It's Sunday morning, which means bagel o'clock.

"A bagel—that's a doughnut dipped in cement." —Spike Jones

"The bagel, an unsweetened doughnut with rigor mortis." —Beatrice and Ira Freeman

"A bagel is a doughnut with the sin removed."  —George Rosenbaum

You go to Zabar's. You get a little lox, whitefish, whatever. Maybe some good olives and those big capers. Then, right there, at 80th and Broadway, you step into H&H. The malty, yeasty scent of just-baked bagels hovers in the background while the aroma of onion and garlic sledgehammers you at the door.

They're always warm. Made with the finest New York City tap water (no really, it's good tap water), the bagels are shiny on the outside, crusty without being hard. The inside is soft and moist, with enough tooth resistance to make every bite a bit of a tussle. They are big, ranging in color from golden through burnt umber all the way to deepest brown.

You buy a dozen; you throw a single onion bagel in with the sesame seed and plain to give them a little oomph. You grab a couple freezer bags, gratis, and you're on your way. You get to JFK, settle the bagels into the overhead compartment, watch the movie, and arrive in Tampa, ready for brunch.

Despite the killer frequent-flyer miles, this is not a reasonable long-term Sunday morning plan. So if you live and eat in the Tampa Bay area, you're probably noshing a local bagel. The question is, which one?

Of the big chains, I’d take Einstein Bagels over what are generously described as bagels at Dunkin’ Donuts. Former bagel biggie Manhattan Bagels seems to have been run out of the Gulf Coast entirely.

Of the independents and local chains, Clearwater Bagels (1871 Gulf to Bay Blvd., Clearwater, 727/446-7631) may be my fave, with New York Bagel Shop & Deli (4801 34th St S., St. Petersburg, 727/867-4025) a close second. Bagels Plus (2706 E Fletcher Ave., Tampa, 813/971-9335) puts out a pretty good product, as does Bagel Bagel Café (27607 State Road 56, Wesley Chapel, 813/991-0300, with other locations in Brandon and Lutz).

What am I missing? Any other bagel contenders?