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BRONX TIMES REPORTER, MARCH 25-31, 2022 BXR
Riverdale Bagels ranked No. 1
most iconic in NYC: Eater
BY JASON COHEN
Thirty years ago, an uncle
and a nephew from Riverdale
opened a bagel shop with no expectations.
Today, Riverdale Bagels
is recognized as the most
iconic bagel shop in NYC by food
blog Eater NY.
Riverdale Bagels, located
at 5650 Riverdale Ave., was
founded by Vincent (Enzo) Tardinuovo,
81, and his nephew Joe
Tardinuovo, 56. They worked in
the food industry for many years
and Enzo Tardinuovo would often
frequent a bagel shop near
his job in Long Island. Eventually,
the love of bagels overwhelmed
him, and he decided to
open his own store.
They took a leap of faith, quit
their jobs and set out to learn the
secrets of a great bagel. Early in
July 1992, they drove to New Jersey
at 2:30 a.m. where they were
taught the tools of the trade at a
school. With many years of baking
pizza and doughnuts under
their belt, they just needed to understand
what ingredients went
into making bagels.
But, after just two hours of
training they left and were set
to embark on their new venture.
“He (Enzo) knew how to
make dough,” Riverdale Bagels
General Manager Enzo Feriangi
told the Bronx Times. “He
said, ‘there was nothing for me
to learn that I already didn’t
know.’”
According to Feriangi, 77,
they wanted a space in Riverdale,
not only because it was
home, but because of the large
Jewish population. However,
finding a storefront was difficult.
They searched for about
a year and a half until they finally
settled on an 800-squarefoot
space on Riverdale Avenue.
At first it was just Enzo Tardinuovo,
his wife and Joe Tardinuovo
baking bagels, and selling
coffee and cream cheese.
They took a few days to perfect
the bagels before opening
the doors, Feriangi said.
“The first batch of bagels
came out like baseballs,” he
added. “I think the real challenge
was with themselves being
nervous because mostly they
knew what they had to do, but
this was a new field.”
After a few months, the jitters
wore off and the community
slowly began to fall in love with
the place, Feriangi said. Feriangi
joined the company in 1993,
and a couple years later Joe Tardinuovo
left.
Over the years it has become
a second home for Feriangi, his
staff and Riverdale residents.
In the beginning, the big sellers
were salmon, herring, sable
and other fish, popular Jewish
delicacies in what was once a
prominently Jewish neighborhood.
But as the demographics of
the community changed, the eatery
introduced eggs, sandwiches
and paninis to name a few.
The shop never hired a baker
and does not use Uber Eats or
Grubhub, yet still is a popular
place with quick efficient service
that has served three generations
of families, Feriangi said.
“The kids became parents,
and I’m feeding their kids,” he
added.
Feriangi told the Bronx
Times it was nice to be recognized
as the most iconic bagel
shop by Eater NY, but what’s
more important, he said, is providing
good quality food and service.
“Faithfully furnishing bagels,
bialys, and muffins to its
northern Bronx neighborhood
since 1992, Riverdale Bagels
guarantees its bagels are boiled
and not steamed,” Eater NY said
in its review. “All the traditional
toppings are available, but innovative
spreads are being developed
on a daily basis, including
spicy bacon, garlic pepper,
and sundried tomato cream
cheeses.”
The staff doesn’t skimp on
food, has maintained the same
recipe for 30 years and the majority
of the employees have
been there from the beginning.
“We don’t change anything,”
Feriangi said. “We stay with the
same products and the same coffee
people are used to.”
Feriangi said they have never
cared about their competition
and places like Dunkin.’ Where
else can be people get delicious
scallion, cherry pepper or walnut
raisin cream cheese?
Riverdale Bagels was ranked the most iconic bagel shop in NYC. Photo | Alex Nava
Their name is not just synonymous
with Riverdale though.
According to employee Alex
Nava, customers come from as
far as Pennsylvania.
“I think this is a destination
point because when I hear people
talking, they say ‘I’ll meet
you at the bagel shop,’ and that
makes you feel good,” Feriangi
said.
While they don’t make the
fancy rainbow or gluten free
bagels, they offer plain, poppy,
sesame, whole wheat, cinnamon
raisin and everything bagels as
staples. But it works, because
the store is always packed.
“You ask me where did the
time go?” Feriangi said. “I have
no idea. The business it teaches
you a lot. One hundred percent
satisfaction that’s the way we
work here.”
Riverdale Bagels is not just synonymous with the northwest Bronx. According to employee
Alex Nava, customers travel from as far away as Pennsylvania. Photo | Enzo Feriangi