Artisan Bakeries NYC
The spirit of artisanal baking is alive and well in the talented hands of Manhattan's innovative and hip, young bakers.
Believe it or not, these places do exist in 2015, even in a hustle and bustle, nonstop city like New York. It's time to meet some of the traditional bakers, as well as the cutting-edge pastry artists and the young moulders of dough who are at the helm of some of NYC's best pantheons of bread and comfort food.
Breads Bakery - Union Square - New York, NY
Bread that tastes like it was baked in your grandma's kitchen. It's been a long, interesting journey, from Tel Aviv to New York, for master baker Uri Scheft. The diverse group of people who he has met and the challenges he's faced have made Uri the man and baker that he is today.
Born in Israel to Danish parents, Uri spent his formative years in both Tel Aviv and Denmark. As a child, Uri discovered the joy of baking when he watched his mother hard at work in the kitchen, baking the Sabbath Challah every Friday. Uri also learned what the true meaning of hospitality is, from his parents, who loved entertaining their friends and family at every opportunity.
Hospitality is second nature to Uri and you can feel the warmth whenever you enter any of the bakeries that he owns in New York or Tel Aviv. Uri has been at the helm of Lehamim Bakery since 2001. It is recognized as the premier artisan Bakery in all of Israel.
Most of the breads that they bake are whole grain and go through a slow proofing process which sharpens and improves the flavor. This is the way bread should taste. Uri uses natural and organic ingredients in his breads and pastries. There are no shortcuts here at Breads Bakery.
Uri's approach to baking reflects his diverse ethnic background, which is just perfect for a city like New York. His Scandinavian roots can be found in the dark rye breads that fly off the shelves at Breads Bakery. Customers cannot get enough of Uri's Jewish staples like babka and challah bread or signature items such as the olive bread, the fig and walnut loaf, the marzipan challah, the herb loaf and the North Sea Rye.
There is also a small cafe where you can purchase salads, sandwiches and soups, and there is also a selection of homemade gourmet spreads. Enjoy some tuna salad, tahini, hummus, beet and hazelnut spread or egg salad on an artisan roll.
If you love watching those baking shows on TLC or the Food Network, and think that you have what it takes to be a baker, then sign up for one of Uri's baking classes and hone your skills. Each class deals with a different theme, such as the art of challah braiding. You will have fun while you learn various baking techniques and you get to take home everything that you bake.
Location & Hours
18 East 16th Street, New York, NY 10003
(212) 633-BAKE or 633-2253
Hours:
Mon-Fri 6:30 AM to 9:00 PM
Saturday 6:30 AM to 8:00 PM
Sunday 7:30 AM to 8:00 PM
Amy's Bread, New York City
Like many of her fellow New Yorkers, Amy Scherber came to the city to follow her dreams. Originally from Minneapolis, Amy worked for years in a marketing company before deciding to follow her heart and make a career change. Amy was determined to pursue her dream of becoming a baker and one day owning her own business.
After graduating from the New York Restaurant School, Amy worked in various restaurants as a cook and pastry chef. Amy's career path took her to France, where she worked in three bakeries, perfecting her skills and building up her confidence. Returning to the Big Apple, her adopted hometown, Amy got a little more seasoning at Mondrian Restaurant as their head pastry chef.
In 1992, Amy's Bread opened its doors with little fanfare but with a big heart. It didn't take long for word-of-mouth to spread around the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. Amy's became "the" place to buy bread. When something is that good, savvy New Yorkers want in on it.
Since its opening, Amy's Bread has grown tremendously (three stores and over 150 dedicated employees) and received accolades from publications such as The New York Times, Bon Appetit, New York Magazine and Time Out New York. Amy Scherber was also the nominee for Pastry Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. That's being in very good company.
The mission statement at Amy's Bread is to "create a bakery and café that nourishes the mind, body and spirit of the communities that we serve." This entails being a good neighbor. Every day, Amy's Bakery donates their extra bread to City Harvest and other worthwhile organizations that feed the hungry.
Amy Scherber and her crew have helped to lead the movement away from packaged breads to real, hand-crafted breads, made with only the best ingredients, and they do it old-world style. They don't parbake and freeze the loaves. Amy believes that all of her breads and pastries should be enjoyed within hours after coming out of the oven.
There is a genuine team spirit throughout all locations and it translates to superior customer service. The signature bread is semolina with raisins and fennel. Not too far behind, in terms of popularity, are the French baguette and black olive twists. Every day they make over 20 different doughs and then form them into a variety of very appealing shapes and sizes.
You have never had breakfast like the one that they serve at Amy's! Special house-breakfast options include the Parisian (a crusty baguette served with butter and jam with your choice of coffee, tea or cafe' au lait), the Country Breakfast (two country buttermilk biscuits with butter and jam, along with your beverage of choice) and the Manhattan, which consists of two twists, cream cheese and jam.)
Other delectable treats include Asiago cheese twists, cinnamon challah knots, almond brioche toast, sticky buns, cheese danish (you can't get more New York than that) and a wide selection of muffins.
Using traditional European methods, Amy's makes their loaves in small batches. Artisan isn't just a word to Amy Schreber but a way of life for this talented and caring baker. Wherever you live in Manhattan, you're not far from an Amy's Bakery.
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Locations & Hours
Hell's Kitchen
672 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10036
(212) 977-2670
Hours:
Mon-Tues 7:30 AM-10:00 PM
Wed-Fri 7:30 AM-11:00 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM-11:00 PM
Sunday 8:00 AM-10:00 PM
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Avenue (between 15th and 16th streets)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 462-4338
The Village
250 Bleecker Street at Leroy Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 675-7802
Levain Bakery, New York City
Levain Bakery was founded by two good friends, Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald. The two women, both competitive swimmers, met while they were training for the Ironman competition. Pam and Connie come from two totally different worlds (Connie was a banker and Pam worked in fashion), but they bonded together over their love of swimming and their passion for baking.
One day, Connie and Pam entered into a passionate conversation about creating the world's greatest chocolate chip cookie, and the idea for opening their own bakery was born. Things took off in a big way and today, Pam and Connie ship their now world-famous chocolate chip cookies all over the globe.
The ladies got their start in the business by baking wholesale artisanal breads for restaurants throughout the City. It was only a matter of time until they found the right location and opened their doors for business. Restaurants could not get enough of the breads they baked, but the ladies' hearts were in retail and dealing with customers on a one-to-one basis.
One of the questions that this baking duo gets asked all the time is, Why the name Levain? Actually, Levain is a French term for a natural leavening agent or starter. Consisting of flour, water and wild yeasts, Levain is better known here in America as a starter for sourdough bread.
Sweet treats run the gamut from the aforementioned outstanding chocolate chip cookie to oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies, butter and jam infused baguettes, chocolate chip brioche and biscotti. Whole wheat raisin rolls, ciabatta bread, country rolls and scones are also on the menu at Levain. Some of the bakery's most in-demand items are the carrot raisin walnut bread, the pumpkin ginger spice loaf and the banana chocolate chip bread.
Pam and Connie want every New Yorker to be able to enjoy their baked goods. So, all unsold breads and pastries are donated to organizations that feed the homeless and lower-income New Yorkers. This is goodwill that comes from the heart.
Levain Bakery has a second location in the Hamptons.
Locations & Hours
167 West 74th Street, New York, NY 10023
(212) 874-6080
Hours
Mon-Sat: 8 AM-7 PM
Sunday: 9 AM-7 PM
http://www.levainbakery.com/
Hamptons Location
The Wainscott Village shopping Center
354 Montauk Highway, Wainscott, NY 11975
(646) 455-0952
Silver Moon Bakery - Upper West Side - New York, NY
Celebrate the special occasions in your life with cakes from Silver Moon Bakery. They can make any kind of cake you want, from ornate wedding cakes to custom birthday treats. The bakers at Silver Moon can even personalize your cake by printing almost any photo or image right on the cake. It's not magic and the photo-imaging won't interfere with the taste of your cake. They use edible rice paper and food-safe colors to create a stunning visual presentation. When you call or visit Silver Moon, just ask for the photo-cake option and they'll do the rest.
At Silver Moon, it's a point of pride that they are a true artisanal bakery devoted to the old ways of practicing their craft. But, the bakers here also love to test their creativity and experiment with new flavors and styles. The passion that they have for baking shows through in each and every loaf of bread, fruit tart, baguette, macaron, brownie and cookie that they turn out.
Their breads are baked with fresh yeast, King Arthur bread flour, organic whole wheat, whole rye and whole spelt flours. White breads are made with unbleached flour and contain a certain percentage of organic, whole grain flour. Some of Silver Moon's specialty breads are stuffed and are super savory, making for the perfect snack. Among all the breads that are offered at Silver Moon, it's hard to pick a favorite. So let's pick three: the chocolate-orange roll and baguette, the cranberry-walnut sourdough and the Espresso rolls. Can you say delish?
A cute and cozy place, Silver Moon has a small outdoor seating area during the warmer months. What could be better than sipping a great cup of coffee while noshing on one of Silver Moon's brie sticks or a slice of Irish Soda Bread, outdoors?
Location & Hours
2740 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
(212) 866-4717
Hours
Mon-Fri: 7:30 AM-8:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM-7:00 PM
Sunday : 8:00 AM-7:00 PM
Glaser's Bake Shop - Yorkville - New York, NY
You simply can't get any more old school than Glaser's Bake Shop. A family-owned business, they've been around since 1902. The bakers here must be doing something right and they most certainly are. New Yorkers, from celebrities and politicians (the shop is just blocks from Gracie Mansion) to blue-collar workers and CEOs, can't get enough of Glaser's breads and treats.
Who makes cream puffs any more? Well, Glaser's does. In the mood for a whoopie pie? At Glaser's, you can get them in a variety of addicting flavors, from chocolate and mint chocolate chip to chocolate pumpkin. They do both a chocolate and Cinnamon Bundt cake that is absolutely scrumptious. But not to be ignored are the eclairs, banana cream pies, butter crunch squares, cupcakes and an assortment of to-die-for pies, including apple, blueberry, cherry, peach, pecan, raspberry-apple and sweet potato. Now, sweet potato pie is a little more Atlanta than New York, but it's still good.
Remember those huge coffee rings that your grandparents used to put out on the table when the family visited on Sunday Morning? Indulge in some tasty nostalgia here at Glaser's. Coffee rings come in cheese, pecan and raisin.
Glaser's is on the small side and its décor is modest, but it's well worth a subway ride from anywhere in the City, including Brooklyn and Queens. You could stand there all day just smelling the aromas from all the different baked goods.
Mornings are made special when you are holding one of their specialty breads in your hand along with a cup of Joe. Glaser's bakes an "honor roll" of breads, including flavored rolls, poppy, caraway, salt sticks, seven grain with oats, the everything roll, rye and barley. Doughnut selections include the old-fashioned but never out-of-style jelly doughnut and the French cruller.
Take a trip back into time and experience a bakery like no other when you treat yourself to a snack at Glaser's. There's no better cure for the "it's only Tuesday" blues than a stop at GLaser's, a New York tradition.
Location & Hours
1670 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10128
(212) 289-2562
http://www.glasersbakeshop.com/
Hours
Monday: Closed
Tues-Fri: 7 AM-7 PM
Saturday: 8 AM-7 PM
Sunday: 8 AM-3 PM
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