The first thing that pops into people’s minds when they hear “New York City” is either the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, or Times Square. Maybe even the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Sure, these attractions have so much to offer to visitors from far and wide, but there’s a universe that the city provides that tourists and natives alike don’t pay attention to as much as they should: the world of irresistible bites. Whether you like your pastries smooth, tangy, crumbly, decadent, or rich, the city offers it all for everyone.
Spanning an area of 302.6 square miles of land, New York City is packed with every possible sweet tooth delectable that your heart desires. With every turn of a corner, you’re bound to stumble upon the next viral hit on Instagram, where food influencers take viewers along on their food crawls, determining if shops are tied to a misleading craze or are worth the hype.
229 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003
The French words “Petit” and “Choux” are defined as “little” and “cabbage,” respectively. Not only through its name but also through its techniques, the artisanal pâtisserie pays homage to its cultural roots by specializing in a wide range of choux pastry (the base), including eclairs, cream puffs, profiteroles, and more! Just like their name implies, as soon as the dense, sticky dough transforms into light, airy pastries and comes piping hot out of the oven, several “miniature cabbages” come to life. Known to draw inspiration from French pastry applications, Petit Chou also adds a delicious twist by embracing modern flavors and aesthetics.
As soon as you walk through the doors, you are greeted by brightly lit displays of colorful macarons, cakes, cream puffs, and tarts. If you plan to visit after work or school for a quick sweet, be sure to go straight there because they sell out quickly! Their welcoming ambiance not only lives in the desserts but also in the hospitality of the staff, who are more than happy to answer any questions about the menu.
Of the numerous desserts that Petit Chou provides its customers, their cream puffs were the most striking. The current rotation offers two flavors: hazelnut cream and passion fruit guava, each priced at $8. Unlike many other bakeries, the portions of these desserts are worth your buck (stacked tall and about palm-sized). They are great for sharing!
Although both flavors were mouthwatering, I settled on the passion fruit guava and had to try their newly added Banoffee Pie. The passion fruit guava cream puff’s delicate, airy crust paired perfectly with the smooth guava jelly filling and passion fruit curd dolloped atop. It’s beautifully crafted so that with each bite, you get just the right amount of each of the tangy guava and citrusy passion fruit flavor profiles. Their Banoffee Pie consists of finely prepared layers of freshly cut banana slices coated with a thick dulce de leche encased in a golden, graham cracker crust, and drizzles of caramelized toffee. The indulgent toffee flavor was incredibly rich and smooth, and the ripe bananas balanced nicely with the satisfying crunch of the base.
Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012)
Dominique Ansel Workshop (17 E 27th St, New York, NY 10016)
Have you ever heard of a ‘cronut’? Well, French pastry chef Dominique Ansel created this doughnut-croissant hybrid back in 2013. Ansel is well-celebrated for pushing the boundaries of desserts, creating visually stunning pastries. Located in SoHo, Dominique Ansel Bakery released its very own cronut on May 10th, 2013. Ansel worked on and perfected the recipe only after two months. Remarkably, Ansel received trademark approval for the cronut just days after filing. Later in 2021, Ansel opened a sister shop, Dominique Ansel Workshop, which features a croissant counter. It’s located in Flatiron and serves all types of croissants and breakfast pastries.
The cronut is a croissant-like dough filled with flavored ganache and fried in grapeseed oil. Interestingly enough, the cronut was named one of TIME Magazine’s “25 Best Inventions of 2013.” And now, more than a decade later, the bakery offers a whole assortment of original flavors, with a new one released every month. They never repeat their limited edition flavors, so be sure to get them while you can before they are gone!
Unfortunately, they had already sold out of their renowned ganache-filled cronut creation when I went in May 2025. In honor of the 12th anniversary of the store’s launch, the May 2025 flavor of the month was the strawberry & vanilla panna cotta cronut.
Even though I wasn’t able to try out the critically acclaimed cronut, I ordered their other signatures–the chocolate chip cookie shot and DKA (“Dominque’s Kouign Amann”)–as the host recommended them as alternatives. “The DKA is similar to our cronut; it’s more like a caramelized croissant, with a buttery, dense profile,” the host warmly shared with me. His description did not disappoint; the DKA was flaky and tender, mimicking a croissant, but was dipped in a sweet glaze made of molasses, instant coffee powder, and cinnamon, making it unconventional. Plus, the presentation of the Cookie Shot went above and beyond. It is a chocolate chip cookie shaped like a shot glass warmed to gooey perfection, lined with dark chocolate, and filled with their homemade vanilla milk to the brim. There was just the perfect amount of a soft, warm chocolate chip cookie and a sip of milk in every bite. Ever had a cookies and milk craving in the middle of the night? Well, this is sure to satisfy it!
38-39 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY 11361
25-33 Broadway Astoria, NY 11106
191 7th Street Garden City, NY 11530
1187 Wantagh Avenue Wantagh, NY 11793
417 S. Oyster Bay Road Plainview, NY 11803
The French Workshop has multiple locations in Queens and Long Island, and it’s no wonder since it emulates the traditional Parisian boulangeries. As you step in, you enter a warm, inviting atmosphere with shelves and back walls displayed with freshly made baguettes, cakes, croissants, macarons, and tarts. They also feature a wide selection of hot and cold beverages, tailored to your preferences. If you need a quick bite for lunch, they offer an array of sandwiches and croissants, including the classic bacon, egg, and cheese baguette; sriracha Caesar wrap; tomato focaccia; ham and Swiss croissant; and more.
The French offers Oreo and cheesecake brownies, apple cinnamon cupcakes, hazelnut-filled cupcakes, dark chocolate almond crunch pop, tiramisu, mille feuille, and my family’s favorite: the la mûre. The La Mûre is a vanilla sponge cake layered with blackberry mousse and blackberry ganache, topped with fresh raspberries. They offer a wide selection of cakes, perfect for celebrating any birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion. Want just a small treat? I’d recommend trying their to-die-for beignets; you can choose either Nutella, caramel, or raspberry fillings.
Not fancying something extremely sweet? A few good recommendations are the spinach and cheese mini puffs, mini olive pie, and herb focaccia.
67 Cooper Sq, New York, NY 10003
At first glance, you may wonder how to pronounce this name, but it’s simpler than you think; it’s pronounced ‘Honey’s.’ Newly opened by Gramercy Tavern executive pastry chef Miro Uskokovic, Hani’s is an American bakery infused with Serbian-inspired flavors. In fact, I had the pleasure of speaking with Uskokovic, and he shared that “their most popular items include the cinnamon bun, carrot cake, triple chocolate chunk cookie, and honey cake.” Their house-special honey cake is made with graham cracker cookies, honey, hints of cinnamon, and layers of sour cream mousse. Uskokovic revealed a secret that the sour cream mousse sits for two days, indicating the time and effort put into making his impeccable creations.
I tried their honey cake, triple chocolate chunk cookie, and black and white donuts. Each bite of the honey cake had the perfect sour cream mousse to graham cookie ratio, leaving your mouth rich in flavor. And of course, the triple chocolate chunk cookie did not disappoint; it was a flat, but generously portioned cookie. Whether you prefer chewy cookies or crispy cookies, this cookie will leave you satisfied and wanting more. In honor of the New York classic black and white cookie, Uskokovic took a creative spin and created his variation: the black and white donut. From the outside appearance, the donut is topped with black and white frosting in the perfect yin and yang combination. But inside, there is a half-and-half incorporation of pastry cream and chocolate filling to complement the exterior aesthetic.
866 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
Verona, Italy’s very own Minuto Bauli just landed in New York City, marking its first location in the United States. Its grand opening was on May 21st, 2025, and two days after I just so happened to stumble upon an Instagram post about the Italian bakery’s signature-filled pastries and espresso. As you enter, you are greeted by a lilac-wrapped vintage Vespa and a matching neon purple sign that states, “1 minuto can change your day,” which are perfect photo opportunities! It has a sleek interior design, with a nod to its approach to modernity and efficiency.
Minuto offers the authentic taste of Verona’s pastries in the heart of Union Square, allowing New Yorkers to taste the pillowy dough handcrafted in Italy and baked in New York City. After the dough is left to rise for twelve hours, it is freshly baked for twenty minutes and served filled with mouthwatering jams, creams, and crispy toppings. The filling options include pastry cream, hazelnut, pistachio, apricot, dark chocolate, and mixed berry jam. With each Minuto, you can choose one topping; their wonderful selection includes chopped pistachios, chopped hazelnuts, caramel crumble, red fruit crumble, white chocolate chips, rainbow chocolate gems, Catalan crunch grains, and Crumbole Cocoa. I highly recommend ordering their most popular filling: the pastry cream, topped with rainbow chocolate gems, which offers a nice combination of different sweet profiles. They also offer specialty drinks that pair with your Minuto. The menu features their Hazelnut Delight Coffee, Calimero, Pistachio Bliss, and Berrylicious, among others. You have the choice to match your Minuto to your drink, or if you’re feeling adventurous, do a mix-and-match!
77 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013
133-36 37th Ave, Queens, NY 11354
If you’ve ever stepped into a Chinese bakery or dined at a dim sum restaurant, you’re sure to have stumbled upon small, individual egg tarts. With origins stemming from the Portuguese pastel de nata, egg tarts are known for their flaky, buttery crusts, with a lightly sweet custard center.
Differing from the usual Hong Kong bakeries that offer these treats, Na Tart is known for their specialty egg tarts, featuring original recipes and flavors. Upon entering its Chinatown location, you are greeted by a massive egg tart wall decoration as part of its simplistic aesthetic. You are sure to be struck by the aroma of these “freshly baked” bites. Having been founded by a female entrepreneur, it’s no wonder that Na Tart’s slogan is “Starting the egg tart revolution!” Their bold and adventurous flavors show that they’re not afraid of breaking barriers. Each tart is made fresh on the day, using French imported ingredients to ensure the best quality treats.
Their menu offers an expansive array of egg tarts, from the original sunflower tart, tiramisu sunflower tart, cheese and corn savory sunflower tart, vanilla ice cream caramel sunflower tart, chocolate bobo tart, the Salty Boy, ube cheese, classic durian tart, and more! They also offer the signature original Portuguese egg tart if you’re fancying the timeless classic. Individual tarts vary from $3 to $6, and a set of 6 comes down to $23. As you fill a set, I’d recommend getting one of each different flavored egg tart to step into a world of innovative delight.
My personal favorites were the chocolate bobo tart and the Salty Boy, as each bite filled me with a sense of nostalgia. The filling of the chocolate bobo is a decadent chocolate custard, while the tart is topped with crispy chocolate pearls and a dusting of cocoa powder, adding a final layer to its visual appeal. For a savory tart, the Salty Boy is just the thing! It has a flaky crust filled with seaweed strips and pork floss, and topped with a drizzle of sauce to complement its savory flavor profile. I definitely recommend this spot for a late-night snack to enjoy with friends!
Spanning an area of 302.6 square miles of land, New York City is packed with every possible sweet tooth delectable that your heart desires.