Wilmington may be more than 500 miles from New York City, but you won't have to book a flight to find a good bagel.

Whether you want yours loaded with egg and cheese, piled with lox, slathered in flavored cream cheese, or simply toasted with butter, the Port City has plenty of places to get your carb fix – including one pizza shop that quietly turns into a bagel destination on weekend mornings.

Here are some of our favorite places to grab a bagel around Wilmington.

For the bagel purists

S&L New York Style Deli
2317 S. 17th St. | Here's one for the New York transplants. S&L leans all the way into the deli experience with New York water bagels, bialys, Boar's Head meats, and a long list of breakfast sandwiches. Go classic with cream cheese and lox, or try one of the specialty creations, like Dr. Hooks with bacon, eggs, American cheese, and jalapeño cream cheese on an everything bagel. Don't sleep on the house-made specialty cream cheeses.

Empire Deli & Bagel
7419-A Market St. | Empire has been serving Wilmington since 2006, making its New York-style bagels from scratch and baking them overnight. The case runs deep – think everything, pumpernickel, Asiago, marble rye, jalapeño, cinnamon crunch, bialys, and more – alongside breakfast sandwiches and deli fare made with Boar's Head meats. Bonus: You can also spot Empire's bagels at local farmers markets.

Coastal Bagels
6756 Gordon Rd., Ste. 190 | Ogden's neighborhood bagel stop keeps things straightforward: fresh bagels, breakfast sandwiches, lunch, and coffee. Build your own egg, meat, and cheese situation, or keep it simple with a bagel and cream cheese. The drive-thru makes this an especially easy weekday breakfast run.

Bagel King & Donuts
3228 N. College Rd., Unit A | Can't decide between sweet and savory? You don't have to. Bagel King pairs New York-style bagels and breakfast sandwiches with a full donut case. Look for flavors like jalapeño cheddar, everything, and Asiago, or turn one into an egg sandwich. Come hungry – the menu ventures well beyond bagels into omelets, lunch sandwiches, and waffle fries.

For the breakfast-sandwich crowd

Seaside Bagels
6400 Carolina Beach Rd., Ste. 14 | Seaside has earned a devoted following for its chewy bagels and stacked breakfast sandwiches, but its menu goes well beyond bacon, egg, and cheese. The family-owned shop offers extensive vegan options, gluten-free choices, and locally inspired sandwich names. It also runs an Autism Spectrumship job-training program for local high school students. Plant-based eater? This should be high on your list.

Beach Bagels & Subs
Multiple locations | A Wilmington staple since 2012, Beach Bagels kettle-boils and bakes its New York-style bagels before turning them into all-day breakfast sandwiches. There are four Wilmington locations, so you're probably never too far from one. Try the Jose, loaded with eggs, bacon, sausage, onions, jalapeños, provolone, and cream cheese.

Bagels on Pointe
Multiple locations | Bagels on Pointe covers both ends of the breakfast spectrum: grab a simple toasted bagel with flavored cream cheese or go all-in on an egg-and-cheese sandwich. Expect plenty of bagel flavors, including everything, pumpernickel, spinach and Asiago, and jalapeño cheese. The downtown Water Street location makes an easy pre-Riverwalk breakfast stop.

Round Bagels & Donuts
890-4 S. Kerr Ave. | Why pick between a bagel and a donut? Round offers both, along with breakfast sandwiches and cream cheese spreads. You'll find classics like everything and Asiago alongside some more indulgent breakfast combinations. Save room for something from the donut case.

For something a little different

Jeff's Bagel Run
3544 Oleander Dr. | One of Wilmington's newer bagel arrivals doesn't exactly stick to the classics. Jeff's bakes its bagels throughout the day and rotates flavors that can range from rosemary salt and Asiago to Blueberry Pancake and Banana Bread. The spreads get playful, too – roasted jalapeño and Cookies & Cream have both made the lineup. Pair one with cold brew for the full run.

Salita Pizza
615 S. 16th St., Ste. 130 | Plot twist: One of Wilmington's most interesting bagel stops is technically a pizzeria. The Cargo District takeout window makes naturally leavened dough with local, organic flour for its pizzas, then breaks out the bagels on Saturday and Sunday mornings. They're available beginning at 9 a.m. until they sell out, including singles, half-dozens, dozens, and bagel sandwiches. Translation: Get there early.

Giovanni's Brooklyn Bagels
6826 ½ Market St. | Pizza and bagels share the spotlight here, too. Giovanni's operates alongside Marabella Old World Pizza, serving Brooklyn-inspired bagels, cream cheese, breakfast sandwiches, and stuffed bagels. A handy choice when one person wants a bagel and someone else is already thinking about pizza.

Mr. Bagel Meister in Wilmington, NC has several bagel options to choose from. — Mr. Bagel Meister has a bagel for just about every craving, from tried-and-true classics to sweeter and savory picks. | Photo by Mr. Bagel Meister

Worth the short drive

Island Bagels
1328 N. Lake Park Blvd., Carolina Beach | Head toward the beach for a casual neighborhood shop serving bagels, breakfast sandwiches, spreads, coffee, and lunch. There's a solid range of flavors, plus classics like smoked salmon and cream cheese. Consider this your pre-beach breakfast stop.

Mr. Bagel Meister
1105 New Pointe Blvd., Ste. 2, Leland | Cross the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and you'll find another local favorite serving homemade bagels, breakfast sandwiches, croissants, muffins, and coffee. The Leland shop has built enough of a following that Wilmington residents regularly recommend making the trip.

Did we miss your go-to? Tell us where you get your favorite bagel in the Wilmington area – and, more importantly, what you're ordering.