Sweet 16 bagel madness results are in. The Elite Eight awaits 🥯

March Bagel Madness is underway to determine Palm Beach County’s best bagel shop, with the tournament beginning at the Sweet 16.

Head‑to‑head competitors were seeded by this reporter after a year of reporting, repeat visits and old‑school bagel scrutiny rooted in texture, chew, crust and balance.

From there, readers took over. Week 1 voting determined which shops advance and which saw their run end early.

What follows are the matchups that stirred debate and the places already building momentum as the bracket tightens.

How March Bagel Madness Works 🥯🏀

Dates to note

Lace up, grab your coffee and cast your vote. In this tournament, the power is in your hands.

• Elite Eight voting opens March 23
• Polls close March 25 at noon
• Elite Eight winners going to the final four are revealed online March 26
• Voting is conducted via Crowdsignal, an independent polling platform

Voting rules

• Voting is online only once per matchup, per device
• Votes are limited by IP address to help ensure fair play
• Votes sent by email or posted on social media are not counted (I'm looking at you Nextdoor contributors!)

Which bagelries are heading to the Elite Eight? A recap

March Bagel Madness Challenge's Elite Eight online voting wraps up March 25 at noon.

Sour Seed Bagels (#1), West Palm Beach over 2nd Street Bagels, Boca Raton (#16)

Sour Seed's Breakfast Bagel is an icon-in-the-making sandwich.

Top‑seeded Sour Seed advanced as expected, earning 60% of reader votes and underscoring why the downtown West Palm Beach newcomer entered the bracket with momentum.

Its naturally fermented sourdough bagels and chef‑driven builds proved a strong counter to 16th‑seed 2nd Street Bagels’ classic deli approach, turning innovation versus tradition into a decisive opening‑round win.

The buzz is not just media‑driven. Palm Beach Island residents Peter and Liz Crocitto called Sour Seed their favorite, praising its consistency even when the line stretches down Fern Street.

“I love the hand‑carved silky nova paired with the cream cheese of my choice,” Peter Crocitto said. “On a tangy sourdough everything bagel, it’s a masterclass in texture and well worth the wait.”

Bagels & in Boynton and Lake Worth (#8) vs Way Beyond Bagels, Boca Raton (#9)

Bagels &'s breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon and perfectly melted Swiss on a toasted onion bagel.

In the Sweet 16’s biggest blowout, Bagels & edged out Way Beyond Bagels with 84% of voters favoring familiarity over flash.

The third‑generation, family‑owned shop leaned on decades of morning routines, handmade bagels and a deep deli bench that rewards regulars who know their order before reaching the counter.

In what was considered an evenly matched/a no‑clear‑favorite pairing, consistency carried weight.

Way Beyond Bagels made a strong case with kettle‑boiled bagels, an expansive menu and Boca Raton polish designed for diners who want sit‑down comfort alongside bagel credibility.

In the end, routine beat range, as Bagels & advanced by doing what it has long done best: delivering reliable execution at volume.

Bagel Bistro, Tequesta (#5) vs Maplewood Bagels, Jupiter (#14)

Bagel Bistro's cream cheese with nova, onion, tomato.

This was the bracket’s tightest finish. Bagel Bistro eked out a win over Maplewood Bagels by just two votes, advancing on balance and execution rather than sheer popularity.

The Tequesta mainstay earned its edge with a consistently solid bagel — chewy interior, dependable crust — and a sandwich lineup that feels edited, not excessive. When voters looked past fillings, the bagel itself held up.

Maplewood Bagels made it a fight. The Jupiter shop is a Sunday‑morning magnet, drawing long lines with generous sandwich builds, a sprawling menu and a fiercely loyal following.

In the end, sandwich power nearly carried the day, but bagel purity tipped the scale.

Long Island Bagels, Boca Raton (#4) vs Bagel Boss, Boca Raton (13)

In this all‑Boca Raton matchup rooted in New York bona fides, Long Island Bagels pulled a clear win with 69% of votes. The higher seed prevailed by doing the fundamentals well: chewy, well‑structured bagels, a broad flavor lineup and a deli menu that feels confident without tipping into chaos.

It is the kind of shop that reassures Northeast transplants they landed in the right place.

Bagel Boss brought legacy weight to the bracket, with kettle‑boiled bagels, flagels and deep Long Island roots dating to 1975. But in this head‑to‑head, consistency and breadth carried more votes than nostalgia.

Bagels with Deli, multiple locations (#3) vs Brooklyn Water Bagels, multiple locations (#12)

At Bagels with Deli, my garlic bagel was missing its cream cheese.

Bagels With Deli advanced nabbing 66% of the vote by leaning on its reputation as one of the county’s most respected appetizing counters. With an expansive smoked‑fish lineup and a scratch‑made menu that runs deep, the higher seed proved difficult to knock out, even as voters scrutinized execution closely this round.

Brooklyn Water Bagels entered as a credible challenger, offering a wide footprint and an ambitious New York–style premise.

In the end, depth and experience outweighed variability.

Starz Bakery, PBG Farmers Market (#7) vs PopUp Bagels, West Palm Beach and Delray Beach (#10)

PopUp Bagels advanced decisively in what may have been the bracket’s purest head‑to‑head. With no sandwiches, spreads, or smoked‑fish theatrics in play, voters focused on the bagel itself and PopUp’s hot‑oven immediacy carried the round with 67%.

Starz Bakery entered with deep purist credibility, selling traditionally boiled bagels and bialys at weekend farmers markets in Palm Beach Gardens and Delray Beach. Its old‑school approach — firm crust, restrained chew and careful technique — earns a loyal following among traditionalists.

PopUp countered with a modern, stripped‑down philosophy. Served hot, whole and intentionally unsliced, its “grip, rip, and dip” model puts everything on crust integrity and interior structure.

In this matchup, temperature and timing proved more compelling than tradition.

Winner: PopUp Bagels at 257 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach and 700 S. Rosemary Ave. at CityPlace, West Palm Beach

Makeb, West Palm Beach (#6) vs H&H Bagels, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton (#11)

Makeb moved on with 59% of the vote, advancing on sandwich strength and consistency. The higher seed earned its edge with generously filled bagel sandwiches that deliver for breakfast and lunch regulars. While the downtown setting can feel utilitarian, voters rewarded Makeb for reliable execution and a menu built to satisfy repeat visits.

H&H Bagels brought strong name recognition and a loyal following to the matchup. The expanded brand offers a sweeter, softer take on its classic New York–style bagels, a profile that appeals to many patrons and reflects a broader, more contemporary approach.

In this head‑to‑head, however, voters gravitated toward Makeb’s heartier sandwich builds and familiarity.

Bagel Boyz, Jupiter (#2) vs Einstein Bagels, multiple locations (#15)

The O'Brien is Bagel Boyz signature sandwich comprising house-smoked pastrami, hash, Swiss cheese 1000 island dressing and a fried egg.

Bagel Boyz posted a lopsided win, defeating Einstein Bros. Bagels with 84% of the vote. The Jupiter staple advanced on loyalty, energy and execution, with kettle‑boiled bagels and standout sandwiches drawing steady weekend lines of locals willing to wait.

Einstein Bros. Bagels filled the familiar underdog role, valued for convenience and wide availability across Palm Beach County.

In a tournament that rewards destination appeal, however, voters overwhelmingly favored the shop that feels worth the drive.

Diana Biederman is the Palm Beach Post's food and restaurant writer whose NYC apartment shared an alley with H&H for decades although she preferred the smaller bagels sold at Zabar's. Reach me at [email protected]. Subscribe today and sign up for our free At the Table weekly newsletter.