as a New Yorker, I am also picky about bagels. to my surprise, the bagels here were actually pretty decent! not the best, a little too soft for my tastes (nothing a quick toasting can't fix...as much as it pains me to toast a bagel) but at the same time, I've had shitty bagels in the heart of Manhattan, so I'm ready to "expect the unexpected".
they sell the day-old bagels in packages for cheap. can you say, a cost-effective way to make pizza bagels or something for your late night munchies? because I did.