BEST Bakeries in Manhattan | TOP 5 for Pastries, Croissants & More!
Looking for a solid NYC bakery or pastry shop? After countless croissants, macarons, and endless sweet delights...these are my top picks for the BEST bakeries in Manhattan!
Manhattan is known as the culinary capital of the US. The restaurant and celebrity chef scene make this a top destination for foodies looking to try the latest trends and attend the most anticipated restaurant openings.
Did you also know that the New York patisserie scene is on point with a reputation of its own?
Manhattan bakeries are supplying locals and tourists alike with stellar baked goods. From traditional items like croissants to unique offerings like the cronut, every craving can be satisfied in the city that never sleeps.
With all the amazing bakery and pastry shops to choose from, it was quite the task to pick my favorites. After countless croissants, macarons, and endless sweet delights, these are my top 5 picks for the best bakeries in NYC!
See my top picks for the best bakeries in Manhattan in Google Maps. Click the icon in the very top left to see a list view of each pinned location. Select the top right button to enlarge the map. Click the star to save to your own Google Maps account. To access this map once saved (after clicking the star), open Google Maps (on your phone/computer/tablet), select the menu button, go to "your places", select "maps", and you will see this map listed.
- Blue - TOP 5 bakeries in Manhattan
- Red - honorable mentions
1. Supermoon Bakehouse
ONE OF THE BEST BAKERIES IN Manhattan FOR UNIQUE FLAVOR COMBINATIONS AND INSTAWORTHY creations
Supermoon Bakehouse entered the Manhattan bakery scene in late 2017 and offers trippy and unique treats. They're known for the cruffin (a croissant-muffin hybrid) with fillings like vanilla cream, rhubarb, strawberry, and basil.
Their menu changes and includes a mix of flavors.
Traditional items like the ham and cheese croissant, spinach pie croissant, and salted caramel donut are offered alongside more unique flavor combinations.
The menu changes weekly, but you'll find items like a rosemary blueberry croissant, s'mores croissant, rose jelly pistachio cream donut, curry mango donut, and banana split croissant.
Arrive early because they can sell out on busy days and weekends.
A menu mainstay is the Croque Monsieur, a ham and cheese croissant made with thick slices of ham and the perfect blend of Gouda, cheddar, and béchamel. Probably my favorite ham and cheese croissant on the planet.
I might even venture to say that Supermoon offers the most delicious croissants in NYC with their traditional and unique offerings.
This is absolutely one of the best bakeries in NYC and one I make a point to visit every time I find myself in the city.
2. Dominique Ansel Bakery
One of the best bakeries in Manhattan to try the "cronut"
Chef Dominique Ansel has quite the reputation in the pastry world. He was named the "World’s Best Pastry Chef" by the World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards in 2017 and listed as one of Business Insider’s “Most Innovative People Under 40”.
Chef Dominique is the youngest and the only U.S.-based chef to be awarded the World’s Best Pastry Chef title.
His signature creation is the cronut (a croissant-donut hybrid), which Time Magazine named one of the 25 best inventions in 2013.
Though, his other signature pastry, the DKA, outsells the cronut 2 to 1. It's a caramelized croissant-type treat with a gooey center and the perfect combination of sweet and buttery.
This is one of the best bakeries in Manhattan if you want a variety of options. From almost too pretty to eat delicacies, plain, sweet, or savory croissants, and rotating specials like the chocolate chip cookie shot glass with Tahitian vanilla milk...there's something to keep everyone happy.
Go on weekdays as the weekends can bring insanely long lines.
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Laduree SoHo
3. Laduree
One of the best bakeries in Manhattan for macarons in a posh setting
French based Laduree has two bakeries in Manhattan. One in Soho and one on the Upper East Side.
The Madison Avenue location (on the UES) is tiny and best for pastries to go. It does have a claim to fame as this was Laduree's first North America location.
The Soho location is the better of the two with a full restaurant, tea room, and retail bakery. The interior of this New York patisserie is a series of “salons” decorated in full Parisian flare and makes for a relaxing stop.
Ask for a table on the adorable patio if the weather is nice. Be sure to get a few macarons to go and try the chocolat chaud Laduree (a thick and creamy hot chocolate).
If you want an experience, go for the full afternoon tea!
Laduree is one of the best bakeries in NYC if you want to spoil yourself and glam atmosphere.
4. Mille-Feuille Bakery
One of the best bakeries in Manhattan to try the Mille-Feuille
Owner and executive pastry chef Olivier Dessyn trained at the Ritz Cooking School in Paris. His bakery offers authentic French pastries using only the finest ingredients with no additives or preservatives.
You can taste the commitment to quality in each pastry!
My favorite item is the signature Mille-Feuille. The puff pastry is perfectly laminated with paper-thin layers. The vanilla cream is thick and smooth with just a hint of sweetness. The salted caramel macarons are pretty awesome too.
This Manhattan bakery is perfect if you want something casual and quick..
5. Petit Chou
ONE OF THE BEST BAKERIES IN MANHATTAN for...chou pastries and croissants
Being the avid Great British Baking Show fan that I am, when I found a Manhattan bakery with the name "chou" in it, I just had to investigate. Chou pastries are often featured on the GBBS, yet, I rarely find these pastries in the US (beyond mediocre eclairs).
Petit Chou exceeded all expectations. The chou pastries were insanely good. And when I say good, I mean you'll think about buying a second pastry for "later" after you've finished your first.
The croissants and other baked goods were delicious as well. The almond croissant was a standout.
If you're looking for chou pastries, this NYC bakery is the place to go.
Honorable mention: Abraco
While Abraco may be a coffee shop first and foremost, it deserves an honorable mention for NYC bakeries. Unlike most coffee shops that outsource their baked goods, Abraco makes its pastries and other food items in-house.
A staple is the olive oil cake.
Everything else in the display case seems to change based on what ingredients are in season and at the farmer's market.
There's plenty of space and the friendly atmosphere is filled with locals. If you want to hang with the locals, Abraco is where you want to go.
Honorable mention: Breads Bakery
While the croissants may not be my favorite, the bread is top-notch.
Breads Bakery has, after all, won "best baguette in NYC".
They bake their bread in small batches throughout the day to ensure optimal quality. If you're looking for a NYC bakery for fresh-baked loaves and baguettes, this is your spot.
Photos: Levain Bakery
Honorable mention: Levain Bakery
You've probably been debating my opinion/ranking skills since I've waited until now to mention the ultra-famous Levain Bakery. Known for their thick, gooey cookies, Levain is where cookie fanatics will want to go. I don't include them in the TOP 5 because it's really just cookies that they're known for.
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Best Bakeries in Manhattan | NYC TOP 5
This was very helpful in planning a trip with my daughter for her to see NYC for the first time…..I have a culinary background – love cuisine but failed miserably in the pastries side of things although I absolutely have a heart for this – so we are looking forward to trying out several of your favorites!!! Again – appreciate your research and travel tips!! Thank you – your new follower from Mississippi!!!
Shelley
So glad this helped in planning your trip! I hope you enjoy and let me know which bakeries ended up being your favorite 🙂