Best Places to Have Desserts In New York City

New York City has wonderful sweets from around the world. From old bakeries in Little Italy to new ice cream shops making popular flavors, NYC has delicious . Famous places like Magnolia Bakery, Levain, and Dominique Ansel attract big crowds.

New sweets shops like Morgenstern’s and Supermoon also have yummy treats. This tells about some of the best spots for sweets across the five boroughs.With so many kinds of restaurants, New York City has desserts from many cultures.

French desserts like delicate macarons and perfect croissants. Middle Eastern sweets with pistachio and orange blossom. Asian ice creams and cakes with matcha and black sesame. Classic American cookies, pies, and more also have a special place.

Trendy, creative desserts come and go. But a few legendary shops stick around. Levain Bakery has some of the best cookies – thick chocolate chip walnuts loaded with chocolate and walnuts. Dominique Ansel has the famous cronut, born here in 2013.

Great Italian bakeries like Ferrara have classic cannoli filled fresh with sweet ricotta. Creative ice cream makers like Van Leeuwen have surprising flavors like Earl Grey tea and brown sugar cookie dough. These are just a taste of the iconic sweets ahead.

The goal is telling you about the best desserts in New York, focusing on places with great quality, creativity, and fame in New York’s food scene. From classics to new hits, these shops lead the way for superb sweets.

Levain Bakery

Address : 167 W 74th St, New York, NY 10023, United States

Open In Google Maps : Link

Working Hours : 8 am–8 pm

With shops across New York City, Levain Bakery has a loyal following for its big cookies packed with quality chocolate and more. Their famous cookie is the chocolate chip walnut, with chunks of chocolate and fresh walnuts baked into a thick, chewy 6 ounce cookie. Just one bite gives a very rich experience.

Visiting Levain is tempting even before having the cookies, with the sweet smell of butter and chocolate welcoming you inside. Displays of trays full of the chunky, perfect cookies wait at the counter. Watching staff pull fresh cookies from the oven to eager customers adds anticipation.

What makes Levain cookies special is how they balance soft, gooey insides with a firm yet tender crispness. Only top ingredients like Valrhona chocolate, Madagascar vanilla, and Carolina walnuts are used. Hot cookies from the oven have a fudgy center with crispy edges, achieving cookie bliss.

With locations on the Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Harlem and Williamsburg, Levain offers easy access across NYC, though prepare for lines during busy times. Go early morning to reduce waits, but late at night before closing also works for fresh cookies without crowds. For best taste, eat right away or gently reheat later.

Dominique Ansel Bakery

Address : 189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012, United States

Open In Google Maps : Link

Working Hours : Thursday, 8 am–7 pm

Famous pastry chef Dominique Ansel made news when he introduced the cronut in 2013 at his SoHo bakery. Cronuts combine flaky French croissant with fried doughnut goodness. Since then, Chef Ansel keeps innovating with creative treats almost every year.

Visiting Dominique Ansel feels like a candy factory, with colorful cakes, crystallized roses, and reimagined classics like DKAs tempting you everywhere. Sweet smells of vanilla and seasonal flavors like pumpkin or peppermint invite you to sample everything.

But the signature cronut remains most popular, made fresh daily in limited amounts with creative monthly flavors. Long lines form to get these croissant-doughnut hybrids with signature dough and flavors like tiramisu, apple pie, and ginger lemon. The cronut sparked countless knockoffs globally but none match the perfection here.

Magnolia Bakery

Address : 1240 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020, United States

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Working Hours : 8 am–10 pm

Ask any New Yorker for an iconic bakery, and Magnolia will likely come first. Since 1996, Magnolia stays popular for classic American baked goods from decorated cupcakes to banana pudding and more. Multiple locations across the city keep hungry crowds coming all day.

Their rich, creamy banana pudding has many fans. Layers of fresh banana, vanilla wafers, and thick vanilla pudding make a tasty Southern-style treat. Seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice or eggnog attract locals wanting these temporary menu items.

Visiting any Magnolia instantly sparks joy with welcoming sugar, butter and chocolate sights and smells. Watching staff decorate cupcakes or make banana pudding shows the care behind each item, enticing you to order indulgent sweets to enjoy there or take home.

With locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, Magnolia offers easy ways to satisfy dessert cravings. Expect hour-long waits most days, or visit weekday mornings for lighter crowds. In cooler months, arrive early to get limited banana pudding since seasonal items sell out fast.

NamesAddressWorking HoursMaps
NY Bakery and Desserts512 7th Ave, New York, NY 10018, United States9 am–1 amLink
Tous Les Jours31 W 32nd St, New York, NY 10001, United States 8 am–11 pmLink
Max Brenner New York841 Broadway, New York, NY 10003, United States9 am–1 amLink
Veniero’s Pasticceria & Caffe342 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003, United States 8 am-10 pmLink

Breads Bakery

Address : 18 E 16th St, New York, NY 10003, United States

Open In Google Maps : Link

Working Hours : 7 am–8 pm

Since opening in 2013, Breads Bakery earned praise for exceptional baked goods from crusty breads to Jewish treats like challah, rugelach, and babka. Careful methods and ingredients give outstanding flavor and artistry across breads and pastries.

Especially popular is their chocolate babka, a brioche woven with Nutella and bittersweet chocolate between delicate layers. When sliced, beautiful chocolate ribbons ooze out, releasing rich aroma. Each bite balances buttery, flaky pastry with indulgent chocolate.

With several Manhattan locations on the Upper West Side, Union Square, Midtown, and new Upper East Side spot specializing in gourmet black and white cookies, Breads offers easy access for babka and baked cravings. Bakeries open around 7 am on weekdays, making early visits ideal to beat crowds and get the freshest loaves and pastries.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream

Address : 48 1/2 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003, United States

Open In Google Maps : Link

Working Hours : 12 pm–12 am

Using traditional methods with fresh milk, cream and eggs, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream pioneered tasty artisanal ice creams and vegan frozen Best desserts in NYC, across New York City since 2008. Real foods like ginger, pistachios, Earl Grey tea, cinnamon and brown sugar cookie dough provide rich flavor, not artificial ingredients.

Signatures include Earl Grey with pure bergamot oil, and vegan chocolate chunk studded with cashews and bittersweet chocolate. Van Leeuwen also has fun seasonal options, like peach cobbler or Christmas cookies and cream. The ice creams balance richness and flavors perfectly.

Entering a shop welcomes you with cool air and fresh waffle cone aroma. Colorful pint cases offer many tempting choices. Watching staff scoop reminds small batches get used fast for exceptional freshness.

With a dozen NYC locations including Brooklyn, Upper East and West Sides, and SoHo, cravings can get satisfied easily. Visit weekday afternoons to sample flavors and skip the longest weekend lines. Late spring through summer has the widest flavors.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream

Doughnut Plant

Address : 379 Grand St, New York, NY 10002, United States

Open In Google Maps : Link

Working Hours : 7 am–9 pm

For 30 years, Doughnut Plant has baked incredibly tasty and creative cake and yeast doughnuts in New York City using quality ingredients like vanilla, Valrhona chocolate, and seasonal fruits. You can customize doughnuts; choose trademark or limited flavors then add toppings.

The creme brûlée doughnut has a vanilla bean custard filling inside yeast dough with a delicate crispy sugar shell. Other favorites include peanut butter and jelly, tres leches, and seasonal ones like pumpkin and sweet potato.

Entering any location brings joyful sights and smells of frying dough, coffee, vanilla and chocolate as you ponder so many tempting flavors. Watching staff dip, fill and decorate doughnuts shows meticulous craft.

With five shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn, New Yorker’s can easily access these treats. Expect 15 minute lines normally, longer weekends and mornings. For fastest access and best selection, come early afternoon weekdays when crowds thin after commuters leave.

Doughnut

Pink Lady Cheese Tart

Address : 11 Mott St, New York, NY 10013, United States

Open In Google Maps : Link

Working Hours : 11:30 am–7 pm

Pink Lady Cheese Tart draws cheese tart fans from across New York City to its small Chinatown shop for Japanese-style versions of the savory-sweet pastry. Creamier than cheesecake, these tarts have rich yet airy fillings in delicate, flaky crusts.

The signature tart features a generous creamy filling mixing cream cheese, heavy cream, eggs and vanilla. Each one gets torched to order, letting you watch staff caramelize sugar on the silky fillings to make a thin crispy layer contrasting the smooth interior. Matcha and seasonal fruit tarts come too.

Walking along Mott Street, the smell of fresh tarts comes from Pink Lady, inviting passersby into the tiny bakery. Display cases showcase perfect tarts waiting to be boxed or sliced to enjoy in the minimalist cafe.

Petee’s Pie Company

Address : 61 Delancey St, New York, NY 10002, United States

Open In Google Maps : Link

Working Hours : 11 am–11 pm

At her cozy Lower East Side shop, Petra “Petee” Paredez bakes wonderful sweet and savory pies from scratch using seasonal, local ingredients. Flavors include honey pear, chocolate pecan, strawberry rhubarb, chicken pot pie and more, but the banana cream stands out.

Bananas caramelize then go into smooth vanilla bean pudding before tucking into Petee’s flaky, perfectly browned crust. Every creamy bite has tastes of brown butter and vanilla, balanced by fresh banana rather than too much artificial flavor. Apple and fruit pies also have excellent crisp, buttery crusts.

Stepping into the small pie shop fills the air with vanilla, baked fruit and pie crust scents plus warm vibes. Watching Petee assemble pies makes resisting a slice hard, with rotating gelato flavors adding temptation.

Open Wednesday-Sunday for whole pie takeout online ordering. Seasonal monthly specials like sweet potato pecan often sell fastest. Visit mid-afternoon weekends for widest flavor availability as popular pies sometimes sell out.

From scratch baking, quality ingredients, and friendly hospitality, Petee’s offers quintessential charm. The heartfelt quality keeps New Yorker’s coming back to satisfy all pie cravings.

Bibble & Sip Cream Puffs

Address : 253 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019, United States

Open In Google Maps : Link

Working Hours : 9 am–7 pm

Whimsical Bibble & Sip bakery delights the eye and tastebuds with cute pastries fusing French techniques with Asian flavors. Light, airy cream puffs dazzle with crisp shells embracing lush matcha or Earl Grey cream fillings.

Silky fillings pair beautifully with the delicate shells that crunch without heavy frying flavor. Flavors change seasonally; recent delights include ube taro and black sesame. A harmonious balance emerges in each thoughtfully crafted puff.

Entering the Hell’s Kitchen shop brings instant smiles with fruit-shaped puffs and other photo-worthy designs tempting you. Watching staff fill and dip puffs to order into matcha or chocolate provides a behind-the-scenes peek.

Open Wednesday-Sunday for walk-ins or online orders. Whole cream puff cakes grace special order menus too. For dining in, come earlier weekends when seats fill fast, or grab takeaway boxes anytime to enjoy these petite indulgences across New York City.

Keki Modern Cakes

Address : 315 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016, United States

Open In Google Maps : Link

Working Hours : 12pm–7 pm

Keki Modern Cakes pioneered Japanese-style “bouncy” cheesecakes in New York City, winning many fans for featherlight versions with amazingly airy textures like souffle. Fresh ingredients like Hokkaido cream cheese, cage-free eggs, and vanilla bean paste produce the signature jiggly yet creamy texture in flavors from original plain to chocolate, matcha green tea, Oreo cookie, and seasonal offerings.

These cheesecakes resemble fluffy mousse but maintain a rich, creamy essence. The smooth delicate texture feels bouncy, contrasting dense New York cheesecake. Vibrant flavors like matcha and chocolate pop without weighing down the airy crumb.

Stepping into Keki’s peaceful shops reveals prized whole cheesecakes under glass cloches, showing off baked souffle-like tops. Slices get cut to order from whole cakes at room temperature for the cafe, while special ordering ahead secures whole cakes since limited quantities sell out daily.

With Chinatown and Midtown locations plus online ordering, Keki makes bouncy cheesecake easy across NYC. Visit earlier weekends when slices are most available, though whole cake pickup provides flexibility for getting these Instagrammable cakes on demand.

Conclusion

New York City has one of the world’s best food scenes, with exceptional desserts standing strong besides stellar savory cuisine for quality and variety. From longstanding bakeries perfecting generations-old specialties to pastry trendsetters launching viral sensations, sublime indulgences await across every neighborhood.

The tremendous diversity of magnificent sweets here astounds the senses. Flourless chocolate cake at Benoit transcends rich. Dominique Ansel’s hybrid cronuts achieve flaky fried brilliance. Junior’s iconic cheesecake remains our beloved New York taste. These along with Levain’s giant cookies, Doughnut Plant creativity, Chinatown matcha mochi prove sweets exist to suit any palate.

This article aimed to highlight truly stellar New York City dessert spots as a starting point to discover more of this town’s sweet bounty. In a city brimming with remarkable purveyors, more sugar-filled adventures undoubtedly await to tempt tastebuds down every block.

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