Here at Dandelion Chandelier, our staff is mostly New Yorkers. Mostly female. And mostly comprised of people with kids. So when it comes to the best shops for an artisanal dessert that you can find only in New York City (NYC), we know of what we speak. Our correspondent Julie Chang Murphy has curated a list of where to go for the top 10 best artisanal dessert shops that you’ll find only in New York City (NYC) including pastries, cakes, hot chocolate, and more.
what are the top 10 best artisanal dessert shops in NYC right now?
Attempting any kind of best of NYC list is a controversial endeavor but we’re up for the challenge! After all, living in the best city in the world for over twenty years does entitle you to have some opinions.
Our insider’s list of the top 10 best artisanal dessert shops in New York City (NYC), including pastries, cakes, hot chocolate, and more.
Collectively we have lived, worked, dated, and sent our kids to schools in neighborhoods across the boroughs from the Lower East Side to the West Village, Gramercy to Hells Kitchen, Upper East Side to the Upper West Side, and Astoria to Williamsburg.
Our insider’s list of the top 10 best artisanal dessert shops in New York City (NYC), including pastries, cakes, hot chocolate, and more.
Thousands of steps and subway rides later, we’re starting our Insider New York guide, vetted by our team here at Dandelion Chandelier, who will guide you away from the tourist traps and take you to where the real New Yorkers go.
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In this installment, we’re tackling the best artisanal dessert shops in NYC from bakeries to ice cream to chocolate. These are the places where we order cakes from for milestone celebrations; where we bribe our kids; where we break any diets and resolutions without regret. Dear reader, you’re in for a treat.
top 10 best artisanal dessert shops in NYC right now
1. Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop — Greenpoint, Brooklyn
No exotic combinations or fantastical colors here. Just an authentically retro 60-year old establishment with stools and U-shaped counter serving up old fashioned doughnuts, cash only. Bakers come in at midnight to make dough from scratch, resulting in 1,000 doughnuts which locals line up to buy. Our personal favorite is the Sour Cream Glazed (satisfying crunchy crust and moist, crumbly cake)…and the Blueberry Buttermilk…oh, and the Honey Dip! Really, you can’t go wrong whether you prefer yeast or cake! Wash it all down with a hot cup of coffee.
Dessert shops in NYC: Peter Pan Donuts and Pastry Shop. Courtesy Photo.
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2. Orwashers Bakery — Upper East Side, Lincoln Square, Upper West Side
A New York City institution since 1916, come here (early) for traditional Jewish-style breads, pastries and cookies. From spelt loaves to chocolate-dipped rugelach to sticky bun babka, it’s always fresh and always reminds us of how much we love the city and its rich immigrant histories and contributions.
Dessert shops in NYC: Orwashers Bakery. Courtesy Photo.
3. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream — multiple locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn
We had our first scoop of Van Leeuwen’s creamy and complex Earl Grey back when it was still being served out of a butter yellow ice cream truck. More than a decade later, they have locations all over the city and their pints are sold at the local grocery store. What makes their artisanal ice cream so good? Real ingredients but actually, eggs and plenty of ’em. Aside from Earl Grey, it’s hard for everyone in your group not to order the sweet and slightly salty Honeycomb.
Dessert shops in NYC: Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. Courtesy Photo.
4. L.A. Burdick — Soho
The city isn’t always magical. On cold and slushy days, we often wonder to ourselves why we’re here and not somewhere more…easy. But pop into L.A Burdick for a real cup of hot drinking chocolate and a few squares of artisanal, handmade chocolate and suddenly, everything seems right again. Their wooden crates of Signature Chocolate Mice, complete with a silk ribbon tail, have saved us many times over the years as the perfect gift for girlfriends and colleagues.
Dessert shops in NYC: L.A Burdick. Courtesy Photo.
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5. Fay Da Chinese Bakery — multiple locations in Chinatown, Manhattan and Elmhurst and Flushing, Queens
Chinese pastries may not be the first desserts that come to mind you want to satiate a sweet tooth but you’d be missing out. Go to Fay Da for freshly baked buns that are both filling and delicious. A subtle and sweet pineapple bun — named for it’s crackly pineapple looking crust — from Fay Da is a quintessential Chinatown treat. So too are the red bean and taro filled ones. We always buy a few egg custard tarts and for special occasions, their cakes are impossibly airy with a not too sweet combo of sponge cake, whipped cream and glazed fruit.
Dessert shops in NYC: Fay Da Chinese Bakery. Courtesy Photo.
6. Two Little Red Hens — Upper East Side
Real New Yorkers skip the line at Magnolia Bakery (although, once in a while, it’s worth it for their banana pudding!) and head to Two Little Red Hens. The cult-classic is their Brooklyn Blackout Cupcake, a super-moist dark chocolate cake filled with chocolate pudding and chocolate fudge frosting. They’re also known for their fresh seasonal pies with the ideal crust-to- filling ratio sure to make you feel like you’re cozied up in a country cottage with singing critters.
Dessert shops in NYC: Two Little Red Hens. Courtesy Photo.
7. Levain — multiple locations in Manhattan
Some like their cookies flat and crispy, others chewy and soft. But no matter what side you’re on, everyone loves Levain’s super thick and chunky cookies that could double as a doorstop. We usually buy one of every flavor to share while going for a walk in Central Park but if we had to choose one, the chocolate chip walnut wins. Get extra napkins because it’s a gooey, satisfying mess.
Dessert shops in NYC: Levain. Courtesy Photo.
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8. Lady M — multiple locations in Manhattan
Every year, we order a Lady M Mille Crêpes cake for our birthday. The luxury confections brand has marries French pastry techniques with Japanese sensibilities, resulting in the most delicate and elegant cakes. The Mille Crêpes alternates 20 layers of soft cream and lacy French crêpes and there are other flavor variations to try: green tea, red bean, chocolate, earl grey and tiramisu.
Dessert shops in NYC: Lady M. Courtesy Photo.
9. Ferrara Bakery — Little Italy, Manhattan
Nothing beats the feeling of looking into a glass case brimming with rows and rows of Italian cookies and picking out a pound (or two). Ferrara’s is an iconic Little Italy institution and while there are so many other worthy Italian bakeries, we think they have the best cannolis (crispy shell, light cream), pignolis (the perfect chewy bite) and rainbow cookies (the use of apricot jam doesn’t overwhelm the cake).
Dessert shops in NYC: Ferrara Bakery. Courtesy Photo.
10. Mango, Mango — Chinatown and St. Mark’s Place in Manhattan, Long Island City and Flushing, Queens
Imagine the hottest, stickiest day in the city. Then imagine trying to run errands in that weather with kids. You want something icy and fruity and there’s Mango Mango beckoning like a tropical oasis. The shop fuses the sweet soups in traditional Hong Kong style with modern desserts. Cubes of mango mingle with juice, ice cream, and lychee jelly and it’s so refreshing and chilling. We all have goosebumps that last for at least 10 minutes after heading out into the sweaty concrete jungle.
Dessert shops in NYC: Mango Mango. Courtesy Photo.
Where to go for the top 10 best artisanal dessert shops in NYC?
That concludes our insider’s guide to the top 10 best artisanal dessert shops in New York City (NYC) right now, where you’ll find pastries, cakes, hot chocolate, and more. For natives and tourists alike, the sweet life is never out of reach if you know where to look.
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For access to insider ideas and information on the world of luxury, sign up for our Dandelion Chandelier Newsletter here. And see luxury in a new light.
This article contains affiliate links to products independently selected by our editors. As an Amazon Associate, Dandelion Chandelier receives a commission for qualifying purchases made through these links.
Crediting her training as a cultural anthropologist at Wellesley College, Julie has immersed herself in various industries in the last 15 years including fashion design, event planning, and fitness. Julie lives in New York where she loves trying every ramen and dumpling restaurant with her husband and three children. She finds joy in bold prints, biographies of fierce women, kickboxing. And spending way too long finding the perfect polish color to express her mood.
