The Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick has long been a favoured foodie destination and is home to some of New York’s finest bakeries.
L’Imprimerie (Photo: Pamela Evelyn Photography via Flickr : CC BY 2.0)
Home to a diverse community and a rich cultural heritage, Bushwick features some of the best eating spots you’ll find anywhere in the city. With cuisines from all over the world available, the neighborhood is the perfect place to try new dishes and delicacies. Among its foodie offerings, Bushwick boasts some of the most sought-after bakeries in New York – and we’ve picked out seven of the best below, based on quality and variety of produce and overall charm.
L’Imprimerie
A relative new-comer to Bushwick’s bakery scene, L’Imprimerie has quickly become one of the most highly-rated bakeries in New York. Their baguettes are freshly made, with an impossibly soft middle and sourdough crunch. In fact, as the ultimate compliment, they’ve been compared to baguettes you might find in a classic Parisian boulangerie. What’s more, L’Imprimerie has also been hailed as serving up the best pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) and best cookies you’ll find across all five NYC boroughs. Be sure to sample their top-notch coffee, too. Indoor seating is limited but their terrace area is open all year round.
1524 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn
Bushwick Bakery
Bushwick Bakery (Photo: Bushwick Bakery)
The pastries and breads from Bushwick Bakery have been a beloved destination for years. Its founder, Jean-Pierre Marquet, opened his first bakery in 1987 on Smith Street, and today, Bushwick Bakery is not only a neighborhood favorite but supplies many of the best restaurants in New York with their pastries and bread. Their pastries are made using traditional French techniques, transporting you directly to the global heartland of delectable baked goods. The seating space is limited, but in the summer months they open their terrace where you can enjoy the sun while looking out at the Brownstones along Central Avenue.
127 Central Avenue, Brooklyn
Brooklyn Whiskers
Brooklyn Whiskers is another newcomer, but has gained rapid popularity for its vegan and gluten-free options. Indeed, they are one of the only places in the city that makes classic New York-style cheesecake that is completely vegan. On weekdays, they are a laptop-friendly cafe, with many remote workers coming here to work against a backdrop of huge glass windows that look right out onto Broadway. As well as their sweet items, they also have an excellent selection of savory bites, along with a large list of local beers and wines. The menu changes regularly, so there is always something new to try.
1037 Broadway
Circo’s Pastry
Circo’s Pastry (Photo: Garrett Ziegler via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Circo’s has long been a neighborhood favorite for everything from cookies to intricate cakes for celebrations of any kind. Founded in 1945, the bakery has been handed down to friends and family for nearly 80 years of practicing baking in traditional Sicilian style. Their nostalgic interior is the perfect backdrop for these old-school Italian-style confections. They have bright tri-color cookies, rich cheesecakes, and flaky pastries all on stunning display, and have gained such renown over the years that they now ship their products nationally. Though there isn’t any seating inside, Circo’s is less than a block from Maria Hernandez Park, which is perfect for a picnic.
312 Knickerbocker Avenue
Pan Rico Ambateño
Pan Rico Ambateño is a bakery which specializes in sweet treats from Latin America. It has a fantastic offering of typical New York desserts, but also bring to the table some more hard-to-find offerings. In a neighborhood with a rich Latino community, Pan Rico Ambateño offers baked items and flavors that reflect the area’s roots. There isn’t an official menu or even a company website – instead, Pan Rico Ambateño is a show-up-and-see-what-they-have kind of place. Plus, they’re right on Knickerbocker across the street from Maria Hernandez Park. Grab a sweet (and maybe one of their outrageously buttery empanadas) and hang out in the sun.
230 Wyckoff Avenue
Rudy’s Bakery and Cafe
(Photo: Tanzia via Flickr : CC BY 2.0)
Rudy’s has been around for so long that it’s practically a national landmark. They specialize in all things classic and nostalgic, from light and fluffy American sheet cake to tangy jelly doughnuts to their signature Black Forest Gateaux. Founded in 1934, this local staple offers a display case of goodies that will make your mouth water. Boxes of cookies sold by the pound are offered as well as simple but delicious custom cakes for any celebratory occasion. They also have an enticing selection of gelato, best served sandwiched between two freshly-baked chocolate cookies. There is limited seating but while it’s not fancy inside, it feels like home and smells even better.
905 Seneca Avenue, Queens
Fat Doughnut
(Photo: Jonathan Cutrer via Flickr : CC BY 2.0)
This hole-in-the-wall doughnut shop is technically in Bed-Stuy but is included in our list for the simple reason that these are some of the best doughy treats in the city. The world seems to be under the spell of luxury doughnuts, but this small shop bucks this trend and sticks to the classics (with a handful of modern twists). While the variety isn’t extensive, they follow the mantra of “excellence in simplicity”. Their glazed doughnuts are unrivalled and their prices reasonable, too. The small outlet does not have much by way of seating, but it’s a straight route down Lafayette Avenue to Herbert Von King park, where there is plenty of green space for you to recline in with your sumptuous sugar-laden treats.
50 Malcolm X Boulevard, Brooklyn