👋 Chelsea here. Just days into the second trimester of my second pregnancy, one thing was clear: I was going to need bagels. Lots of bagels.

Why it matters: The heart wants what the heart wants. Especially when you're pregnant.

The big picture: New Orleans' food culture is known for a lot of things, but bagels haven't typically been among them.

• That's not to say we don't know a good bagel. Those found at Stein's Deli, for example, are shipped in from Davidovich in New York.
• But after about 10 weeks of feeling nauseated and subsisting on saltine crackers, I was ready to oblige any craving that felt even somewhat nourishing, so my bagel extravaganza quickly began.

Zoom in: This guide is a result of that exploration.

🥯 Leo's Bread: The farmers market stand-turned-Bayou St. John regular is a must-stop.

• The menu isn't bagel-focused; you'll find just a few cream cheese and sandwich options, but all are good.

🥯 Flour Moon: This shop did put New Orleans on the bagel map when Bon Appetit called it one of the best options outside New York.

• Carlie loves the bagel chips. I love picking up a dozen ahead of big family events.

🥯 Small Mart: This vegan and vegetarian cafe in the Bywater has a ton of fun, inventive bagel sandwiches. (Don't worry, smoked salmon lovers: That's on the menu, too.)

🥯 Shug's Bagels: This Dallas-born shop quietly moved into the Maple Street space next door to Hot Stuff last fall, bringing a full menu of breakfast and lunch sandwiches.

🥯 Bayou Bagel: An especially useful stop if you, say, happen to have lots of appointments at Touro Hospital just a few blocks away.

• You'll also find their bagels and spreads at various independent grocers around town, like Robért, Zuppardo's and Dorignac's.

Share with a bagel fiend

Five Louisiana students compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee today, including 13-year-old Langston Jones, a 7th-grader at Ecole Bilingue de la Nouvelle-Orléans. (Meet the spellers)

• Preliminary and quarterfinal rounds will air today and tomorrow on Scripps Sports Network.
• ESPN senior writer and analyst Mina Kimes will host the semifinals and finals tomorrow and Thursday on Ion.

Flashback: Zaila Avant-garde from Harvey won the contest in 2021, making history as the first Black student to take home the prize.

Fun fact: The most common "how do you spell" Google search in Louisiana so far this year is Pennsylvania. Our frequent misspelling is Pensivlevanya.