Even if you've never experienced the glory that is a New York bagel, you'll surely appreciate the lack of a truly stellar schmear in Sarasota. Sure, we've got Einstein Bros. and Lox & Egg—all pales in comparison with the fluffy, crunchy, full-of-flavor roll you'll find on almost any street corner in NYC and Brooklyn, so fresh it could go without a toast. Finally, someone has answered your desperate calls for real deal New York bagels: Shapps Bagels to the rescue. What makes their bagels authentic? The boil. While many believe it's the water in New York that makes all the difference, the true secret to those golden crusty tops is the process—and Shapp's has it down to a science. Their old-school flavored dough gets hand-rolled in New York and sent to Sarasota for a kettle-boil and bake. Head to the family owned shop—operated by Neil, Robin and Jeff Shapiro—pick them up at Perq Coffee every morning (the earlier the better!) or sign up for the "bagel drop;" a half or full dozen bagels delivered next morning to a local shop. Become a NYC bagel convert as soon as possible—like Shapps' website says: "Once you have tasted Shapps bagels, everything else is just bread."

Shapp's Bagels, 1979 Northgate Blvd., Sarasota, 941-260-9173.