Best Bakeries in NYC

from the world's leading expert in little treats

Not to brag, but I’m the best at getting a little treat. The other week I was at my type design class when Liam texted me, “would you mind grabbing a little treat on your way home?” Little did he know I already had a little treat for us in my bag— this Japanese candy called Crunky we discovered in Kyoto but hadn’t been able to find in the U.S. A huge success.

Now I don’t know if New York is the world capital of little treats— have you ever seen a Parisian patisserie? The food floor of an Osakan department store? But it does have a healthy culture of good food to stash in your bag to eat later at your apartment.

My mental map of New York is, after 10 years, a complicated document. It is filled with info on where to pet a cat, where to use the restroom, where I saw various celebrities (this weekend I clocked both Joe Jonas and Bo Burnham), but most important is where to get a fine pastry or beautiful baguette on my way back to the subway.

Welcome Home- Bed Stuy

This place is a solid 25 minute walk from my apartment, and yet I have found an excuse to get there almost every week since it opened. They have this really good sesame loaf I’m obsessed with, and also milk bread which you don’t see so often. Their pastries are also a 10/10, I especially love their cinnamon bun, but Liam is partial to the plain croissant.

Breads Bakery- Union Square

I think they have other locations but I haven’t been to them so IDK. If I’m anywhere near Union Square I’m stopping at Breads, no questions asked. They have super good challah and chocolate babka as well as good sourdoughs and baguettes. I always grab a cheese straw as a snack when I’m there. They also have really good dips and salads in the back.

Balthazar- Soho

Nothing quite like walking around with a Balthazar baguette in your tote bag and feeling like a fancy little downtown lady. I also grab a canele here if they have them, but that logic applies everywhere on this list.

Frenchette Bakery- Tribeca

I’m partial to this guy since I famously got married at Frenchette. So this is pretty much my marriage baguette. This one is crusty as hell with the super sharp ends we want to see in a baguette. Everything here is obviously good. Bonus points for being hard to find and having weird back rooms vibes.

Lafayette- Noho

This one was super touristy for a while because they had this crazy croissant that people posted about on Tiktok, but I haven’t seen a line here in a long time. This one is mostly on the list because they sell mini baguettes, and I am addicted to anything mini. Also I did try the crazy croissant (the pistachio version) and have to say the Tiktokers were right. It was crazy.

She Wolf

This one is for the true bread heads. She Wolf doesn’t have a permanent location and sells out early on weekend farmers markets. Your best bet is to go to the Union Square farmers market on a Wednesday afternoon (sacrifice your 9-5 to the bread hunt) or find out what restaurants they sell at during the week. Their sourdough is godlike.

Mah-Ze-Dahr- West Village

This is such a bougie little spot, I love it. They don’t make bread, just pastries and things like quiche. Everything I’ve ever had at this place hits the spot. Their cookies are delightful.

Elbow Bread- Lower East Side

I only just tried this place for the first time on Saturday, but it was really really good. This place has beautiful knishes and pretzels and rugelach and croissants. I had a scallion schmaltz roll and Liam got this insane almond croissant. I am definitely trying to get back here before I move.

Librae Bakery- East Village

This place has a solid line, which I don’t like endorsing. I’m anti-line. However, I have been doing classes at the Cooper Union for a while which is right next door, so I have had a few opportunities to wait on the line in order to kill time before class. I feel like this place is definitely overpriced (I was scandalized tbh) but everything I had there was good soooooo what are you gonna do.

L’Appartement 4F- Brooklyn Heights

Same line gripe as Librae, same admission that everything here is really good. On my birthday last year I had the most delicious cookie of my life from this place while sitting on the promenade. I would recommend you do that on your birthday too.

Hani’s- East Village

If you’re in the neighborhood I would maybe choose this place over Librae? There’s no line as far as I know and they have this pistachio tahini rice crispy treat that changed my life. It was the kind of little treat that you actually have to LOL that anything on this god forsaken planet could ever be so delicious.

Ferrara’s- Little Italy

Yes, Ferrara’s is a Little Italy tourist trap, but the cannolis don’t lie. Also the vibes in here are precious to me as a New Jersey native who is essentially culturally Italian-American.

Tao Hong- Chinatown

There was a while where Liam would make me stop here every time we drove to the Holland Tunnel on our way out of the city. It is a stressful place to be in your car (right by the Manhattan bridge) but the treats were worth it every time. They have this crazy sugar frosting bun that’s so sweet and light and unlike any other dessert I’ve ever had.

Veniero’s- East Village

Like Ferrara’s but more chill. Any Italian-American treat will be found here in fine form. They’re also open late which is really important in the East Village.

Lysee- Flatiron

Sometimes you just need the world’s fanciest treat, and when that happens you go to Lysee, where they have the most beautiful little cakes and pastries that anyone has ever created. It will make you sad to eat them.