As graduation gowns are steamed and caps are waiting to be tossed, it feels fitting that the farewell piece for Bites with Ali centers on the most reliable constant of the Baruch College experience: Bagel Express at 340 Third Ave.

Nestled in the Clivner=Field Plaza behind the plaza — a location description only Baruch students truly understand — this bustling bagel haven has been feeding sleep-deprived students since before most of us knew what CUNY stood for. 

While professors come and go, syllabi change, and even campus buildings get renamed, Bagel Express remains our dependable carb supplier through it all.

“Super legit bagel spot near Baruch College,” Kamel Ehab, a senior finance major at Baruch who swears by their sausage, egg and cheese, said. “Consistent bagels, spreads, toppings and a full grill for sandwiches.”

“No regrets,” he adds — which might be the highest praise possible from a finance bro counting calories.

The magic of Bagel Express isn’t just in its perfectly chewy bagels or mind-boggling array of cream cheese flavors (avocado cilantro, anyone?). It’s in its ability to function as an unofficial campus extension.

When the library’s packed during finals and the cafeteria feels like a high school flashback, Bagel Express becomes our refuge, conference room, and therapy session all wrapped in one.

“My go-to bagel shop when I need something quick to grab and go,” Ahmed D., a senior majoring in biology at Baruch, said. “The employees are pretty awesome.”

Ahmed frequents the spot for its turkey bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel.

Are they perfect? Well, as Saadat Ghawabi, a junior majoring in psychology, puts it: “I have a hate/love relationship with this place.” 

The ordering system resembles organized chaos on busy mornings, and yes, sometimes the avocado spread looks suspiciously brown.

But isn’t that just another lesson that’s part of college education? Sometimes the best things come with minor inconveniences attached.

Wandering into Bagel Express as a freshman, I never imagined this humble spot would become the backdrop for four years of deadlines, debates, and occasional existential crises. 

I’ve celebrated aced exams here, cried over failed relationships, and mapped out career plans — all over $5 bagel sandwiches that somehow taste better than any five-star restaurant meal.

And that’s perhaps what this food column has always been about: not just finding good eats around campus — though that’s important when you’re surviving on financial aid — but recognizing how food connects us. How sharing a meal creates bonds that outlast classes and semesters. How the places we eat become as much a part of our college experience as the classrooms we sit in.

Before I sign off from this column for the last time, I have two things to share.

First, I hope my ramblings about campus eateries have inspired you to pause between classes and actually taste your food. Sit with friends rather than scarf down lunch alone at your laptop. Use meals as moments of connection in an increasingly disconnected world. Food has always been about more than being a big snack. It’s about community, conversation, and connection.

Second — and I’ve been keeping this very quiet — I’m honored to announce that I’ll be serving as the Salutatorian for the Class of 2025.

This unexpected journey from food columnist to graduation speaker feels surreal, but it’s still a dream come true. After all, some of my most profound college lessons happened not in lecture halls, but across tables sharing meals with remarkable people.

To The Ticker — thank you for giving this food-obsessed student a platform to ramble about Halal carts and overpriced coffee. Also, apologies to my editor Sarah Gabriel who got every single one of these articles late; you are my hero.

To the Writing Center — my deepest gratitude for being my biggest readers and providing invaluable guidance that shaped this column from scattered food thoughts into something worth reading each week.

And to anyone still reading — I hope you found places to share meals with people you care about and perhaps told them you love them over bagels and coffee.

What we’ve learned during our time here transcends classrooms and textbooks. Like Bagel Express, the knowledge and experiences we’ve gained will remain a constant anchor for everything we achieve moving forward. The bonds we’ve forged and the love we’ve cultivated will stay with us, sustaining us long after our student IDs stop working.

To my friends and found family here — thank you for caring for me and supporting me through every all-nighter, every crisis, and every celebration. You turned this campus into a home and made these years about so much more than just earning a degree. You’re the real reason leaving feels bittersweet, but also the reason I know this isn’t really goodbye.

The best part? When we return for alumni events or just to visit old professors, Bagel Express will still be there, ready to welcome us home with everything bagels and that slightly chaotic ordering system we kind of hate but will nostalgically love.

Until we meet again,
Your Salutatorian (who’s definitely not crying into his schmear right now)