When I think of NYC, two foods that come to mind are pizza and bagels with lox. A fantastic place to get the latter is Russ & Daughters.

It all started in 1904 when a Jewish immigrant from Poland began selling herring from a cart in the Lower East Side. Over 100 years later, Russ & Daughters continues serving New Yorkers and visitors with delicious fare.

This legendary New York City eatery has 2 locations in Manhattan. One is a cafe with dine-in on Orchid Street. The other is the storefront at 179 Houston St, which opened in 1920.

We visited the Russ & Daughters location on Houston street. It is takeout only.

If there is a line, you need a number to order from the deli counter, including bagels and lox. So step inside and take a paper number.

The deli counter is to the left when you walk in the door.

To the right is another counter where you can get sweet treats or coffee. These counters are separate, so we enjoyed coffee while waiting to order our bagels.

Standing outside by the window offers a great view of the action inside.

It must take lots of practice to slice the smoked fish so perfectly.

Russ & Daughters has various types of salmon and many choices of sandwiches.

Other options are also available.

We went to Russ & Daughters on a Sunday morning of a holiday weekend and waited about 40 minutes.

We devoured our tasty breakfast on a nearby bench and watched NYC pass by.

If you want a delicious and classic New York bagel and lox, visit Russ & Daughters. This place is definitely worth the wait! And it’s the perfect way to begin a day exploring the Lower East Side.

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