Mila Narani, daughter of Al Lala, the owner of Classic NY Bagels, said their family comes from a long line of New York bagel shop owners who have shared the same family recipe and values since the late 1970s.

“My grandfather was a baker, and so we were inspired by my grandfather,” Narani said. “Growing up, we always had bagels. My uncles owned bagel shops and pizzerias. So dough has always been our specialty.”

After owning several bagel and pizza businesses in New York, Arizona and Texas, the family opened Classic NY Bagels on FM 1488 in May 2024 to share their specialty.

A family affair

Originally from Albania, Lala moved to the U.S. at the age of 17 where he lived above the pizzeria he worked at.


Forty-six years later, Lala opened several bagel shops and pizzerias, including Brothers Pizzeria in Houston, and passed along his perfected dough recipe and businesses to his family. The family has several members with bagel shops across the country.
Bagels made at Classic NY Bagels are made with traditional methods that ensure a crispy glazed bagel. (Courtesy Classic NY Bagels)
Bagels made at Classic NY Bagels are made with traditional methods that ensure a crispy, glazed bagel. (Courtesy Classic NY Bagels)
“We all have the same recipe. So all my cousins have bagel shops. So it's kind of like everybody went to school, they got a degree, they did what they did, and then they ended up right back to owning bagel shops,” Narani said.

Since opening, Narani said families in Magnolia and The Woodlands area have come to know the location as their local bagel shop where they can grab a quick bite before school or work.

On the menu

Classic NY Bagels prides itself on its freshly baked bagels daily made from scratch with no preservatives. The bagel shop bakes 500-600 bagels daily with special ingredients imported from New Jersey. Any leftovers are donated to local nonprofits such as Keep Us Fed Montgomery County, which collects food from area restaurants, grocery stores and other locations.
Classic NY Bagels bakes 12 types of bagels every morning. (Courtesy Classic NY Bagels)
Classic NY Bagels bakes 12 types of bagels every morning. (Courtesy Classic NY Bagels)
“We take each bagel from the dough in the tray and just plop it in to boil for a few seconds, then we throw them on our bagel boards to bake and that's what makes them so crisp on the top, but soft in the middle, which a true New York bagel always has,” Narani said.


Lala said a plain bagel only contains 150 calories, making their bagels a healthier choice compared to a bagel with preservatives. With 12 types of bagels to choose from, Classic NY Bagels is known for its everything bagel and gluten-free bagels.

To support its community, the local bagel shop sponsors The Woodlands High School golf team, and it offers first responder, student and teacher discounts as well as holding community events throughout the year.