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$ | Greenpoint |
When Williamsburg's best European-style bakery wanted more space, it opened a Greenpoint outpost and included a rustic communal table, antique finishes, and hand-painted wallpaper. From house-made focaccia to financiers, there are plenty of mouthwatering choices (including vegan and gluten-free options) for breakfast and lunch. At breakfast you can watch the bakers in the open kitchen as you sip your morning coffee and snack on a raspberry pistachio muffin or Norwegian skolebrød. Soups and sandwiches on freshly baked bread are served at lunch.
105 Freeman St., Brooklyn, New York, 11222, USA
Known For
- Croissants and other European pastries
- Rustic chic vibe
- Vegan and gluten-free options
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$ | Lower East Side |
The all-American junk-food staple is elevated to high art here, with fresh seasonal ingredients, real fruit, and imported chocolate mixed into the batter. Traditionalists croon over the vanilla-bean doughnut, but there are plenty of exotic flavors to tempt taste buds: the dense, fudgy Blackout is covered in crumb topping; carrot-cake doughnuts have a cream-cheese filling. Choosing is the difficult part: options include cake doughnuts and yeast doughnuts, as well as "doughseeds." There are other locations around the five boroughs.
379 Grand St., New York, New York, 10002, USA
Known For
- Creative, seasonal flavors in cake and yeast varieties
- Fudgy Blackout doughnuts
- Fun decor
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$ | Midtown East |
If you're feeling peckish in this hurried neighborhood, slip into a favorite Manhattan café and bagel bakery that has been serving authentic family-style comfort since 1976. There's a selection of jumbo, kosher bagels onto which toppings are piled high, or choose from a variety of salads, sandwiches, and fresh-baked treats available all day.
831 3rd Ave., New York, New York, 10022, USA
Known For
- Locals' favorite bagels of various kinds
- Wide range of cream-cheese flavors
- Made-to-order sandwiches and egg dishes
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$ | Meatpacking District |
Despite the Gallic-sounding name, this bakery is all Swedish. There's nearly always a line out the door, and it's worth queuing up. The bread produced here is some of the best this side of the Atlantic. Baguettes, whole loaves, pastries—everything that comes out of the oven here is edible gold: the cardamom bun has become legendary. There's a small seating area in the back or get some goodies for take away and eat them at the tables scattered around the Meatpacking District.
348 W. 14th St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Freshly baked bread
- Cardamom bun
- Cappuccinos
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$ | Boerum Hill |
Vintage serving pieces, a hand-painted family tree, and life-size family photos adorn the interior of this aqua-walled bakery and café beloved for its old-world charm and tasty, bite-size cookies. The whoopie pies—chocolate or the very popular pumpkin—and cupcakes are worth checking out, too. The free Wi-Fi, spacious seating, and pleasant atmosphere invite lingering.
68 Dean St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Tasty cookies
- Whoopie pies
- Vintage flair
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Greenpoint |
This tiny bakery has made a name for itself with standouts like vegan salted chocolate-chip cookies, pistachio agave cookies, and currant-rosemary scones. The seasonal specials are equally mouthwatering—just try to resist the bourbon-maple-pecan pie made for Thanksgiving. In warm weather, take your goodies up the block to WNYC Transmitter Park for a picnic that will make everyone jealous.
31 Greenpoint Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11222, USA
Known For
- Mouthwatering cookies and cakes
- Homegrown ethos
- Vegan options
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$ | |
Tokyo-born chef Tomoko Kato came up through New York's famed Le Bernardin and the East Village teahouse Cha-An before opening this pastry shop. Her inspired desserts marry Japanese flavors and French techniques, resulting in original creations like black-sesame crème brûlée, sake ice cream, and green tea mousse cake. Ingredients like matcha, yuzu, and mochi are sourced from Japan, appearing alongside seasonal items like chestnuts and cranberries. Sit at the dessert bar for a three-course tasting of sweets, or take them to go.
568 Union Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11211, USA
Known For
- Japanese-French pastries
- Matcha lattes
- Great design
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | DUMBO |
Arguably the best French bakery outside of the Montmartre is on DUMBO's Water Street. Chef Herve Poussot helms this neighborhood favorite, baking on-site daily chocolate raspberry croissants, mille-feuille, macarons, and pear tarts, as well as baguettes, quiche, and sandwiches. Pick up a snack and a coffee to take to the park.
85 Water St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Classic French pastries
- Daily lunch specials
- Authentic, fresh baguettes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$ | Belmont |
Step inside this neighborhood mainstay near Arthur Avenue for a delectable selection of on-the-go snacks that include cakes, black-and-white cookies, and Italian pastries. Artuso's has been run by the same Italian American family since 1946, and the impassioned proprietors and community vibe truly add flavor to the shop's outstanding selection of sweets.
670 E. 187th St., Bronx, New York, 10458, USA
Known For
- Signature cannoli
- Multiple favors of biscotti
- Seasonal specialties including Italian ices
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$ | |
Follow the smell of fresh bread to this giant bakery with a storefront selling a variety of breads, cupcakes, cookies, danishes, and a select menu of sandwiches. It's especially convenient for picnics in Green-Wood Cemetery. The line of baked pita chips can be found all over the city.
755 5th St., Brooklyn, New York, 11232, USA
Known For
- Fresh pastries
- Picnic fixings
- Sandwiches
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$ | Boerum Hill |
Locally ground flour, hand-mixed doughs, and European recipes are among this artisanal bakery and café's secrets to success. Some regulars drop by to stock up on classic challah, French pain de mie (a sweet bread good for sandwiches or to toast) and baguettes, and Italian Pugliese loaves, but others come for the pastries, sandwiches, or quiches. It's hard to choose among the cranberry danishes, fruit tarts, chocolate pecan tortes, or the flawless croissants, the latter served plain or with various fillings.
120 Smith St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Artisanal pastries
- European baked goods
- Favorite neighborhood stop
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Greenwich Village |
If the Czech Republic and Texas had an edible baby and that baby were born in Brooklyn, it would taste a lot like the bite-sized sweet and savory cakes served at this diminutive shop. Kolaches were brought to Texas by Czech immigrants and have been a staple of Lone Star State cuisine ever since. Grab a few, plus a coffee, and enjoy them in nearby Washington Square Park or Father Demo Square.
185 Bleecker St., New York, New York, 10012, USA
Known For
- Delicious kolaches
- Good coffee
- Inexpensive
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$ | Cobble Hill |
A celebrated remnant of Cobble Hill's Italian-American past, this family-owned bakery delivers classics to savor: cannoli, pies, spumoni, custard ices, exquisitely layered Neapolitan-style sfogliatelle,and rainbow cookies by the pound. The vintage sign alone may be reason to visit, but even better is the intoxicatingly delicious interior, where you can discover everything from seasonal pastries to sugar-free cookies.
298 Court St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Italian pastries
- Cookies by the pound
- Neighborhood classic
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$ | SoHo |
The cronut, a delectable cross between a doughnut and a croissant, was invented by Dominique Ansel in 2013, and the flaky pastries continue to create a hubbub, with just one inventive flavor available each month. There are plenty of other delightful creations here as well, such as decadent hot chocolate, which you can eat in the café or take with you.
189 Spring St., New York, New York, 10012, USA
Known For
- Delicate macaron cookies
- The cookie shot, a chocolate chip cookie shaped like a cup and filled with vanilla milk
- Lines frequently out the door
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$ | West Village |
Don't come here looking for the cronut, French baker Dominique Ansel's insanely popular Franken-pastry, because you won't find it (for that, head to his other bakery in SoHo). Instead, the cutting-edge baker-wizard conjures up other edible oddities such as garlic-bread croissants, a French toast–like croque monsieur, and beignets sprinkled and filled with matcha powder. In warmer months, the outdoor tables are much more pleasant than the uncomfortable stadiumlike seating setup on the inside. Nothing here will ever match the phenomenon of the cronut, but given the much shorter lines, that's a good thing.
137 7th Ave. S., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Shorter lines than the SoHo cronut bakery
- Inventive baked goods
- Outdoor tables
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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$ | Flatiron District |
There’s a reason why these doughnuts in multilicious flavors have become a signature at so many cafés throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, and at this Manhattan outpost of the Bed-Stuy original, you can get them fresh out of the oven. The ever-popular (though odd-sounding) hibiscus doughnut looks gorgeous and has just the right amount of tart fruitiness to balance the sweetness of the dough; other favorites include passion fruit, salted chocolate, and cinnamon and sugar.
14 W. 19th St., New York, New York, 10011, USA
Known For
- Creative flavors
- Good coffee
- There are a few tables
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$ | |
One of several traditional Chinese bakeries along 8th Avenue, this busy café is a good stop for a morning or afternoon pastry and a sweet milk tea. Savory and sweet Chinese classics like the flaky egg tarts, steamed buns, and airy slices of green-tea sponge cake are all between $1 or $2 apiece, so try as many as your appetite allows. Get your snack to go, or grab one of the few small tables.
5711 8th Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11220, USA
Known For
- Fresh egg tarts
- Chinese buns
- Cakes
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$ | |
Of the few old-school Italian pastry shops remaining in Williamsburg, this family-run café and bakery is by far the best. The three Fortunato brothers emigrated from Naples in 1971 and opened this Italian bakery in 1976; the fact that they may not have updated the decor since then only makes the place feel more authentic. Glass cases are lined with trays of cannoli, tiramisù, rum baba, sfogliatella, cream puffs, and cookies, all made in-house. The gelato is homemade, too.
289 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11211, USA
Known For
- Old-school Italian-American pastries
- Delicious gelato
- Vintage decor
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$ | Chinatown |
If you're craving something dessert-ish but not too sweet, the light and "bouncy" Japanese-style cheesecakes and cream puffs in flavors like matcha, ube, and cookies and cream from this little shop are delicious. The American-style cheesecake is really good, too.
79 Mott St., New York, New York, 10013, USA
Known For
- Seasonal soft serve
- Cheesecake so fluffy that it jiggles and bounces
- Top-line ingredients
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$ | Brighton Beach |
Don't be deceived by the French name: this unassuming bakery is Russian-Jewish, right down to its rugelach roots. The wall-to-wall trays are packed with babka (a sweet yeast cake filled with swirls of chocolate or cinnamon and sugar), smetannik (sour cream layer cake), vatrushki (cheese pastries), and honeyed poppy-seed rolls. Slices of cake are sold by the pound and prices are shockingly low.
1073 Brighton Beach Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11235, USA
Known For
- Russian-Jewish baked goods
- Cake by the pound
- Sweet deals
