The Ultimate Guide to NYC's French Bakeries - Coucou French Classes (2024)

Secret NYC and TimeOut have highlighted our very own block, Little Paris, and a few of its French businesses! We’re really happy that we share a block with Maman, one of Manhattan’s most popular French bakeries. But while their cookies are divine, they don’t sell baguettes! As any French person will tell you, there’s a big difference between a boulangerie and a pâtisserie. One sells bread, while the other sells baked treats. That’s why bakeries in France often have “boulangerie-pâtisserie” printed on their signs.

To start the year off right, we’ve come up with a list of our favorite French bakeries in NYC, and we’ve categorized each as a boulangerie, pâtisserie, or both. There are so many wonderful bakeries in the city, but we’ve narrowed our guide down to 12 (with a 13th section of bonus recommendations to make a baker’s dozen!). Bonne année et bon appétit !

By Sophia Millman and Alaina Schwartz

1. Almondine (Boulangerie-pâtisserie)

Must try: the almond croissant

Artisan French baker Hervé Poussot opened Almondine Bakery in 2004 and since then it’s become famous among DUMBO locals. The next time you’re in Brooklyn and craving a French baked good, you should swing by. Almondine serves two kinds of baguettes: whole wheat and regular (or, as the French say, une baguette tradition!). The bakery’s famous for its almond croissants, but their chocolate chip cookies and more savory treats also get great reviews!

85 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (Dumbo)

http://almondinebakery.com/

2. BIEN-CUIT (BOulangerie-Pâtisserie)

Must try: The cinnamon sugar roulé

Bien Cuit’s star baker Zachary Golper, who was a 2019 James Beard finalist for “Outstanding Baker,” has been featured in just about every NYC magazine. You can learn more about the history of his bakery and his method from The New York Times. At Bien Cuit, you can buy both European and American breads (petit pain, sourdough, pullman loaves). Every one of their pastries is top-notch (their tarts are unbeatable) and we recommend sampling their seasonal dishes.

120 Smith St., Brooklyn, NY 11201 (Cobble Hill)
721 Franklin Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11238 (Crown Heights)
89 E 42nd St., New York, NY 10017 (Grand Central)

http://www.biencuit.com/

3. Cannelle (Patisserie)

Must try: the Paris-Brest

Cannelle’s flagship is located in an unassuming strip mall in East Elmhurst, Queens, but don’t be fooled, the bakery’s pastries are divine. Sri Lankan baker Gnanasampanthan Sabaratnam and French chef Jean-Claude Perennouhave been running this incredibly successful business since 2007. Perennou told The New York Times that every cultural group in the Elmhurst area has a favorite dessert: The North Africans love the napoleons; the French and Asians love the Saint Honoré and Paris-Brest; the Spanish speakers love the red velvet cake and the cheesecake. You can try any (or all!) of these desserts at either of their two locations in Queens.

https://cannellepatisserie.com/

4. Dominique Ansel (Pâtisserie)

Must try: the cronut

French pastry chef Dominique Ansel is world-famous for his Cronuts (croissant donuts), and, if you check out his website, you’ll see that he’s invented many other mind blowing desserts. Ansel’s original bakery is located in SoHo and he opened a sister shop, Dominique Ansel Workshop, in Flatiron. This newest location is a croissant counter!

189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012 (SoHo)
17 E 27th St, New York, NY 10016 (Flatiron)

https://www.dominiqueansel.com/

5. L’imprimerie (Boulangerie-pâtisserie)

Must try: the baguette

French baker Gus Reckel arrives at 4AM everyday to prepare the beautiful selection of bread and pastries in this Bushwick boulangerie. The name “L’Imprimerie” pays homage to the bakery’s historic Brooklyn location that was once a print shop. There are a variety of sweet options at this bakery-café, and a rotating lunch menu that includes avocado salmon sandwiches and French ham and cheese rolls. L’Imprimerie works with local organic cooperatives like Farmer’s Ground, and even serves its own honey that comes from hives located on its roof!

1524 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237 (Bushwick)

http://limprimerie.nyc/

6. Mille-feuille (Boulangerie-pâtisserie)

Must try: the mille-feuille

The name of Olivier Dessyn’s pastry shop in Greenwich Village, Mille-feuille, is the French word for what Americans call a napoleon. According to TimeOut, Dessyn was searching for a name for his bakery when he looked across the street at NYU’s Bobst Library. The layers of books reminded him of the mille-feuille and he decided to fashion a pastry shop around the dessert. If you love rich cream and praline pastries, you have to try these ones. If you’re more of a croissant person, you won’t be disappointed at Mille-feuille either. The bakery’s pain au chocolat and almond croissant are fabulous, as are its macarons and madeleines.

https://www.millefeuille-nyc.com/

7. Épicerie BOulud (Boulangerie-pâtisserie)

Must try: the CANELÉ

Daniel Boulud, one of the main representatives of French cuisine on this side of the Atlantic, needs little introduction. After the success of his multiple restaurants, bars and bistros, he opened an épicerie. Although it literally means “spice shop,” think of it as France’s version of a bodega or convenience store. Boulud’s Épicerie offers a mix of sweet and savory options, making it the ideal place for a French-style lunch on the go, with a jambon-beurre (ham and butter sandwich) followed by a pastry.

1900 Broadway at 64th St., New York, NY 10023 (Lincoln Center)
1 Vanderbilt Avenue at 42nd St., New York, NY 10017 (One Vanderbilt)
185 Greenwich St, LL 4000, New York, NY 10007 (World Trade Center)

https://www.epicerieboulud.com/

8. LE FOURNIL (BOULANGerie)

Must try: the HAZELnUT CHOCOLATE CROISSANT

Le Fournil took over their current spot in the East Village from another bakery in 2019, and extensive renovations unveiled stunning, 100-year old tiles. The owner, Jean-François Hebert, is a third-generation baker from Normandy, so it’s no surprise that among all of their offerings, customers love his perfected classics the most: baguettes and croissants. Wicker baskets filled with baked goods, chalkboard menus on the tiled walls and a small section of French groceries come together to create a perfectly French atmosphere—with super-friendly staff!

115 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003 (East Village)

9. MARIE BLACHÈRE BAKERY & CAFE (BOulangerie-Pâtisserie)

Must try: THe tarts and quiches

Marie Blachère is a well-known bakery chain in France, and built its success on their 3+1 free pricing system. While it may not be very high-end, this bakery is a true representation of daily life in France. A lot of French families come to Marie Blachère to buy 4 baguettes for the price of 3, keep one and freeze the rest. The 3+1 system applies to everything they sell, from breads and sandwiches to pastries, flans, croissants and more!

301-303 6th Ave, New York, NY 10014 (Greenwich village)

https://www.marieblachereus.com/

10. aux merveilleux de FRED (pâtisserie)

Must try: the merveilleux

Frédéric Vaucamps has been taking France and the world by storm in recent years with his modernized Merveilleux, a regional speciality from Flanders (North of France and Belgium). After a long day, we enjoy the deliciousness of this meringue and whipped cream dessert, and its cloud-like airiness. They also offer croissants, pain au chocolat, and don’t miss a chance to try their cramiques (northern French brioches) as well as their northern-style waffles!

1001 6th Ave, New York, NY 10018 (Midtown South)
37 8th Ave, New York, NY 10014 (Greenwich Village)

https://auxmerveilleux.com/en/

11. BROOKLYN FRENCH BAKERS (BOULANGERIE-PÂTISSERIE)

Must try: the CROISSANT

Brooklyn French Bakers doesn’t have a very typical origin story. The bakery was co-founded in 2022 by three French people living in Brooklyn—none of whom were bakers at all: Sabrina Labouré, a former banker; Nelly Azambre, a former engineer; and Teddy Collet, a former chemist. Just one year later, the founders’ unique backgrounds proved to be a winning combination when they beat out 500 or so bakeries and were awarded Best Croissant in New York in 2023!

273 Columbia St, Brooklyn, NY 11231 (Carroll Gardens)

https://www.brooklynfrenchbakers.com/

12. LA BICYCLETTE Bakery (BOULANGerie)

Must try: the Sandwiches

La Bicyclette is an awesome small-scale bakery with a very friendly staff. They have all the classics: baguettes, danishes, croissants, apple turnovers, and other specialties: the sandwiches are fresh and delicious, the quiches are beautiful and they even have savory loaves! You can also find specialty products like saucisson (French dry sausage), yogurts and cheese!

667 Driggs Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (Williamsburg)
136 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217 (Fort Greene)
305 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11231 (Carroll Gardens)

https://www.labicyclettebakery.com/

13. Honorable mentions

Frenchette Bakery (Tribeca) – Boulangerie
Pistache (South Williamsburg) – Pâtisserie
L’Appartement 4F (Brooklyn Heights) – Boulangerie
Ladurée (Soho) – Pâtisserie
Angelina (Midtown) – Pâtisserie