Best French Bakeries in NYC
So you already know that I have a “thing” about French pastry.
You love French bakeries.
Actually, I have a thing about sugar in general. I suppose it started when I was a child and I used to place a thick layer of sugar on my cereal …
Happily, I have successfully transferred my sugar-fix to real French pastry – the kind you find in a French bakery.
And I’m happy to say that there are a lot of French Pastry places in NYC.
Types of French You Find in a French Bakery
Since I’m not a pastry chef, I’m not the best person to explain the differences between pastry found in a French Bakery and Italian pastry.
All I can say is that as a general rule, French pastry strives to be lighter and more ethereal. For example, one of my favorite French pastry items is called a Pavlova.
Most people associate the name “Pavlova” with ballet.
And yes, Pavolva is a meringue-based dessert named for the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. It is a meringue dessert with a soft mousse inside, usually sprinkled with Fresh berries.
The main ingredients are egg whites, sugar, and fruit for decoration.
Where I Shop for Pastry in New York City French Bakeries
If you do not live in NYC, chances are you have not heard the “joke” about how people use their ovens. For most people around the world, ovens are used to cook food.
According to the joke, ovens are a place to store winter clothing.
As for myself, I can chop a mean salad, yet I’m not going to waste my time making a delicious French pastry when NYC is full of so many French bakeries.
French Bakery in NYC: Maison Kayser
This shop originated in Paris, France, and moved to NYC maybe five years ago, opening up many branches all over the city.
As a French bakery, it gets an “A+” for consistency. Every dessert you buy there tastes identical to the dessert you bought the week before.
The desserts all look good and taste even better.
Desserts are sold in individual sized portions.
When I shop I usually buy one of everything and invite my friends over to share the feast. One bite is really all you need.
In terms of the pastry in this French bakery, my favorites are:
Adagio – a dark chocolate mousse cake with a spicy passion fruit center
Mi-Cuit – This is a soft chocolate cake with a chocolate lava interior. They won’t “melt” it for you at the store. You will have to take it home and nuke it in the microwave.
As for the staff, well, it is hit or miss. Like anywhere else, some of the staff members are very nice and attentive, others more interested in talking to their co-workers.
French Pastry in NYC: Le Bilboquet Café
This café is an offshoot of the very popular upper east side restaurant of the same name. Except this café is a bit more “relaxed.”
This café offers more adventurous desserts than the chain French bakery Maison Kayser. With each visit I discover something new.
Because the selections change constantly, I can not recommend anything to you right now specifically.
But a word of caution!
Get there early for the best selection!
One Sunday, I raced to the café when no one was in line.
As soon as I reached the counter, I realized that there was only ONE enticing looking dessert left.
The woman behind me, wearing about a million gold bracelets and looking like the stereotypical upper East Side Domestic Goddess, looked terrified I would buy it.
When I did, she glared at me and looked like she was going to punch me in the face. But as I was leaving she took her anger out at the staff, demanding why they didn’t prepare more dessert for a busy Sunday.
For the most part, the staff is extremely pleasant. They take their time wrapping your pastries very nicely. The training is quite good, and the staff seem as if they are instructed to make customers feel like they are visiting a neighborhood pastry shop in France.
French Pastry in NYC: Bouchon Bakery
You will find a Bouchon Bakery in many parts of NYC, including the new one in Hudson Yards and also one in the Columbus Circle retail center. I also saw one in Rockerfeller Center.
Thomas Keller is a brilliant chef, so of course the pastries are good. Yet he is possibly an even more brilliant businessman.
Ever since Bouchon opened, the desserts have been largely the same with little variation. This makes it easier for the staff to prepare and serve pastries with consistency.
Bouchon gets some extra credit for preparing some seasonal specials around the Xmas holidays, Easter, and even during Gay Pride week.
What do I order?
Don’t laugh, but my personal taste is such that the only thing I like is the Bouchon Bakery’s Lemon Meringue Tart …
… and of course I sprinkle more sugar on the Meringue.
La Duree
I go to Beverly Hills every so often and discovered this place a few years back. “Man, I wish they had this pastry place in Manhattan,” I thought to myself, licking my fingers after sharing a French Pastry feast with my then boyfriend.
Then I was walking down Madison Avenue on a gorgeous night after an appointment at Sally Hershberger hair salon and was startled to see a La Duree French Pastry shop, right here in NYC.
Immediately I walked into the store and bought so many pastries the bill added up to over $43.
I usually go there every week, having learned my favorites (the Marie Antoinette is incredible) and I go to other shops for other favorites (like Maison Kaiser for the mi-cuit and Bouchon Bakery for the
Lemon Meringue tart.
French Pastry in NYC In Conclusion
Are there other French pastry shops in NYC? It’s possible there may well be, and I don’t know about them.
Once when I was standing in line at Bouchon Bakery in Columbus Circle, I became entranced by a dessert in the area reserved for “specials.” I saw it was priced at $20, but it looked so interesting I had to try it.
But before I could order, the man ahead of me ordered it first.
“Can we buy it together and ask them to put it into two boxes,” I asked.
He explained that his adult daughter had a sugar fix (just like me!) and they had a tradition of sharing dessert together every Sunday.
Aw, sweet.
Given his daughter’s sugar fix, I asked him if he knew of some other fantastic Manhattan pastry shops.
He mentioned one, but when I visited, I was disappointed …
*********
Well, as it happens I did see the dessert again the following week, and bought it.
As with everything in the world, anticipation is much better than reality.
On that note, I’m going to sign off.