New York I love you, but you are exhausting! I’ve spent the last week pounding the streets, walking up to 11 miles a day, all in aid of my US book tour, well that and I had a LOT of bakeries to check out.
Due to unseasonably heavy rain we had to move the book launch to the wonderful Ovenly Bakery in Park Slope, instead of their great outdoor terrace they have at their Cobble Hill location. Thankfully only a few people went to the wrong location and only one person went to an entirely different location never associated with the launch at all. To be honest, I was actually quite nervous, numerous people told me New Yorkers were notoriously quick to cancel when it rains, and it had been pouring it down, I was worried no one would turn up and I be sat their on my own with a stack of books and a table full of baking! Thankfully my fears were totally unfounded and it didn’t seem to discourage anyone. It was wonderful to see so many of you there, you made the start of the tour very special, thank you.
Bakeries
Let’s get to the bakeries! I know that’s what you really came here for. This little list is a mix of new places (at least to me) and a couple old haunts Iv’e been to many times. If you want more recommendations from previous trips let me know and I’ll write them up.
La Cabra
152 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
@lacabra.nyc
This coffee company from Denmark has recently started opening bakeries, with one in Denmark and the newly opened location in New York. The coffee is excellent, probably the best I had in the city. The space is beautiful, a little scandi, a little Japanese. The baking is very special, the quality is incredibly high and, slightly unusually for the city, the level of sweetness is kept to a minimum. Whilst I was enjoying my coffee, and my singular pastry, the baker Bengini (who you may know from his massively successful TikTok account) came by to say hi and he ended up getting us a whole bunch of the pastries to try, so it’s safe to say I have tasted most of the menu. The ‘plain’ croissant is anything but! Baked bien cult (well browned) it has a beautiful flavour without becoming dried out, a balance many bakeries struggle with. It was truly one of the best croissants I’ve had in a very long time. The seasonal choux with lemon and blueberry is a must order as is the caramelised apple tart. To be honest I’m not sure you could really go that wrong with anything you order. A new favourite in the city for sure.
Librae
35 Cooper Sq, New York, NY 10003
@libraebakery
Librae is another brand new spot in the city and it’s also another beautiful set up, a very light and open space with a big open bakery at the back. Opened by a husband and wife team, they describe it as a mix of Bahrainian hospitality and Danish technique. You can expect beautiful flavour combinations, with a strong nod to Middle Eastern ingredients. My favourite things were the grape and tahini danish and the Jerusalem bagel with labne. The wife of the couple has an existing coffee roasting business so all the coffee served is roasted in house and was excellent.
Bo’s Bagels
235 W 116th St, New York, NY 10026
@bosbagels
Bagels are, of course, synonymous with this city; but how good are they actually? Without naming names, I found quite a few of the famous bagels rather disappointing, just incredibly dense, none of the contrast between a beautifully crisp crust with a crumb that straddles the line between soft and dense. Thankfully there was one place that stood out and fulfilled my craving for both an excellent bagel and an excellent New York breakfast sandwich. Just north of Central Park, in Harlem, you’ll find Bo’s Bagels. A busy spot packed with a constant stream of customers, it may not be flashy but oh boy did I love the everything bagel. The texture was perfect and it made for the perfect bacon egg and cheese. Absolutely the best bagel I’ve had in the city, hands down.
Mel The Bakery
1 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002
@melthebakery
This is probably my new favourite bakery in the city, it’s a gem of a place, a teensy little shop in the lower east side on the border of Chinatown. A place that looks and feels like it should be in some small town, with its quaint shop front and rustic interior. They specialise in using seasonal, local ingredients, with a special focus on regional grains. The cinnamon bun, made with a croissant dough, was a highlight but everything we tried was incredibly good. I’ve heard this place is incredibly popular and can have queues and sells out early so be warned and get their early. A total gem.
Frankel’s Deli
631 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
@frankelsdeli
A modern take on the Jewish deli, they are rightly known for their breakfast sandwiches. I had a PEC, a pastrami egg and cheese, on a very good everything bagel. Big fan of this place. A great place to start of a day of exploring Brooklyn.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds
439 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
@birdsblack
This is not a new place, not by any stretch, they’ve been open since 2009. The pie they serve, by the slice or by the whole pie, is still worthy of a visit. My boyfriend, Mike, really wanted some classic American pie before he flew home to London and this is the best place I know of in the city. We shared a slice of blueberry gooseberry pie, a great combo because the gooseberries add acidity that helps to brighten the blueberries. The crust has great flavour and the streusel topping was a great contrast to the soft jammy filling.
Supermoon Bakehouse
120 Rivington St, New York, NY 10002
@supermoonbakehouse
Again, this is not a new place I’ve been visiting since this bakery first opened and the quality is still very good. Our favourite things were the horchata cookie, which had tons of texture along with an flavour that really reminded me of Horchata, plus the vegetarian pot pie danish which kind of had an American nostalgia thing going on.
Other places to visit
Los Tacos No.1 - a great taco place with a few locations across the city
Lions and Tigers and Squares - great Detroit pizza, much better than Prince St Sicilian slice which has gone way down in quality
Russ and Daughters - an NYC stalwart, a Jewish deli with a long history that is well worth a visit
Miznon - the famous Israeli restaurant chain, which makes great pitas
Emily - pizza spot in Brooklyn and the West Village
Scarrs Pizza - I didn’t make it this time, but on previous visits this has been my favourite slice in the city
New York, New York, a fabulous place to be, and what I would have given to have read something like this before we went there a few years ago. Doing research is so much fun and particularly when you get some freebies... I’m impressed that you actually found somewhere that serves up a great coffee, the one thing we have never experienced when visiting the US.
Thank you for sharing! Great write up, and wonderful pics. Makes me hungry!