Absolute Bagels Was Riddled With Violations, Health Dept. Says

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Absolute Bagels, the beloved longstanding schmear shop on the Upper West Side, sent shockwaves throughout the city when it closed for good on Thursday morning with no warning.

Bagel lovers looked for answers, and on Friday, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said that the shop shuttered after it failed a health inspection.

The health department ordered the shop closed because it found pests and food contamination posing an "imminent public health hazard," health department spokesperson Shari Logan said.

According to Logan, the department found rat droppings and live roaches in the area that food was prepped, stored and served.

Logan said that the department also found that the smoked salmon was contaminated by wastewater dripping onto the food in the display case, and dead rats stuck to glue traps on top of the walk-in fridge.

To reopen, an establishment must pass a Health Department inspection to see if conditions have been addressed, but according to the West Side Rag, which broke the story, the shop is closing for good.

Absolute Bagels was opened on the Upper West Side in the early 1990s by Sam Thongkrieng, who is still the owner. Thongkrieng got his start at Ess-A-Bagel, before starting his own venture, according to the shop's website.

The shop is first on the New York Times's list of the best bagels in NYC, which was published in October.

For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.