Post Overview: Roundup of the best bakeries in New York City

One of my favorite things about living in New York City is having access to so many great bakeries in NYC. I have an insatiable sweet-tooth and find myself gravitating towards bakeries like a moth to the flame.

Thankfully (or not?) there’s no shortage of great bakeries in New York City to choose from. I’ve lived in NYC for the past five years and have discovered a few real gems, which I’d like to share today.

My hope is that you can benefit from the 100,000 calories I consumed to create this list. If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing worse than a poorly baked pastry (especially considering the steep NYC price tag) and I want to save you the trouble.

So without further ado, allow me to share my personal list of the best bakeries in New York City.

Best Bakeries in New York City

Mille Feuille

A hundred years ago I took a French class and convinced myself I should have been born French. In my mind the French could do no wrong. Nowhere does this ring more true than the country’s knack for making the best baked goods in the world.

The croissant is a prime example. Image a world without croissants!

But most of us can’t go to France on a whim for fresh pastries, so what to do? How about a quick visit to one of the cutest bakeries in New York City, Mille Feuille. This beloved NYC bakery churns out some of the best croissants in New York City, as evidenced by the long lines.

I can’t help but swing by whenever I’m within a mile of this gem, thankfully they have three locations to choose from (Upper West Side, Greenwich Village & Prospect Heights).

Location:

Greenwich Village (552 LaGuardia Place New York, NY 10012)
Upper West Side (2173 Broadway New York, NY 10024)
Prospect Heights (622 Vanderbilt Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11238)

BEST BAKERIES NYC — Mille Feuille Bakery in Brooklyn

Supermoon Bakehouse

Supermoon Bakehouse is the brainchild of Ry Stephen, the mastermind behind L.A. and San Francisco’s Mr. Holmes Bakehouse.

Today it’s considered one of the best bakeries in New York City and within one visit you’ll understand why. Renowned for its creativity and innovation, the baked goods have folks waiting on line for 1+ hours. The star of the show is the filled croissant, which became an Instagram sensation and sells out by noon.

During COVID the bakery scaled back operations and is currently open only three days a week, from Friday to Sunday. The result? Super long lines that wrap around the block well before the bakery opens.

I reached the bakery at 11am (one hour after opening) and waited in line for 45 minutes before reaching the front. I was willing to buy everything at that point but restrained myself.

And when I say “restrained” I should be clear — I ordered six items (and would have ordered more but I was by myself!) because I knew I had to try all the classics.

As mentioned, the most popular items at Supermoon Bakehouse are the filled croissants. During my visit the special of the day was the Everything croissant (stuffed with cream cheese, smoked salmon and dill). Not only did it completely live up to the hype but I wish I would have ordered two — it was so dang good.

Another item that came highly recommend was the nutella cruffin, a mixture between a muffin and croissant. It tastes as good as it sounds. Intricate layers of airy doughy goodness entangled with a soft and creamy nutella center. Perfection.

Location: 120 Rivington St, New York, NY 10002

Instagram bakery NYC, cute NYC bakery

Orwashers

Originally founded in 1916, Orwashers is one of the longest running businesses on the Upper East Side and recently opened a second bakery in the Upper West Side. This classic New York City bakery has been serving New Yorkers for more than 105 years!

Their success is often attributed to perfected traditional baking methods and the effort show. I suggest showing up early for the best selection because the most popular items sell out quickly.

The croissants are delicious and the black-and-white cookies are some of the best I’ve had. I also really enjoy their bagels, especially with the appetizing dill cream cheese. Try to visit before noon for the freshest selection.

What to order: Croissant, black and white cookie, sticky-bun babka (so good).

Location: 308 E 78th St. & 440 Amsterdam Ave.

Maman

Stepping into this charming New York City bakery makes the Francophile in me rejoice uncontrollably. Every detail, from the darling plates to the delectable baked goods make for a memorable experience. I’ve had a plethora of baked goods from Maman and have yet to be disappointed by a single item on the menu.

Everything is baked to perfection with a keen understanding of the technical skill required to create perfectly flaky, chewy and satisfying baked goods.

Originally started as a French bakery and cafe in Soho, Maman has spread like wildfire and currently boasts 13 beautiful locations. What really put them on the map was Oprah listing their nutty chocolate chip cookie as one of her favorite things.

I’m partial to the quiche, chocolate croissant and their famous macadamia nut cookie. Plus, the coffee is always great (not to be underestimated at a bakery).

Location: Various, I like the one in Soho.

Breads Bakery

A few years ago the chocolate babka at Breads Bakery was named the best in New York City — arguably the best in the world. Excuse me, but how could I possibly sleep at night until I tried it for myself?!

Without skipping a beat, I rushed to the bakery first thing the next morning to try the babka and see what all the fuss was about.

Dark chocolate ribbons enrobed in Nutella delicately folded into layers of airy dough pockets — I was hooked, and have been coming to this bakery every other week since. I’ve actually made a tradition of swinging by this iconic bakery in New York City before visiting my mom because she loves the babka too (plus, it make a great souvenir).

But you know what really impressed me? The chocolate croissant (of all things). Bread’s chocolate croissant is easily the best I’ve ever had and I’ve spent extensive time in Paris.

Of all the best bakeries in New York City, this is my favorite whenever I’m in a chocolatey mood because they have such a great selection of chocolate-forward goodies.

Locations:

Union Square (18 E 16th St, New York, NY 10003)
Upper West Side (1890 Broadway, New York, NY 10023)
Upper East Side (1294 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10021)
Bryant Park Kiosk (1090 6th Ave, New York, NY 10036)

Local’s Tip: Breads Bakery recently opened a new bakery in the Upper East Side. They chose to create a baked good exclusive to the location and landed on a delicious twist on the iconic black-and-white cookie. I would drive an hour out of the way for this thing, it’s one of my favorite deserts in the entire city, I can’t recommend it enough.

Mah-Ze-Dahr

Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery, if I could marry you, I would. Opening in 2014, Mah-Ze-Dahr is like the new kid on the block but within a mere seven years, they became known as one of the best bakeries in New York City. No easy feat in a city chock-full of bakeries.

The owner, Umber Ahmad is a James Beard Award semi-finalist (a huge deal in the culinary world) who left the lofty confines of the financial world to purse her dream of baking. She’s lovingly called a banker-turned-baker, and we’re all better for it, she’s incredibly talented.

The bakery’s name comes from the Urdu word that describes the “taste and essence of food, the flavor and magic that make it delicious.” The bakery lives up to the name by offering years of world-travel experience that shines through in the various assortments of baked foods.

Every tempting baked good is memorable and I find it impossible to stay away too long. I can’t get the chocolate cake out of my mind and don’t even get me started on those delectable chocolate chip cookies.

Address: 28 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011

Daily Provisions

Daily Provisions was opened by Danny Meyer, the mastermind behind Shake Shack, and now proudly boasts four locations (Union Square, Upper West Side, West Village and Manhattan West).

Most folks come to this cute New York City bakery for the crullers and find themselves returning to try everything else on the menu.

This bakery is famous for crullers, no doubt, but the true star of the show is the great sandwich menu, which offers some of the best breakfast sandwiches in New York City. Two clear standouts are the BEC (bacon, egg and cheese) and the smoked salmon everything croissant.

Also worth mention: Daily Provisions serves Joe Coffee and has some of the best Americanos I’ve had in the city. Highly recommend.

Locations: 103 E 19th Street & 375 Amsterdam Avenue

Levain Bakery

Chances are good that you’ve heard of Levain, arguably the most famous chocolate chip cookies in New York City, if not the world. Their gooey chocolate chip walnut cookies have amassed a cult-like following that only sounds surprising until you try them for yourself.

Rarely, in a city offering SO many food options, does a place stand so far above the rest but Levain Bakery is an exception. These incredible treats will reappear to you in dreams.

They keep the menu fairly small (five cookies and a few baked goods) which makes ordering a breeze. The line stretches well out the door most hours of the day and can be up to an hour long during the weekend. Have I waited in line for 1+ hours for a cookie? Yes. Did I regret it? Absolutely not.

Apart from the cookies, I’m also a sucker for their oatmeal raisin scone. I order it every time I go and find it to be perfectly soft, warm and satisfying. Highly recommend!

What to order: Original chocolate chip walnut cookie and oatmeal raisin cookie.

Dominique Ansel Bakery

If you’re looking for the best bakeries in NYC make a beeline for Dominique Ansel. Often considered one of the most innovative bakeries in New York City, this gem is beloved by locals and visitors alike.

I first visited for the world-famous cronut and left with a handful of irresistible baked goods. Everything Dominique Ansel touches turns to gold. And I must admit this iconic bakery in NYC is completely worth the hype, even long after the cronut sells out in the early morning hours.

I’ve visited Dominique Ansel Bakery more than twenty times and can tell you confidently that it’s impossible to be disappointed when visiting. The best way to describe this popular New York City bakery would be: Michelin-star quality at a fraction of the price.

Visiting Dominique Ansel feels like a treat, the baked goods are bound to leave a lasting impression and you’ll find yourself back (in line) in no time flat.

Address: 189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

Balthazar Boulangerie

It’s a personal mission of mine to try every single pastry that churns out of the oven at Balthazar Boulangerie. Their perfectly baked pastries can satisfy the most insatiable sweet-tooth (*raises hand).

This tiny and cute NYC bakery sells thousands of croissants a day, which is probably all you need to know about how good they are. And it’s true, the croissants are perfect, but so is everything else on the menu.

The chocolate donuts keep me coming back on a routine basis and the seasonal treats (flavorful fruit galettes) pleasantly impress time and time again. Plus, brunch at the neighboring restaurant by the same name is some of the best in NYC, I always make it a point to take out of town guests.

Address: 80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012