There isn’t much that beats a good and proper bagel at breakfast. Whether it’s a simple affair of just butter and bagel or an egg-packed hangover helper, a good bagel (and coffee) can only set the stage for an equally good day.

Popular restaurant-chain bagels are an end to a means and will certainly fill your belly. If I’m going to hit the carbs hard, it’s going to be on the good stuff, and now that’s available at Duby’s Bagels and Bakery on Route 1 in Old Saybrook. According to its website, the goods are crafted by an expert with “a deep affection for cooking and baking.” Yes, please.

The daily bagel selection includes a nice range of options, including Plain, Sesame, Poppy, Salt, Garlic, Onion, Everything, Asiago and Cinnamon Raisin ($1.95 each; cheaper by the half and baker’s dozen). Bialys are also available on the daily and can be added with your bulk bunches of bagels for the same price.

On a recent visit, a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich was a newly available menu item, so that became choice #1, paired with a sesame bagel. This serviceable sandwich was better than its mass-produced peers, but it could’ve been hotter and a freshly cooked egg (versus the pre-baked patty) would’ve been better. Still, the thick-cut bacon and very good cheese made everything A-OK, and the bagel itself was wonderful. (Next on my list is the BLT; $7.95.) It was dotted with black and white sesame seeds, and you could taste the whole ingredients and real food-ness immediately. I got a light toast on my sandwich, which added some texture and roasty aroma.

Make sure to check out the list of “schmears” available, too, because it is varied and intriguing. Remember that simple bagel and butter we talked about up top? Get it at Duby’s, which offers a European butter (read: higher butterfat content) schmear for an additional $2.95. Other tempting options include a Nutella schmear (add $4.95); and lox cream cheese (add $5.95), along with five other cream cheese options: Plain, Scallion, Veggie, Green Olive & Pimento and Horseradish.

We grabbed a half dozen more, including two Asiago; two more Sesames; one Salt bagel; and one bialy, plus a tub of plain cream cheese ($5 for an 8-ounce container).

We’ll start with the cream cheese, because it’s outstanding. It’s whipped and creamy, with subtle tanginess that was great on every bagel we sampled – yes, that includes the Asiago because cheese on cheese is never a bad idea. You’ll get a bit of meltiness when it’s placed on a toasted bagel, which adds even more nuance to an already great product.

As for the bagels, all of them shared the same depth of flavor and texture in the base dough – soft on the inside with a thick, smooth outer layer and all the great taste that freshness delivers. We loved the subtle bite of the Asiago cheese atop those bagels and we have finally found a baker who knows that you DON’T have to cover every inch of a bagel with salt to make it a Salt Bagel. You just need good salt (check) and the right moisture content to trap it (double check). Our bialy ticked all the right boxes: Great toothy texture, subtle tang of onion, and the perfect amount of moisture. (It probably would be great with the cream cheese, but I sampled it in its natural state.)

Other daily goodies include muffins (flavors vary); rugelach ($1.50 each; Apricot on a recent visit); and the Salted Brownie ($3), which are billed as “The Best Damn Brownies You Will Ever Eat!” That is arguable, but its deliciousness cannot be denied. This is a cakey brownie with depth of texture and flavor. Per the menu, these babies are crafted with “60% Callebaut Belgian Chocolate and Dutch-process Cocoa from France, Topped with Maldon Sea Salt from England.” The salt is the amplifier and it works wonderfully – especially with the very well-made cappuccino ($4; one size) I ordered.

The good-sized rugelach were fantastic – from the subtle-sweet dough to the tasty fruit within to the cinnamon on top – and the dough’s light and crispy texture was perfect. I can’t wait to try the chocolate variety, which is another flavor in the rotation.

You’ll find other sweet specials depending on the day. Recently, cheesecake slices, chocolate cupcakes, and lemon bars tempted customers. As a lifelong fan of lemon bars, I had to grab one ($3.75) and it presented everything I look for in one: lemon tartness balanced by the sweetness of confectioner’s sugar and a firm, buttery crust. Hopefully they’ll appear in the daily rotation some day.

Breakfast is my favorite meal, and I’ll have its greatest hits for dinner any day of the week. Now that we have a quality bagel destination in the region, many meals in my future will become the most important one of the day.

Duby’s Bagels and Bakery

785 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook

(860) 339-3014

Dubysbagels.com

Cuisine: “Bring[s] the taste of New York to the Connecticut shoreline,” per the website. Think bagels, sandwiches, and baked goods, plus smoked salmon and schmears (cream cheese, lox, etc.); coffees, including espresso drinks. Specialty items like halva, salmon and pickled herring are also available.

Atmosphere: Black and white details and signage create a clean, sleek look but with a warm vibe. Watch the bakers at work through a window overlooking a prep area.

Service: Exceptionally helpful and friendly

Hours: Daily, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Closed on Wednesdays

Prices: Reasonable. Bagels run $1.95 each; $10 for a half dozen; $19 for a baker’s dozen. Sandwiches run from $5.95 for the bacon, egg and cheese to $12.95 for the New Yawker smoked salmon sandwich and the whitefish salad Brownstone sandwich.

Credit cards: Accepted

Handicapped access: No steps or curbs at entry and ample parking in the accompanying lot.