Bagels. Everybody serves bagels these days; big whoop.
Towson Hot Bagels, though, is more than just another bagel place. It's a shrine to which hundreds of poor, hungry, Towson University students make a pilgrimage each semester. Maybe that's why it's on the meal plan. Or maybe it's on the meal plan because Towson Hot Bagels beats the stripes off the Tigerfresh Bakery any day.
Inside THB, the first thing you'll notice is the crowd. The place is pretty much busy all the time. Go before noon any day of the week and expect to be jostled about by hungry jocks and starving sorority sisters. Four tiny tables crammed into the corner are the only place for people to wait, so frequently the line extends out the door.
I arrived at 1 p.m. on a Wednesday and was greeted to the shortest line I've ever seen there -- just six people. THB's experienced help keeps up with even the craziest of Sunday brunch rushes, so the measly line dispersed in minutes. I ordered a roast beef sandwich with provolone on a toasted egg bagel (back off bagel purists, I like their roll-like consistency). By the time I filled up my fountain soda, my order was ready. The roast beef is always fresh and tasty, the bagels are always made that day and the dill pickles that accompany every sandwich are always crisp.
Customers share newspapers scattered across tables, and the familiar -- albeit non-English speaking -- staff members are really friendly. With this laid back atmosphere, Towson Hot Bagels is just the kind of place to hang out with your pals after a late night of ... well, let's just call it "studying."
Dish: Roast beef, corned beef, turkey, ham, pastrami, salami and liverwurst sandwiches are all fresh and delicious (that is, if you're the kind of person who likes liverwurst in the first place). Burgers ($4-$5), fries ($2) and other American fare is also available. THB's breakfast bagels ($1-$3) blow the competition out of the water, and they have a line of gourmet sandwiches named after celebrities ($6-$7). Admit it, you always wondered what Madonna would look like as a sandwich. Sliced roast beef, roasted peppers and virgin olive oil on a bagel -- now you know.
Damage: With cheese, my roast beef sandwich cost $5.20 -- well worth it for my favorite sandwich in the world. The fountain soda ($1.57) brought the total after tax to $7.11. Breakfast sandwiches are less expensive ($1-$3), and compared to Einstein Bros. or Panera Bread, bagels by the dozen are a much better buy.
Decision: Towson Hot Bagels is simply the best. While it doesn't look like much, it's cheaper and better than big-name competitors. It's a lot like Attman's Deli (right down to the pickle), without the usual downtown hassles. Go there. Take a friend. Betcha can't go just once.
Towson Hot Bagels, though, is more than just another bagel place. It's a shrine to which hundreds of poor, hungry, Towson University students make a pilgrimage each semester. Maybe that's why it's on the meal plan. Or maybe it's on the meal plan because Towson Hot Bagels beats the stripes off the Tigerfresh Bakery any day.
Inside THB, the first thing you'll notice is the crowd. The place is pretty much busy all the time. Go before noon any day of the week and expect to be jostled about by hungry jocks and starving sorority sisters. Four tiny tables crammed into the corner are the only place for people to wait, so frequently the line extends out the door.
I arrived at 1 p.m. on a Wednesday and was greeted to the shortest line I've ever seen there -- just six people. THB's experienced help keeps up with even the craziest of Sunday brunch rushes, so the measly line dispersed in minutes. I ordered a roast beef sandwich with provolone on a toasted egg bagel (back off bagel purists, I like their roll-like consistency). By the time I filled up my fountain soda, my order was ready. The roast beef is always fresh and tasty, the bagels are always made that day and the dill pickles that accompany every sandwich are always crisp.
Customers share newspapers scattered across tables, and the familiar -- albeit non-English speaking -- staff members are really friendly. With this laid back atmosphere, Towson Hot Bagels is just the kind of place to hang out with your pals after a late night of ... well, let's just call it "studying."
Dish: Roast beef, corned beef, turkey, ham, pastrami, salami and liverwurst sandwiches are all fresh and delicious (that is, if you're the kind of person who likes liverwurst in the first place). Burgers ($4-$5), fries ($2) and other American fare is also available. THB's breakfast bagels ($1-$3) blow the competition out of the water, and they have a line of gourmet sandwiches named after celebrities ($6-$7). Admit it, you always wondered what Madonna would look like as a sandwich. Sliced roast beef, roasted peppers and virgin olive oil on a bagel -- now you know.
Damage: With cheese, my roast beef sandwich cost $5.20 -- well worth it for my favorite sandwich in the world. The fountain soda ($1.57) brought the total after tax to $7.11. Breakfast sandwiches are less expensive ($1-$3), and compared to Einstein Bros. or Panera Bread, bagels by the dozen are a much better buy.
Decision: Towson Hot Bagels is simply the best. While it doesn't look like much, it's cheaper and better than big-name competitors. It's a lot like Attman's Deli (right down to the pickle), without the usual downtown hassles. Go there. Take a friend. Betcha can't go just once.
