onion, whole wheat, garlic, rye and salt.
Which flavors are the most popular with customers? That would be plain, sesame and the everything bagel, he said
For schmear fans, Bagel Snack has six options: plain cream cheese, or with chives, vegetable, olives, raisin-walnut, and a nova spread.
Any of their overstuffed sandwiches, wraps and deli salads also can be ordered on a bagel.
While bagels may be the star, they share the spotlight with the restaurant’s large menu featuring a variety of comfort foods: smoked fish platters, burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, tuna and patty melts, meatloaf with gravy, blintzes, knishes, hot pastrami sandwiches and soups, among other dishes. There are also vegetarian items.
Their bakery serves up cake, danishes, muffins, rice pudding, cookies and rugelach.
Side note: Bagel Snack made its small-screen debut last year when the restaurant was featured on episodes three, four and eight of the Netflix series “Jewish Matchmaking,” with co-owner Jonathan Simes and his brother-in-law, Mark Kloda, bantering with a customer about kissing on a first date.

What customers say
It must be said: Several readers heaped high praise on Bagel Snack’s bagels, deeming them as good, if not better, than those in New York.
“Not just the best bagels I’ve had south of New York, but the best deli all around,” said Pompano Beach resident Charlie Siegel. “Not only a local favorite, but the place all my out-of-town friends want to go when they visit.”
Coconut Creek resident Ellen Saslovsky called them “fabulous New York bagels. Slightly crisp on the outside and perfect on the inside!”
The freshness factor also was frequently mentioned in readers’ nominations.
“No nonsense silly flavors. Made fresh hourly. Excellent,” said Wilton Manors resident Daniel Distasio.

In her nomination form, Pompano Beach resident Christine Stolz called their bagels “by far the best.” And she offered this tip: “Come early, while they’re warm (or hot).”
Bagel Snack is at 1237 S. Powerline Road, Pompano Beach. They also offer catering, online ordering and delivery services. For more information, call 954-974-4564, email bagelsnack@yahoo.com, or visit bagelsnack.com.
Ready for next month’s Best of South Florida Dining feature? The topic for March is: best barbecue! Click here to nominate your favorite barbecue restaurant in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Florida
South Florida faith leaders call for Miami mental health center to finally open
Florida
SNAP benefits will be changing in Florida starting Monday
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
Florida
GALLERY: Barrett-Jackson ‘Super Saturday’ takes over South Florida Fairgrounds
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
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