Small Business Spotlight Series: Best Bakeries in NYC
If there is one place no one can find the self-discipline to turn down, it’s a NYC bakery. With the bakery boom in full force in NYC, there are a number of mom and pop shops, unique to each neighborhood, that people gravitate towards. From the fresh aroma of buttery goodness to the oddly soothing site of constructed confections, our agents know where to bring their clients; and even indulge themselves. Below are bakeries from all over NYC ready to make your next dessert one-of-a-kind.
CHOCnyc
Inwood
4996 Broadway, New York, NY 10034
At CHOCnyc, watch the pastries being made from scratch while enveloped in the aroma of chocolate and butter. “A few of the many options are Choc’s croissants, which put all others to shame, apple strudel as authentic as any café in Vienna, and their Jubilation Cake, sold by the slice and extremely similar to what we used to call blackout cake, a NYC classic,” agent RoseAnn Herman says. “Friends have designated me the official ‘bringer of dessert’ to any get-together now that they know what we know, that CHOCnyc is the gold standard of bakeries.”
(Recommended by RoseAnn Herman of our Riverdale office)
The Chocolate Room
Park Slope
269 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11231
Agent Joanna Mayfield Marks believes The Chocolate Room, right near Barclays Center, is a great night time dessert bar. “Friendly, adorable atmosphere with antique display cabinets and the best banana split you have ever tried,” says Marks. With brûléed bananas and brandied cherries on top, I don’t think anyone would disagree with her.
(Recommended by Joanna Mayfield Marks of our North Slope office)
Levain Bakery
Upper West Side
167 W 74th St., New York, NY 10023
“Home of the best darned chocolate chip cookie in the universe,” says agent Keith Marder. Levain Bakery keeps it simple, but delectable. The most classic, yet delicious cookie lives at Levain Bakery, and every cookie on the menu is freshly baked daily. Levain is also known for other amazing items such as a baguette with butter and jam.
(Recommended by Keith Marder of our West Side office)
By the Way Bakery
Upper West Side
2442 Broadway, New York, NY 10024
Gluten-free people! The best gluten free bakery, according to agent Amelia Gewirtz, is By the Way Bakery. So, just how good is it? “When I was selling a large home in the Cornwall across the street we had multiple offers - some were from buyers who were emotional (tears in eyes) saying they had to live there not just because it was a beautiful home but because it was across the street from By the Way Bakery,” says Gewirtz. She thought it was a bit dramatic, but after trying the cranberry orange baked goods and macaroons, she understood their obsession. For those in Connecticut, there is even a Greenwich location!
(Recommended by Amelia Gewirtz of our West Side office)
Aux Merveilleux de Fred
West Village
37 8th Ave, New York, NY 10014
Once voted #1 bakery in New York on Yelp and BuzzFeed, Agent Kleopatra Phili has a close connection to this elegant spot. “The bakers can be seen through the picture window with their white uniforms and white hats, gingerly placing their baked goods on the shelves that line the window,” Phili says. “The sight of the confections, the aroma of the baked goods, and the bespoke interiors with an oversized chandelier remind me of Beauty & the Beast!” Aux Merveilleux de Fred puts the style and elegance into baked goods, and are known for their brioche, waffles and merveilleux.
(Recommended by Kleopatra Phili of our West Side office)
Orwashers
Upper East Side
308 East 78th St., New York, NY 10075
Orwashers is the definition of chic, providing a very European, neighborhood feel. “They have a glassed-off kitchen in the back so you can watch as they make their breads fresh,” says agent Matt Martin. “It’s unlike anything I have ever seen before.” Martin’s absolute favorite is the New York Breakfast, which takes a unique spin on the classic bagel and lox combo, making theirs with dill cream cheese and topping it off with lemon zest. Other favorites include filled donuts and apple turnover.
(Recommended by Matt Martin of our Village office)
Lee Lee’s Rugelach By a Brother
Harlem
283 W 118th St, New York, NY 10026
If you are walking down the quiet, tree-lined Harlem street, your nose will go into autopilot and steer you here. Alvin “Lee Lee” Smalls, owner of Lee Lee’s, arranges a mechanical fan to peek outside the door of his bakery, blowing out sweet scents of freshly baked pastries to passerby. “Lee Lee’s has the best Rugelach in town, crowd favorite in his bakery. “I love the chocolate and walnut, but the apricot is a favorite for everyone,” says agent Leanne Stella.
(Recommended by agents Sandy Wilson, Leanne Stella and Mika R. Jones of our Harlem office)
The Corner Café and Bakery
Bronx
3718 Riverdale Ave, Bronx, NY 10463
This busy and bustling Kosher Dairy restaurant features many delectable mealtime choices such as crispy fresh salads and tasty omelets, but be sure to leave room for dessert! According to agent Vicki Green, “you’ll find some of the most wonderful cakes and cookies on the planet.” These delectable treats include creamy strawberry shortcakes, light and fluffy chocolate mousse cake, a creamy and gorgeous custard fruit tart and mandelbread “even better than grandma’s.”
(Recommended by Vicki Green of our Riverdale office)
Silk Cakes
Forest Hills
98-14 Metropolitan Ave, Forest Hills, NY 11375
Silk Cakes is one of the most unique bakeries in Queens. Owner/chef Judy Lai was inspired to create a perfect refreshing blend of East Asian and traditional Western flavors in a menu that includes everything from cupcakes and rainbow cookies to milk buns, pandan chiffon cake and seasonal lotus blossom cake. “This summer, the bakery received media attention by switching out frosting and replacing it with ice cream on their cupcakes, resulting in delicious combinations like vanilla cake topped with coconut-pandan and chocolate cake with nana chocolate bits,” agent Denise De Maria says. Silk Cakes creates beautiful customized cakes for all occasions.
(Recommended by Denise De Maria of our Forest Hills office)
Sweet Generation
East Village
130 1st Ave, New York, NY 10009
Indulge in confections while supporting the social purpose of Sweet Generation. “The staff are at-risk teens and young adults who, through the experience of working at the bakery and through specially designed career workshops, are given the opportunity to learn about customer service and entrepreneurship,” says agent Vivian Ducat. “The storefront has an old-time feel, with a large case at the front, filled with delicious goods.” Sweet Generation also won ‘Best Cupcake’ by the Village Voice, a special distinction in cupcake-saturated NYC.
(Recommended by Vivian Ducat of our Harlem office)
Feel free to reach out to our agents on what exactly to buy. Many of them have meetings in these cozy spots, due to their special atmospheres. When it comes to sweets, our agents don’t mess around!
📍 Orwashers Bakery (@orwashers ) | 3️⃣ Locations (UES, Fort Greene (inside WholeFoods), UWS) | Order Ahead Available | Curbside PickUp Available . . Oatmeal Raisin Cookie 🍪 🔎 🎥 . . I tried this oatmeal raisin cookie on Saturday (only half), I then ate the rest on Sunday (evening) and guess what! I’m still thinking about this cookie today (Wednesday). I’m shook 🤯. I’m shook at how chewy and moist this cookie was and the fact that the next day the cookie was just as moist. . . All I have to say is #Orwashers is the truth! Go (or run) and get some pastries from any 1 of their locations. (at Orwashers) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFNHkSVHxzq/?igshid=fwmsbld2o279
Last slice of the #orwashers raisin pump from the UWS with WI goat cheese for breakfast https://www.instagram.com/p/BxSLrJ0nt-4/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1b7nus4coss2c
For those of our readers who own their own business, take a moment to ponder the idea of what a centennial celebration might look like. Now pay some respect to Keith Cohen, whose bread bakery Orwasher’s has been around for an entire century. We visited Keith at his main bakery in the Bronx, where he was overseeing an intimate crew of skilled craftsmen as they rolled, proofed, steamed, baked and cooled some beautiful loaves, some of which were destined for our very own Chopt stores. We thought we were excited to serve their bread before, but after our trip, we really understood the level of care and attention native to their process.
The original Orwasher’s bread was located on East 78th street, a retail storefront with a basement bakery. Imagine what that was like in the summer, the ovens churning day and night in a Manhattan basement? Orwasher’s outgrew that space and moved to their current light-filled airy facility in 2012, enabling them to serve the Tri-State area. Keith showed us their bins of “ultimate wheat” and semolina flour, their sourdough starter and rye. We walked through the proofing room where steam was misting from a spout on the ceiling, keeping the dough at just the right jungle-like climate for the yeast to rise. The amazing thing about a bread production as ambitious as this one is that the basic techniques will never change; it must always be handmade. There might be better mechanical mixers or temperature control, but even if Orwasher’s is around another 100 years, the loaves must be shaped by hand and tended to by an expert.
We are looking forward to Orwasher’s return to Manhattan with a new retail location and small bakery facility on the Upper West Side next month.
Orwashers Bread company in New York City, run by Keith Cohen, relies on people rather than machines. Their bakers — passionate craftsmen — follow our slow, proven ritual. They follow traditional rules of bread-making — hand shaping, cutting and baking.
"We use our senses constantly. In the bakery, our hands act as our eyes. An ideal dough has the right mix of flour and water. A loaf out of the oven gives just the right amount of resistance when held. It fills the air with a memorable, timeless scent which says fresh baked, right here, right now."
Keith Cohen’s new book Artisan Bread: http://bit.ly/1k73bBO
PB&J sandwiches have a special place in my heart, dating all the way back to my childhood brown bag lunches. True story, I would trade my lunchables for my friend’s PB&Js any day of the week. This process worked very well for us and no mother’s feelings were hurt in the process.
Last year during Sandy, creative boredom took my love for the sandwich to new heights. Whatever we had on hand, I made it into a sandwich. Almond butter, peanut butter, bananas, honey, jam, granola, etc. Those bad boys didn’t last long, I’ll tell you that much.
Today, I bring you the PB&P. Peanut Butter and Pumpkin.
…Yum.
Right around the corner, there is this wonderful little bakery called Orwashers that I visit pretty frequently. Recently, they debuted their own build-your-own PB&J bar (genius) using Peanut Butter & Co’s line of nut butters. Today, I grabbed their PB & Honey on spelt bread, quickly realizing that I had plenty of leftover pumpkin purée from yesterday’s oatmeal bowl. I spread some of the purée on, added a little cinnamon, and voila! So easy, so nutritious, and certainly something that I’ll be revisiting again very soon.
