The Resy Guide to Excellent Bakeries in New York


Agi’s Counter in Crown Heights keeps a tight — but totally dialed-in — pastry menu, meaning you absolutely should try one of everything. Their take on a New York-style cheesecake, sitting in a pool of olive oil, is extraordinary, as is their buttery, soft spanakopita babka, which may be sold out if you get there later in the day. Fank, their Hungarian-style donuts available on Sundays, are fried to order and come with a side of seasonal jam and sweet butter, reminiscent of a jelly donut.

Chef Dan Kluger’s Hudson Yards restaurant, Greywind, also has a sister bakery that’s open in the daytime from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Don’t miss the apple and polenta muffin and the iconic housemade “cheese-it.” And if you’re looking for something a bit more substantial, their breakfast “baos” are excellent as well, especially the egg sandwich with chicken and herb chorizo and housemade hot sauce.

Walk-ins only.

Founded by the team behind Oxalis and Place des Fêtes, Cafe Mado occupies the former Oxalis space just steps away from the Brooklyn Museum. And thanks to their sister bakery in the Columbia Waterfront Street District, they’ve got a stellar lineup of baked goods.

Starting at 8:30 in the morning, the cafe brews Parlor coffee and offers a selection of Laurel Bakery pastries. The ever-changing menu rotates based on the season, but don’t miss the kouign amann and almond bostock at breakfast, in particular. And should you find yourself there for lunch or dinner, don’t sleep on the baguette and butter — and consider taking a baguette to go for later.

Vietnamese American bakery, Bánh by Lauren, which started as a passion project during the pandemic, now has a permanent home in the Chinatown area. Their bánh bò nướng, a pandan honeycomb cake, as well as their sleek chiffon cakes, have become signature menu items. Don’t miss out on their extensive coffee program, and don’t leave without one of the city’s best chocolate chip cookies.

Walk-ins only.

A trip to the Upper East Side to eat at Café Sabarsky transports you to Vienna without having to set foot on a plane. They have an extensive sweet and savory menu, but it’s really the pastries that you come here for. The warm kaiserschmarren, feuilletine, linzer torte, and Sacher torte are not to be missed. 

Walk-ins only.

Located in The Hoxton, Williamsburg, you’ll find this Philadelphia transplant from acclaimed chef Michael Solomonov, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, you’ll want to go early in the day to snag one of their outstanding pistachio sticky buns. Their Jerusalem bagel, a lighter, oblong cousin to a New York-style bagel, is the ideal vessel for either of their breakfast sandwiches, too.

Step inside La Cabra Bakery and you’ll first be taken aback by the beautifully designed interior. But what’s even more impressive are their textbook laminated pastries and the fragrant cardamom buns, their signature item. If you’re into coffee, they have a thoughtful and impressive coffee program as well — the perfect pairing for a great pastry, of course. Good to know: They also have cafe locations in Soho and Bushwick.

Walk-ins only.

For an elegant breakfast any day of the week, Le Crocodile, located in the Wythe Hotel, is the place to go. Baked fresh in-house daily, you can expect things like a honey butter scone, blueberry almond cornmeal muffin, or their housemade sourdough croissants.

A woman-owned bakery that draws inspiration from Danish technique and Middle Eastern flavors, Librae packs their pastries full of flavor, offering specials that rotate often. The options can be overwhelming, but rest assured that anything you try here will be delicious. The rose pistachio croissant and loomi babka bun are popular choices for a reason.

Walk-ins only.

Walk-ins only.

Chef Eunji Lee’s pastry boutique and cafe in the Flatiron district offers some of the most stunning and thoughtfully crafted desserts in the city. Reservations are available for dining in, and there’s also the option for wine pairings as well. For to-go options, the viennoiserie are outstanding, especially the pain au chocolat and kouign amann, and the corn mousse cake is iconic for a reason.

You can’t go wrong with anything at Mah-Ze-Dahr, now with locations in the West Village and Battery Park. Their cinnamon rolls, only offered on the weekends, are heavenly and worth an earlier wakeup call. Their butter croissant, Devil in Ganache chocolate cake, dark chocolate explosion cookies, and light and fluffy cheesecake are also standouts.

Walk-ins only.

The owners of Nura are behind Pan Pan, which, as the name implies, is a bakery by day and wine bar by night. Open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., expect laminated pastries that change seasonally. The bakery also turns out exquisite cookies, sandwiches, and loaves of bread. Most patrons go for the unique guava cream cheese buns so they tend to sell out fast, but if they’re still available, don’t delay.

Combining European-style pastries with Japanese flavors, Patisserie Tomoko creates exquisite pastries and desserts in Williamsburg. Keep an eye out for the salty caramel nut tart, chestnut tart, or any of their chewy mochis. In the summertime, the ice cream sundaes are delightful.

Walk-ins only.

Located in Prospect Heights, stop by Patti Ann’s in the morning for their homemade baked goods. Their pastry offerings rotate fairly often, but the maple cruller is a particular highlight and, lucky for us, it’s a menu staple. The double chocolate chip cookie that’s only available during brunch is one of the most buttery and gooey — not to mention largest — around. And since you’re already there for brunch, make sure to order the pastry basket to sample an assortment of their baked goods.

Walk-ins only.

From the team behind Rolo’ss, the highly anticipated Radio Bakery in Greenpoint lives up to the hype, turning out glorious versions of your favorite laminated pastries, baked goods, breads, and sandwiches. When you step inside, you’ll see the bakers hard at work and immediately be hit with the irresistible smell of freshly baked breads and pastries. You can’t go wrong with any of the selections here, but don’t miss their seasonal danishes or any of the focaccias. A second location in Prospect Heights just opened, too.

Walk-ins only.

Walk-ins only.

This Mediterranean bakery is the newest venture from the team behind Fort Greene hot spots Theodora and Miss Ada. Led by pastry chef Christina Kavalis, at Thea, sweet and savory options include the chocolate chile babka, pistachio pumpkin loaf cake, chicken Milanese on challah, and a housemade pastrami on sourdough. The must-order item here is the twice-baked kataifi croissant with a delicious milk and cinnamon filling.

Located just across the street from its sister restaurant, Win Son, Win Son Bakery has an extensive sweet and savory menu and is known for exemplary versions of Taiwanese American treats like bolo bao (pineapple buns) and egg custard tarts. The egg-and-cheese scallion pancake sandwich, both donut selections, and date cake (a true sleeper hit), are all excellent. There’s also a newer East Village location that’s delivery only.

Walk-ins only.