Billy's Bakery

Chelsea 184 9th Avenue (212) 647-9956. Tribeca 75 Franklin Street (212) 647-9958. http://www.billysbakerynyc.com/.

Billy’s Bakery was founded in 2003 by two friends from business school with the goal of providing “classic American baked goods in a warm, friendly atmosphere”. And such is the character of Billy’s, a brightly lit place that, indeed, reminds you of Grandma’s kitchen and where the delicious smell of fresh cakes and pastries from goodies baked on site greets you as soon as you step into the bake shop. Not to mention the friendly staff who make you feel right at home.

A wide variety of scrumptious and lovely looking cakes, cupcakes, pies and pastries adorn the chillers and behind, trays and counters of freshly baked wonderful little sweet things being prepared by the staff. I did my homework and asked friends, who very highly recommended Billy’s, to tell me what their favorites were but it was not easy to pick what I wanted to try from this charming place because everything looked so delightful!

There were layers of beautiful cakes such as Red Velvet and German Chocolate Cake, mouth watering pies such as Apple Crumb and Peanut Butter Chocolate, tempting pastries such as Hello Dollies (bars with graham crackers, chocolate chips, butterscotch, coconut and pecans) and Lemon Bars, creamy Banana Pudding, delectable mini Key Lime and Cherry Cheesecakes, and so many pretty little cupcakes.

I finally settled to trying a slice of Key Lime Pie (my favourite kind of pie), a slice of Pineapple Upside Down Cake and a Carrot Cupcake. Again, do not worry as I did not enjoy all of these in a single sitting. But mind you, I wanted to!

The Key Lime Pie had a thick, creamy lime filling that was slightly tangy and slightly sweet, and was complemented by the slightly buttery gingersnap crust. It was pleasing but I recommend Two Little Red Hen’s Key Lime Pie – really the best Key Lime Pie I have tried so far.

The Pineapple Upside Down cake was wonderfully moist and hinted of vanilla with bits of pineapple and cherries baked within  the cake, and on top, more pineapple and cherries caramelized with golden brown sugar. This one I loved and found very refreshing! A perfect summer cake!

And the Carrot cupcake, which had a creamy cream cheese icing on top and a soft and moist cake made of cinnamon, carrots, coconut, pineapple and pecans, was really wonderful! One of the best carrot cupcakes I have tried too!

If Two Little Red Hens is my cupcake heaven...Billy’s is my cakes and pies heaven! Every time I remember stepping into Billy’s and seeing all these beautiful, delectable freshly baked goodies, I cannot help but feel my mouth water. They definitely deserve receiving my first ever perfect rating. I still can’t forget the luscious looking cakes and pastries and I can’t wait to go back as my goal is to try each and every one of these.  Next on my list would be their “Famous” Chocolate Icebox Cake, the Banana Cream Pie and Caramel Pecan Cheesecake. Billy’s here I come!

Fat Witch Bakery

Chelsea Market. 75 9th Avenue New York, NY 10011. (212)807-1335. http://www.fatwitch.com/.

If you’re looking for brownie heaven then Fat Witch bakery is THE place to go. With a business successfully built on brownies, Fat Witch uses all natural ingredients, does not add emulsifiers and only bakes in small batches to keep these yummy and moist brownies always fresh.

Fat Witch has two locations in Manhattan – at the Chelsea Market and at the Fat Witch Factory in Harlem. Their brownies are baked in both locations and it is at their simple Chelsea Market bakery that my friend brought me to, to try these famous brownies.

Fat Witch’s brownies are called Big Witches and come in the following flavours: Fat Witch Original brownie (moist with a delicious chocolate flavour with just the right sweetness), Java Witch (original with cappuccino chocolate chips), Blonde Witch (similar to a chocolate chip cookie baked as a brownie), Snow Witch (white chocolate brownie) and Breakfast Witch (brownie with oatmeal walnut and coffee). The Fat Witch Original also has various interesting variations: Red Witch (with dried cherries), Caramel Witch and Fat Witch Walnut.

Some flavors such as Fat Witch Original, Blonde Baby and Walnut Baby are available in Baby Witches (the miniature versions). All Big Witches are priced at $2.85 each and the Baby Witches at $1.50. For those who want to give these as gifts, these also come in an assortment of packs in various sizes and flavours. Not all packs are available at the store but are available online. And you may even choose the flavours to put in the gift packs.

My personal favourites are the Java Witch and the Breakfast Witch, which I both love to have either for breakfast or for an afternoon perk-me-up to complement my coffee. These are usually soft and moist when I get them from the bakery but become moist and chewy -and much more delectable since the chocolate bits are harder and more fun to bite into- after being refrigerated (since I prefer to have these cold).

I am not so much a brownie lover as I am a cake and bread lover, but Fat Witch has a great selection of your basic brownie flavours that will satisfy any sweet craving you may have. It is the perfect place to go to when you need a sugar rush and do not want to complicate your life with too many dessert options. Indeed, Fat Witch deserves the very good reviews it has received from many very happy customers like me.

Amy's Bread

Hell’s Kitchen 672 Ninth Avenue New York, NY 10036 (212) 977-2670. Chelsea Market 75 Ninth Avenue New York, NY 10011 (212) 462-4338. The Village 250 Bleecker Street at Leroy Street New York, NY 10014 (212) 675-7802. http://www.amysbread.com/.

There are numerous bake shops to explore Manhattan, but one of the most interesting that I have read about is Amy’s Bread. Choosing among its various locations, I decided to head to the Chelsea Market, where each trip has always been fun for me because I find many interesting food stuff to buy. Not to mention great wine too!

Launched in 1992 by Amy Scherber, Amy’s Bread started as small store on Ninth Avenue in NYC’s Hell's Kitchen. Today, the bakery has over 150 employees and three retail stores including one at the Chelsea Market, where most of the breads are baked, and at The Village.

Stepping in the bright and busy Chelsea Market store, I immediately got excited (as I always do) when I see a wonderful selection of lovely looking, delightfully smelling bread. After all, Amy became famous for her Semolina with Golden Raisins and Fennel bread – as the kind staff who assisted me at the store explained.

So I quickly chose several delicious and interesting breads to try: Potato Onion Dill Bread, Black Olive Twist, Brioche, and Semolina with Golden Raisins and Fennel (of course I had to try what made them famous). Before paying I I knew I had to have something sweet so I also asked for the Sticky Buns (they claim these to be NY’s best). Since I wanted variety without overeating, I was happy to discover that most of their breads have the roll versions that are equally as good. The prices of the rolls and twists, compared to many bake shops I have been to, are quite reasonable at $0.55 to $1.60 a piece.

And they were quite scrumptious! The Potato Onion Dill Bread made from potato and unbleached flour had a crisp crust but a deliciously dense and soft buttery inside. The Black Olive Twist had an intensely chewy crust deliciously baked with the salty twist of olives in the center. The Sticky Buns had a wonderful caramel pecan topping on chewy bread that tastes of cinnamon and butter. Everything smelled good and tasted good!

But what surprised me the most was the Semolina with Golden Raisins and Fennel roll. This round golden brown bread sprinkled with crunchy semolina looked interesting, but the burst of flavour as soon as I chewed into the moist and chewy bread from the fennel mixed with the sweet golden raisins was wonderfully unexpected! I have never experienced and tasted this kind of bread before - certainly interesting and unforgettable.

Friendly staff? Check. Delicious, chewy, flavourful bread? Check. Variety of breads, cakes and pastries with a number of unusually interesting choices? Check. Reasonable prices? Check. A nice, laid back atmosphere? Check. Amy’s Bread certainly deserves the reputation it has gained for wonderful breads and pastries. Certainly a place I will frequent and highly recommend to friends. And yes, they do offer more than just breads - they serve sandwiches, salads, breakfast food and cater too!

Three Tarts

164 9th Avenue New York, NY 10011. (212) 462-4392. www.threetarts.com.

I found Three Tarts Bakery while exploring the quaint Chelsea area, on my way to the Chelsea Market. What caught my attention were the very pretty window displays of adorable little flowering plants and cute little boxes on one side and pastries on trays and more cute packaging materials on the other. Interestingly too, one could easily see inside the store which drew my attention to the various colourful items displayed and the array of wonderful looking pastries.

Stepping in I find a boutique with a selection of giftware such as bottles, paper materials, mugs, teas and tea sets. Of course what caught my attention was the counter with a selection of miniature bite sized desserts of unusual and interesting flavours, shapes and colors. They all looked beautiful!

There were cookies with nuts, dipped in chocolate and spiced with cardamom, tarts with honey caramel and pine nuts, kumquat and lemon curd with meringue filling that all looked yummy, creamy looking parfaits in petite cups, luscious-looking truffles in bowls and pastel-colored delicate-looking mallows... and much more! To pair with these sweet treats were in-house specialty drinks such as Lemonade with Wildflower Honey, Limeade with Agave, Chai Latte and Pear Cider.

What did I try? The tarts of course...and the almond cookies! I must say that the tarts had delicious crusts, crisp but did not crumble. The flavours were refreshing, the Lemon Curd with a delicate meringue cookie on top was perfectly tangy and the Kumquat-infused almond frangipane was smooth and sweet. The almond cookies were just a bit too sugary and hard for me since I like my cookies moist and chewy...but would be perfect for those who love crisp and tasty cookies.

As I got home I decided to do a little research about Three Tarts and found out that it was created by a group of girls who were classmates at the Institute of Culinary Education (I.C.E.) here in NYC, and that the name came from the girls’ nickname back in school - “Three Tarts.” Visiting their website will lead you to discover that they have more merchandise for sale, gift sets and boxes of pastries – all with the same delicate, exquisite and elegant look.

What’s great about Three Tarts is that the desserts are in miniature pieces at affordable prices. Cookies are $.70 to $1.70 and tarts at $1.50 each. There are a variety of specialty desserts and would be perfect for people who want to savor delectable treats and eat pretty little things that are not overwhelming to one’s sight and tummy. The cookies and pastries in the fine looking boxes are perfect gifts for special occasions, and giving these you can be confident that they will taste as good as they look.

Ceci-Cela Patisserie

55 Spring Street New York, NY 10012 (212)274-9179 http://www.cecicelanyc.com/.

I discovered Ceci-Cela Patisserie by reading through NY Magazine’s critic’s pick list of Bake Shops. Founded by pastry chef Laurent Dupal, who was trained at the prestigious Compagnons du Devoir du Tour de France, this charming little shop in SoHo has been creating the most delectable pastries using the best ingredients in the highest artisanal quality in New York for 15 years now. More recently, Chef Dupal has expanded his business into a full-range online wholesale operation where he will accommodate special requests and together with his staff, will make new creations just for you.

Chef Dupal’s core product line is known collectively as Viennoiserie, these Croissants, Pains Aux Chocolats, Chaussons Aux Pommes, Pains Aux Raisins, and Brioches are delicately made by using only 100% pure butter, the best flours and complimentary ingredients. To complement the Viennoiserie, Ceci-Cela also offers luscious cakes with an array of textures and flavor combinations that include Poire William, Fraisier, and Black Forest, as well as other traditional items such as Quiches, Flans and crumbly butter crust Tarts filled with delicious Crème Patissière, and topped with fresh sweet fruit such as raspberries, kiwi, and strawberries.






The very simple, nondescript store front of Ceci-Cela along Spring Street and the small, unfussy space inside are the complete opposites of the splendid quality of coffee, cakes and pastries that this little gem of a place serves. And despite the number of people who walked in the store to buy coffee and pastries while I was excitedly deciding what to try, the man at the counter was kind enough to entertain my quick questions on what the must-tries in the store were.

 After a tough decision, I settled for buying an Almond Chocolate Croissant (I was informed was the best seller, $3.75), a Caramelized Pear Tart ($5.25), a Financier ($3.00) and a cup of skim Cafe Mocha ($3.75).

The Cafe Mocha, had a creamy cocoa taste that I found delicious and being not too sweet, perfectly complemented my Almond Chocolate Croissant. A perfect combination of the two of my most favourite ingredients – chocolate and croissant- the Almond Chocolate Croissant had a generous amount of crunchy almond slivers on top and was flaky on the outside, while remaining perfectly soft and moist with a creamy chocolate filling inside. A lover of almond croissants, this is the best I have tried in and outside of New York.

The Caramelized Pear Tart had a delicate pastry that melts in your mouth topped with a moist pear slice slightly sweetened and spiced with cinnamon. While the Financier, an Almond flour-based tea cake topped fresh berries, was crusty on the outside and moist on the inside with surprising bits of almond to enhance your experience with each bite.

How did I find Ceci-Cela’s pastries? Scrumptious and definitely heavenly!!!

Though the store is simple and too small to eat at, reviews of Ceci-Cela having “exquisite concoctions” and “impossibly delicious pastries” do not exaggerate. With an array of mouth-watering cakes and pastries, you will surely find something that will suit what you’re craving for. Either for special occasions or to please your own palate, Ceci-Cela will not disappoint. I have found a new favorite!

Orwasher's Bakery

308 East 78th Street, NY, NY 10075. (212) 228-6569. http://www.orwasherbakery.com/.

I first heard about Orwasher’s Bakery from an article I read in Time Out New York as one of NYC’s best when it comes to bread. Purchased from its founding owners who made kosher bread back in 2007, owner Keith Cohen of Oven Artisans has since turned it into a bakery of classic and artisan breads, as well as cookies, cupcakes, pies, specialty cakes and pastries. Oven Artisans are makers of artisan breads and supply to retailers and restaurants in the city such as Dean & Deluca, Artisanal, Agata & Valentina, Zabar’s , Citarella and Gourmet Garage.



So one afternoon, my husband and I excitedly headed off to Orwasher’s at the Upper East Side to experience what it was all about. Inside, we found a brightly-lit, yellow and white tiled bakery that gave off a cheerful cafe feel. Though there was only a small counter on one side with some bar stools to have your coffee, there was a lot of space for the numerous shelves of freshly-baked bread, cookies, pastries, jams and cheeses. So many kinds of bread I could not make up my mind as to what I should buy. I literally wanted to try everything but of course, had to be realistic that I could not buy 10 different loaves of bread to try at one time.

I approached one of the staff who was just looking at us, impatiently waiting for us to order. I asked for their specialty and was told that it was their bread, which were freshly made in the store. Upon my further prodding on what the best seller was, she finally recommended their wine bread – either chardonnay (“if you want rye”) or cabernet (“if you like white”). I finally decided to buy a loaf of their Cabernet Rustica, the cinnamon raisin bun, a slice of chocolate strudel and a chocolate marshmallow butterscotch bar – all for $11 (the loaf was pretty large and sold at around $4.50). There was no line while we were there, but it was obvious that many regulars frequent the store because they knew exactly what to order and left just as quickly.

When we got home and tried our baked goodies, I realised that Orwasher’s specialty was really their bread and not their pastries. Though not bad, the chocolate strudel (with heavy doses of chocolate filling that was not too sweet but with crumbly bread that tasted old) and the chocolate marshmallow butterscotch bar (with a very sweet and very crumbly butterscotch brownie) were average at best.

The Cabernet Rustica bread though, which my husband and I ate with our home made herb balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil concoction, was wonderful. Crusty on the outside, it was airy but very moist and very tasty on the inside. Even my husband, who is not really a bread lover, could not stop eating it. Being wine lovers, we are now curious to try the other types of their Artisan wine breads.

Upon doing more research on Orwahser’s on their very informative website (I wish their staff could have been a wee bit as helpful as the site) it was interesting to note that Oven Artisans was created to “give New Yorkers different breads that represent our current culture”. Owasher’s alone specialized in 3 major types of bread: Artisan Wine (made from natural yeast found in grapes that carry the complex flavour profile of wine), New York Originals (such as Jewish Rye, Pumpernickel and Cinnamon Raisin) and Classic European (Ciabatta, Swiss Health, Sourdough and Multi-Grain). Their artisan wine selection each had their own style, flour, character, taste profile, and paired well with a certain types of food and wine. Now that I know all this, the Olive Bread- a soft, chewy and savory bread, made of unbleached wheat, and paired with antipasti, artisan cheeses, olive and wine- is next on my list.

So what do I think of Orwahser’s? They are indeed wonderful creators of fine, artisan bread. With the price as varied as their bread, I believe that the makers are truly creative, the breads delicious and the bakery worth being loyal to (once you actually know what your favourite is). One should not forget though that bread IS their specialty and NOT their pastries.

What was disappointing to me was the service. The staff could have been more knowledgeable and helpful in providing recommendations. With such a large array of these delicious breads, that each had their own character, it would have been much better if they asked questions and made recommendations for you to be able to decide which bread to purchase. Differentiating such wonderful wine breads as “if you want white or rye” truly destroys the care and creativity that the bakers have put into making these breads. Will I be back? Definitely. But this time I will come in much educated on what is worth trying. Suggest you visit the web site before you do too.

Two Little Red Hens

1652 Second Avenue New York, NY 10028. (212) 452-0476. www.twolittleredhens.com.

To begin my journey, I came to an "American Bakery" called Two Little Red Hens, a place which had been highly recommended by girl friends who are fellow foodies and which, based on my research, had numerous positive reviews on thier cupcakes.

From the outside, it looked like a little country store beside the numerous establishments along a very busy Second Avenue. Inside, it looked like your neighborhood bakeshop, with small tables and chairs, shelves of coffee and chillers of freshly baked, pretty-looking cakes and pastries.

I was cheerfully greeted by the ladies behind the counter, but as friends have told me that the cupcakes were the best here, I did not waste any time an ordered a box of cupcakes to bring home – Red Velvet, Banana, Chocolate Marble and Vanilla Butter Cream. The average price for a cupcake would be around $2.75 for regular sized ones and around $1.75 for the mini cupcakes. Not bad, I thought, and definitely comparable to most bakeshops around the city.

I was not disappointed! I have tried a number of bakeshops in Manhattan since I arrived (Chikalicious, Crumbs, Magnolia and Buttercup included), and Two Little Red Hens had the moistest cupcakes (even after days in my refrigerator as I could not eat all at once, of course) and the creamiest icing with just the right amount of sweetness! It was definitely bliss with each bite! Since then, I have returned every other week to Two Little Red Hens and have excitedly tried the rest of the cupcakes - Carrot, Brooklyn Blackout (this is the best choice if you are dangerously craving for chocolate) and Vanilla with Chocolate Fudge. Again, these had consistent moistness to the cake and just the right amount of sweetness to the creamy icing. I had found my cupcake heaven!


But I did not stop there as I became mighty curious about their cakes, pies and pastries as well. This is after all, a search for the best local bake shops. So I tried their Chocolate Chip cookies, Lemon Bar, Banana and Carrot Slices (exactly like the cupcake version but these are cut like cakes), Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream filling, Chocolate Mousse Pie and the Key Lime Pie. Rest assured, I did not enjoy all of these in one sitting but did so over a number of weeks while making sure I continued with my weekly physical activities – we all know what happens when you enjoy these things TOO much.

Anyway, I can say that the pastries (though I have only tried a few) are not as heavenly as the cupcakes. Quite a bit ordinary actually and not something I would tell everyone about. I had another wonderful discovery though – the Chocolate Mousse Pie and the Key Lime Pie were to die for! The Chocolate Mousse Pie had a thin light, buttery crust, creamy mousse that had just the right amount of chocolate, and lightly sweetened whipped cream on top. The Key Lime Pie was the best I have ever tasted, with a nice graham crust and creamy, sweet with a nice little bite of sourness from the lime that tasted fresh. It was definitely unforgettable!

So what is my opinion of Two Little Red Hens? It is definitely one of the best local bakeshops in Manhattan, not only for their to-die-for pretty little cupcakes and their deliciously unforgettable pies, but also for the homey, little neighborhood feel of the place, their always cheerful ladies ready to take your order, and the variety of cakes and pastries you may indulge in. Yes, there is a line sometimes but they efficiently take your orders and normally do not take a lot of time packing them for you. And yes, it can get crowded since it is a small place so, I recommend buying to go. Just a tip too, the Key Lime Pie sells out easily, so Friday (the day they make these wonderful pies) is usually the best time to go.