Best of New York City
The best bakeries and pastry in New York City
Start with Russ & Daughters in Lower East Side for the Classic: bagel, Gaspé nova, cream cheese, tomato, onion, Barney Greengrass in Upper West Side for house-cured lox on a bagel, or scrambled with onions and Zabar's in Upper West Side for nova or belly lox by the half-pound, on a bagel. Here are all 12, with what to get at each.
- Russ & DaughtersLower East Side · Bagel with lox
Get: The Classic: bagel, Gaspé nova, cream cheese, tomato, onion
The 1914 appetizing shop that defines the New York lox bagel.
- Barney GreengrassUpper West Side · Bagel with lox
Get: House-cured lox on a bagel, or scrambled with onions
Self-styled Sturgeon King, an uptown smoked-fish institution.
- Zabar'sUpper West Side · Bagel with lox
Get: Nova or belly lox by the half-pound, on a bagel
Legendary gourmet market with a top-quality smoked fish counter.
- Shelsky'sCobble Hill, Brooklyn · Bagel with lox
Get: Belly lox bagel sandwich
Brooklyn appetizing shop with house-cured fish and bagel sandwiches.
- PopUp BagelsMultiple NYC-area shops
Get: Whole bagels sold three or more at a time to rip and dip into rotating flavored schmears
Whole bagels sold three or more at a time to rip and dip into rotating flavored schmears
- Mei Lai WahChinatown · bakery
Get: Baked roast pork bun (char siu bao); the pineapple bun with roast pork
- Apollo BagelsEast Village
Get: An everything bagel with scallion cream cheese, or one hot and plain
Sourdough-style bagels that turned into a TikTok pilgrimage.
- Ess-a-BagelThird Avenue, Midtown East
Get: A huge everything bagel with scallion cream cheese and nova
Big, chewy, hand-rolled bagels that many New Yorkers rate the best in town.
BalthazarSoHo · French brasserieGet: Eggs Benedict and a croissant
Order: Eggs Benedict and a croissant. Classic SoHo brasserie with mirrors and bustle, known for French onion soup, steak frites and a famous bakery counter.
- Supermoon BakehouseLower East Side
Get: Laminated pastries such as the passionfruit curd donut, Ferrero Rocher croissant and milk-and-honey croissant scroll; the menu rotates
Laminated pastries such as the passionfruit curd donut, Ferrero Rocher croissant and milk-and-honey croissant scroll; the menu rotates.
Save the places you want and Chef remembers them for your trip: what to order, how to book, on a map with everything else you love in New York City. Free.
Ask Chef for morePlan my New York City food tripThe best bakeries and pastry in New York City: questions people ask
Where is the best bakeries and pastry in New York City?
Chef Amazing’s picks start with Russ & Daughters (Lower East Side), Barney Greengrass (Upper West Side) and Zabar's (Upper West Side). All 12 places are on this page with what to get, where they are and a map.
What should I order?
At Russ & Daughters, get the Classic: bagel, Gaspé nova, cream cheese, tomato, onion. At Barney Greengrass, get house-cured lox on a bagel, or scrambled with onions. At Zabar's, get nova or belly lox by the half-pound, on a bagel. At Shelsky's, get belly lox bagel sandwich.
Which neighborhood is best for bakeries and pastry in New York City?
Most of these are in Lower East Side and Upper West Side. The map on this page shows every one, numbered like the list.
How does Chef Amazing pick these?
From Chef Amazing’s city guide and lists for New York City: the places critics, chefs and locals keep recommending, checked and kept current, with what to order at each. Nobody pays to be on them.
More in New York City
Bakeries and pastry in other cities
Places change: check hours before you go. Pins come from addresses and OpenStreetMap and can be a little off. Updated October 25, 2026.