I live in Asheville, NC, where breweries are our bagel delis, I suppose. I have four breweries within a mile of my house, and you cannot get a bad beer. But bagels? I wouldn't know where to go in my city. I've stumbled across online conversations of ex-New Yorkers asking each other where they've found the best here. There's no consensus.

I spent a week in NYC with my daughter a couple of years ago, and we were walking distance from Tal Bagels on 1st Avenue. We went there the first day because it was a "NYC thing to do," and she never wanted to go anywhere else afterward. We were sad to leave for many reasons, but knowing we'd never have a great bagel again was among them.

I'll have to do a little research, but I'm feeling the urge to start a piece "Why Can't We Get a Great Bagel in Asheville?" Thanks for the inspiration.