| Upper West Side | Bakery Description |
|---|---|
Cookies  | |
| Jacques Torres | A New York City staple, Jacques Torres has been making fantastic chocolate and pastries since the 1980's but launched his namesake stores in 2000. At Jacques Torres you'll find a variety of supreme chocolate treats in a variety of creative creations. In addition to his fine chocolates, customers can indulge in one of NYC's best chocolate chip cookies. These 4oz jewels are loaded with delicious Jacques Torres chocolate and baked to absolute perfection. Their chocolate-to-dough ratio leans heavily towards chocolate making it a chocolate lover's dream. Also try purchasing the cookie mix and package of chocolate discs to make your own. You'll blow away just about anyone with your new "cookie-baking skills" -- making this the perfect ingredients for all you cheaters. |
| Insomnia Cookies | Cookie chain in NYC that delivers cookies and milk to your doorstep until 3AM. Flavors include: Chocolate Chip, S'mores, White Chocolate, Snickerdoodle, Oatmeal Raisin, Sugar, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Mint, etc. |
| Milk Bar | Milk Bar is the creation of baking wizard Christina Tosi. She, along with Momofuku owner David Chang, combined forces to create one of NYC's most popular bakery in 2008. Milk Bar serves unique soft serve ice cream, milkshakes, milk quakes, cake truffles, cake, coffee, crack pie and much more. Their desserts are a favorite among locals and tourist alike. While their birthday cake is quite possibly the best thing on the menu, Tosi's cookies are creative and fun. You'll find such flavors as Compost, Confetti, Caramel Grapefruit Snap, Corn, Blueberry and Cream, Cornflake Marshmallow Chocolate Chip, Chocolate-Chocolate Cookie, Perfect 10 and Best Freaking Cookie. All of Milk Bar's cookies are innovative with a chewy texture and innovative flavors. While you won't be writing to aunt Helga in Australia, their cookies are still satisfying and memorable. |
| Orwasher's Bakery | A New York City institution serving a variety of fantastic, freshly-baked artisan breads. Almost everything will please the palate. Their chocolate chip cookies, black and whites and rainbow cookies are classic and tasty. |
| Mille-Feuille Bakery | French pastry chef and owner Olivier Dessyn left his job as a Software Engineer in France to start his own bakery in New York City -- and we're glad he did. The cookie options are limited but what they do have are called Diamond Cookies. These shortbread beauties will make your toes curl. |
| By the Way Bakery | A kosher, gluten-free and dairy-free bakery, By the Way Bakery offers loads of great options. Their cookies include chocolate chip, almond and ginger just to name a few. |
| Make My Cake | Southern baking style with a Harlem touch. Make My Cake offers your traditional cookie flavors: chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, sugar cookies, butterscotch, etc., but with a delicious home-baked flavor. |
| Levain Bakery | Quite possibly the greatest cookie you will ever eat. These 6oz cookies have a golden, crispy outter shell with a perfected gooey center. There is a secret to how it's done that's why it's often replicated and never duplicated. The Chocolate Chip Walnut is the most popular but trust me ... the Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip is the game changer. It's the most intimate food experience you'll ever have. There are two locations are the Upper West Side. The original location on 74th and Amsterdam is the smaller shop (where all the tourist go). The second location is just up the street on 77th and Amsterdam. It's much, much larger, a lot less busy, and -- from what I'm told -- was created for the locals. |
Cupcakes | |
| Baked by Melissa | Melissa Ben-Ishay started Baked by Melissa in 2008 after getting fired from her job. A 24-year-old Ben-Ishay showed up to work one day as an assistant media planner and got the ax. That defining moment in her life catapulted her into the mini-cupcake stratosphere. Her first store -- or pick-up window -- opened up in SoHo and now, more than a decade later, she has 14 stores in the NYC area and ships nationwide to all 50 states. These bite-sized treats are fantastic! Don't try and one-bite these little beauts -- they are made to dominate. One bite, melt in your mouth, swallow, cheesy grin, onto the next cupcake. They are small but extremely moist and full of flavor. Each one is like a little party in your mouth. With tons of flavors to choose from you won't have any trouble finding one you like. Popular flavors include: Tie Dye, Cookies & Cream, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Cookie Dough, Red Velvet and Chocolate Chip Pancake. There hasn't been a cupcake I didn't like from Baked by Melissa so cheat your heart out on these little nuggets. |
| Magnolia Bakery | This location in West Village is the original Magnolia Bakery and the one popularized by Sex in the City. Magnolia is the one that started it all. The concept of six degrees of separation holds true with this cupcake establishment that opened in 1996 by Jennifer Appel and Allysa Torey. Other bakeries including Billy's Bakery, Buttercup Cake Shop (opened by Appel after splitting from Magnolia) and Sprinkles -- to name a few -- were all created and inspired by Magnolia. This New York chain is one of the original bakeries credited with starting the cupcakes craze. Known for cakes and pudding, Magnolia also sells a variety of other baked goods such as pies, scones, muffins, cookies, bars, etc. If it's cupcakes you desire then you have options. Try the Hummingbird, Banana, Devil's Food or traditional Vanilla. |
| Make My Cake | Southern baking style with a Harlem touch. Signature flavors include red velvet, butter cream and spinklicious. |
Cakes and Pies  | |
| Magnolia Bakery | This chain has been a New York City staple since it first opened in 1996. Popularized by the HBO series Sex and the City (season 3, episode 5), Magnolia has flocks of fans and tons of flavors. Some of those cake flavors include: vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, carrot, devil's food, etc. |
| Make My Cake | Southern baking style with a Harlem touch. Signature cake flavors include red velvet and German Chocolate Throwdown. Their pies are also full of flavor -- a popular one being the sweet potato pie. |
Doughnuts  | |
| Orwasher's Bakery | A New York City institution serving a variety of fantastic, freshly-baked artisan breads. Almost everything will please the palate. Their doughnuts are loaded with filling and are as soft as a pillow. Flavors include: strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, black raspberry and sour cherry. |
| Mille-Feuille Bakery | French pastry chef and owner Olivier Dessyn left his job as a Software Engineer in France to start his own bakery in New York City -- and we're glad he did. The French Doughnuts at Mille-Feuille come in just two flavors: chocolate and plain. It's actually half croissant, half doughnut (his version of Dominique Ansel's Cronut) that is flaky-buttery goodness. |
Ice Cream  | |
| Tasti D-Lite | Soft serve ice cream shop that promotes its ice cream and healthy living with smaller portions and less calories. It also offers a nutritional statement for each of its products. With a ton of options and toppings their flavors include: vanilla, creamy cocoa, peanut butter, marshmallow, strawberry, Oreo, rocky road, etc. |
| Emack and Bolio's | This hippie-themed ice cream shop started in 1975 in Boston. Founder Robert Rook started the shop as a side project but has since expanded to multiple cities and countries. Known for its funky creations you'll find options like Grasshopper pie, S'moreo, Stoney's Dream, Deep Purple Chip, Space Cake to name a few. Emack and Bolio's is also home to the ice cream pizzas which is described as a “Sundae in a Slice." It's made with a rich brownie crust, creamy vanilla bean speck ice cream with their famous hot fudge and marsh ‘mellow.’ |
| Jacques Torres | A New York City staple, Jacques Torres makes fantastic chocolate and cookies. He also entered into the world of ice cream, which to the shock of no one, does pretty well in that category, too. Flavors included: strawberry, vanilla, mocha, salted caramel, chocolate, etc. But Mr. Chocolate figured out how to make ice cream gold by making some of the best cookie ice cream sandwiches in the city. Two perfect chocolate chip cookies joined together by silky smooth ice cream? Sign me up! |
| Pinkberry | Starting in California in 2005, this large frozen yogurt chain offers up tasty and consistent cold treats throughout the country. Their smooth, tart froyo is perfected with fresh, hand-cut fruit toppings or sugary sweet confections. |
| Grom | Founders Federico Grom and Guido Martinelli created Grom to reestablish what true gelato should taste like. They felt that too many gelato companies were using chemicals and preservatives so they went back to their roots. They started using the best raw ingredients and techniques of their grandparents. The result is a creamy gelato with good flavor. While Grom tastes good, it's not on the same level of anything you would find in Italy. Their flavors include: Stracciatella, Coffee, Pistachio, Yogurt, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, etc. |
| Amorino Gelato | Amorino was born in France in 2002 by Italian founders Cristiano Sereni and Paolo Benassi. They wanted to bring the magic of authentic traditional gelato from their native culture to the world with one goal in mind: to make the highest quality gelato as naturally as possible with no artificial colors or flavors. Their ice cream is creamy and full of flavor. Local favorites include: mango, banana, coconut, hazelnut and pistachio. |
Bagels  | |
| Pick A Bagel | Traditional bagel spot in NYC. Bagels are fine but average. You won't be disappointed or blown away. |
| Absolute Bagels | Sam Thongkrieng opened Absolute Bagel in 1990. He moved to NYC in the 80's and learned the bagel-making-craft from Ess-a-Bagel. Ever since, Thongkrieng has been pumping out some of the finest bagels NYC has ever seen. Hands down, Absolute makes some of the best pure bagels in New York City. The combination of soft, doughy texture with a savory, chewy bite is perfected. The bagels are cheap in price but high in quality. I love a raw plain bagel right out of the box/basket. That's a bagel flavor at it's purest and I could eat a few of these. Like five. In under a minute. Dead stare. |
Coffee  | |
| Amorino Gelato | Amorino was born in France in 2002 by Italian founders Cristiano Sereni and Paolo Benassi. They wanted to bring the magic of authentic traditional gelato from their native culture to the world with one goal in mind: to make the highest quality gelato as naturally as possible with no artificial colors or flavors. While their ice cream is good, they also offer a thick, delicious hot chocolate that will warm your soul. |
| Irving Farm | Spacious cafe with yummy lattes and loads of baked food options. Also serving wine and beer on tap. |
| Bluestone Lane | Bluestone Lane, which launched in 2013, is a cafe that is inspired by the world renowned coffee culture found in Melbourne Australia. Melbourne is known for their combination of creative, tasty food, great coffee and friendly service in their cafes. Bluestone Lane uses 100% Arabica coffee at their locations and offer freshly prepared foods. You'll also find different lattes flavors including Turmeric Lattes and Beet Lattes. |
| Joe Coffee Company | Jonathan Rubinstein opened Joe Coffee Company in 2003 after being burnt out from his job as a talent agent. Since then, Joe Coffee has popped up around the city and gained quite the following. What you'll get at Joe Coffee are smooth lattes, good tasting coffee and a relaxing atmosphere. Whatever your preferred coffee drink, Joe's will make them well. All around good coffee shop that you'll enjoy. |
| Blue Bottle Coffee | James Freeman is the creator of Blue Bottle Coffee. After years of chasing a musical dream Freeman decided to chase another passion: coffee. He built his brand with the idea that he will only sell coffee that's made to order within 48 hours of roasting the beans. He began selling his coffee at a farmer's market in Oakland, California in 2002. Soon after, he opened up a store in Oakland, quickly spread throughout the Bay Area, then eventually found it's way to New York City in 2010. In 2017, Nestle bought the majority stake (68%) of Blue Bottle for an estimated $425 million. If you're heading to Blue Bottle for a cup of java then you won't be disappointed. Their cold brews are great but it's their famous pour-over coffee that makes them so terrific. All their coffee is made to order to ensure it's the freshest and tastiest cup you'll ever have. And while you're there you can purchase the fantastically crafted Blue Bottle Coffee Dripper that took four engineers and 70 prototypes to create. |
| Birch Coffee | Jeremy Lyman and Paul Schlader met in a 12-step recovery program in 2005 and opened Birch Coffee in 2009. Lyman, who worked for a mortgage company, and Schlader, an actor/bartender, now run 10 locations in New York. Their idea for Birch is to not over complicate things by serving too many drinks but rather to make great coffee and give customers a memorable experience. The cold brews, lattes, flat whites, cappuccinos are all good. They also carry baked goods from local bakeries. |
Other  | |
| Mille-Feuille Bakery | French pastry chef and owner Olivier Dessyn left his job as a Software Engineer in France to start his own bakery in New York City -- and we're glad he did. The galette des rois (king cake), croissants and mille feuille are all full of flavor and worth the price of admission. |
| Orwasher's Bakery | The skinny brioche that's filled with jam, peanut butter or Nutella is a perfect little treat. Soft, sweet texture with your choice of filling is always a winner. |