PEC Challenge: Bagel Hut

Editor's note: This post is from 2/15/2019

Let's talk about road trips.  This may not come as a surprise to many of you but I absolutely love them.  And I happen to be on one right now! (Two weeks ago) I'm currently heading to Lake Placid, NY, a place that does not have any pork roll, unfortunately.  (Trust me, I did a Google search) So my travel cohort and I did what any self-respecting New Jerseyian would do and we got PEC's to go.  There's just something really great about eating a pork roll in the car while catching up with close friends on the way to what is about to be an incredible weekend of snowboarding (and engagements).  Can it get messy in the car? Sure, especially while driving (I'm not driving right now, btw). But this is certainly not any of our first time crushing a PEC in transit, in fact, it's probably our most popular method.  

Bagel Hut is one of the many bagel spots you can find on Rt. 34 between Matawan and Old Bridge.  The place has definitely been there for a while, and you can tell with the cramped quarters when ordering and old school bagel boards.  They do have a pretty large section to wait and eat to the side, but we're taking these to go.  The eggs were super fluffy and the pork roll was a bit burnt but it somehow really worked. They also add cheese on top as well as below the meats, which is admirable.  This is a solid local spot for anyone in Matawan, very comparable to Hole Lot of Bagels in Middletown. Every town should have at least one place like this within its borders. 

Bread Rating: 6.8/10 (Bagels are a bit doughy, still pretty good)

Pork Roll Rating: 8.2/10 (I wasn't sure I'd like the pork roll as well done as it was here, but it worked)

Egg Rating: 7.4/10 (Very fluffy and ample)

Cheese Rating: 7.9/10 (Melted cheese on top AND bottom)

Sandwich Composition: 6.2/10 (It was a little off-centered, with the contents hanging off the side leaving only the bagel on the one side. Solid amount of ketchup though, and once repositioned a solid PEC)

Overall: 7.3/10 (A solid option)

Price: $4.25, cards accepted with $5 minimum so grab yourself a YooHoo.



Bagel Hut is located at 1208 NJ-34, Matawan, NJ 07747.


(Just like NJ-35, I'm renaming NJ-34 (and all other unimaginatively named State "routes" in NJ.  Henceforth, NJ-34 will be renamed Matawan Highway.) You're welcome, Gov. Murphy.