NYC Sweets Crawl Part 4: The West Village
Welcome back for part 4 of my NYC "Sweets Crawl" series where each Friday, I share a detailed itinerary for a self-guided dessert tour. This week, we're exploring The West Village.
The West Village is one of the most idyllic neighborhoods in New York City. It is home to an abundance of charming brownstones and fine dining establishments, but when it comes to sweets, you have to know where to look. Here are eight of my favorite bakeries and sweets shops, with nine additional recommendations outlined below. Whether you visit them all in one day, skip a few, or break this into a multi-day adventure is up to you. Enjoy!
Stop 1: Claude
Claude is a old bakery that recently reopened under new ownership that has reused and revamped the original bakery’s recipes. They offer an assortment of laminated pastries, cakes, and fun drinks. My favorite items here are the Creme Brûlée Cruffins and Manhattan Blackout Cake.
Stop 2: Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods
Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods is best known for their Pie Crust Cookies, which are small in size, and have layers of pie crust, gooey fruity fillings, and a buttery streusel crumb topping. They are innovative, delicious, and reasonably priced. She also offers traditional cookies like chocolate chip, and right now, has a fun Dubai Chocolate Bar special running. The owner Janie is dedicated to helping young women through mentorship and second change employment, making her treats extra worthy of our love.
Full review here.
Stop 3: Via Porta
Via Porta is a sister cafe to L’artusi, which is just up the street, and here you’ll find an assortment of freshly baked pastries, sandwiches, and Italian provisions. My favorite thing here is their Olive Oil Loaf Cake, which uses the same recipe as the famous Olive Oil Cake served at L’artusi, but is just baked in a different shape. The seasonal hot chocolate and pop tarts are also great!
Stop 4: Salt & Straw
Salt & Straw is a fifth-generation family-owned ice cream shop that first opened in Portland, Oregon in 2011. They recently expanded to New York City, opening on the Upper West Side and in the West Village. This is home to some of the city’s best scoops, and my favorite flavors are the Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons and Salted, Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
Full review here.
Stop 5: Magnolia Bakery
Magnolia Bakery is New York City’s quintessential American-style bakery. It’s best known for its cupcakes and banana pudding, and I enjoy both. It’s become a bit commercial in recent years, but if you’ve never been, it’s worth checking out. My favorite cupcake here is chocolate with vanilla frosting.
Stop 6: Lil Sweet Treat
Lil Sweet Treat is a tiny candy shop that curates a frequently rotating selection of international gummy candies. Some (like BUBS) you may be able to find elsewhere, but others are more unique. You can browse around and fill up your own small or large bag, and while the lines may be long, they move quickly.
Full review here.
Stop 7: Mah Ze Dahr
Mah-Ze-Dahr is an American-style bakery serving cookies, brownies, pies, and more. Some things here are better than others. My go-tos are the Cinnamon Roll, Pecan Pie (seasonal), and Olive Oil Cake.
Stop 8: L’appartement 4F
L’appartement 4F was born in 2020 out of a husband-and-wife’s Brooklyn apartment, and fast forward five years later, they’ve opened a beautiful multi-level bakery in Brooklyn Heights, and a bakery window in the West Village. They don’t have any seating, but I highly recommend stopping by to grab a croissant (any flavor!) or cinnamon roll. This is also home to the viral “Croissant Cereal” you may have seen all over your Instagram feed.
Full review here.
Other Sweet Spots in the Area:
Postcard (all gluten-free)
Chloe on Bleecker (technically Greenwich Village)
Posh Pop Bakeshop (technically Greenwich Village; all gluten-free)
Pasticceria Rocco (technically Greenwich Village)
Casual Savory Bites:
For more, visit my Instagram, @thecarboholic!