Tennessee is famous for biscuits, but a good bagel can be harder to track down. The shops on this list take bagels seriously, from hand-rolled dough boiled in malt water to cream cheese made right in the kitchen.
You will find spots in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and a few other towns, each with its own personality. Save this list for your next weekend breakfast run or road trip.
1. proper bagel, Nashville, TN
Bialys are rare in the South, and this Belmont Boulevard shop bakes them from scratch right alongside its bagels. That alone tells you the team knows its New York bakery history.
The space is minimalist and clean, set up as both a bagel shop and a small market. Bagels here are big, and the spreads go on generously, so a sandwich can easily cover breakfast and part of lunch.
The cream cheese lineup is where things get playful. Lavender Honey and Birthday Cake cream cheese sit next to classic Lox Cream Cheese with Capers, and the Hot Honey Smashed Avocado brings a little kick.
Salmon fans should look for the Nova Scotia salmon, which comes from Brooklyn. The Belly Lox is labeled extremely salty, which is a fair warning for anyone new to it.
Hours run 8 AM to 3 PM every day. Weekend mornings get busy, so online ordering for pickup is a smart move, and catering is available for office breakfasts.
2. Hive Downtown, Memphis, TN
Peanut butter, banana, and bacon on a bagel is about as Memphis as breakfast gets. Hive Downtown calls it the Elvis bagel, and it fits right in on South Front Street.
Hive describes itself as a seed-to-plate concept, using local, high-quality ingredients for its bagels and baked goods. Everything is made on site, including a house cream cheese that is light and fluffy.
The honey cream cheese has a loyal following. Onion and rosemary bagels are also on the rotation, and the Everything Breakfast Bagel covers the savory side.
Pastries get equal attention here. Butter honey croissants and chocolate croissants make it tempting to leave with a bag of extras.
The shop is open 8 AM to 4 PM daily, with free Wi-Fi if you want to linger over coffee. Weekday mornings, especially Mondays, tend to be calmer than weekends.
3. Potchke Bagel, Knoxville, TN
Burlap boards are an old-world bagel trick, and Potchke Bagel still uses them. Every bagel here is hand rolled, boiled with malt, and baked the traditional way.
The result is that crispy outside and chewy inside that bagel purists chase. It is a sister spot to Potchke Deli downtown, with a slightly different menu and prices.
I would come here for the NY Style Lox Sandwich or a simple Bagel and Schmear. The Turkey Disco and a Steak Sandwich round out the heartier options.
Save room for babka and rugelach, both baked fresh. Espresso drinks feature Three Bears Coffee, and there is a matcha latte too.
The Cedar Bluff shop is one of the prettier spaces in Knoxville, and it is LGBTQ+ friendly. Hours are 7 AM to 2 PM daily, with free parking and no delivery.
4. Brothers Bagel, Chattanooga, TN
Early risers, this one opens at 6 AM. Brothers Bagel on Hixson Pike is ready before most of Chattanooga has found its car keys.
The shop is local and family owned, serving New York style bagels with a slightly crisp crust and a chewy middle. Breakfast and lunch sandwiches, homemade pastries, and gluten-free options fill out the menu.
The NY Bacon Egg and Cheese is a classic pick. A sandwich named the Chattanooga, especially on a jalapeno cheddar bagel, gives the menu some hometown pride.
Coffee drinkers can choose cold brew, an iced chai latte, or a small cortado. If you just want the basics, order Just One Bagel and keep it simple.
Saturdays are the busiest stretch. Weekday mornings are quieter, making them ideal for a quick visit with free Wi-Fi and free parking.
5. Boro Bagel, Murfreesboro, TN
College students, families, and solo coffee drinkers all end up at Boro Bagel. The Memorial Boulevard shop keeps things casual with counter service and plenty of seating.
Bagels are made on site, not shipped in frozen. The menu sticks to familiar breads and cream cheese flavors, plus lunch fare for later in the day.
The BYO Breakfast Sandwich lets you build your own. A lox bagel is also available, which is not always easy to find in Murfreesboro.
Families get a kids’ menu and high chairs. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor seating, and there is a full vegetarian menu plus a good tea selection.
Weekdays start at 6:30 AM, weekends at 7 AM, with closing at 2 PM. Parking is free and usually plentiful.
6. Wheeler’s Bagels, Johnson City, TN
Here is a budget win: most orders at Wheeler’s Bagels land between $1 and $10. That makes it one of the easiest bagel habits to keep in Tennessee.
The Johnson City bakery offers a wide range of bagels, including New York style, along with muffins, schmears, and breakfast. Cream cheese goes on generously, and hot bagel sandwiches are a big part of the appeal.
The bacon, egg, and cheese bagel is a staple. A toasted salt bagel or onion bagel with cream cheese keeps things classic, and the staff will toast it extra if you ask.
Iced coffee gets special treatment with coffee ice cubes, so your drink stays strong. Refills are free.
The owners are known for being friendly and down to earth. Hours are 6:30 AM to 3 PM on weekdays and 7 AM to 3 PM on weekends, with a free parking lot.
7. Ugly Bagel, Franklin, TN
Perfectly round bagels are overrated, at least according to Ugly Bagel. The Franklin shop proudly serves hand-rolled bagels that come out a little lopsided.
The idea is simple: food should be fun, fresh, and full of flavor. Plain and sesame bagels cover the basics, and loaded breakfast sandwiches handle bigger appetites.
The sweet side is where this spot stands out. A blueberry bagel with confetti cream cheese or a French toast bagel with brown sugar cream cheese is dessert-level breakfast.
Savory fans can pair an Asiago bagel with bacon chive cream cheese. Drinks include iced coffee, sweet tea, and juice.
The shop is clean and quick, with curbside pickup for busy mornings. It is open 7 AM to 3 PM daily on Meridian Boulevard, making it an easy after-school snack stop too.
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