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Lafayette French Pastry Bakers
- Nearest Transit:
-
W 4 St (A, B, C, D, E, F, M)
Christopher St - Sheridan Sq (1, 2)
14 St (1, 2, 3)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8:30 am - 9 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Patrycja M. said: "I live couple blocks away from this place... and was always like "aaa maybe next time" but went there couple months ago and OMG. Its wonderland... Their RED VELVET CAKE is to die for. I have it once every couple weeks and not once I…" read more »
18 reviews for Lafayette French Pastry Bakers
18 reviews in English
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Review from HamiltonHeights H.
Manhattan, NY
7/24/2011
How is this place still open? I dropped in yesterday to see what they had. I was surprised to see burnt items out on trays. Who is going to buy a burnt cookie?
I asked how much a brownie was: $3.85
Forget it. I can get cheaper and better-looking baked goods elsewhere. -
Review from Kate M.
New York, NY
11/27/2011
This place may have the worst croissants I've ever tasted in my life. How can they taste worse than the mass-produced, pre-wrapped ones sold at supermarkets? Greasy, soggy, nothing delicate or flaky about them - simply terrible. I don't like to give out one or two stars to small businesses, mom-and-pop type shops. But when things are this bad, I also feel like not doing so would be misleading people. "Eek! Methinks not" represents exactly how I feel about this place - hence, one star.
If you want great croissants - go to Ceci Cela or Patisserie Claude. Not here.
EDITED:
OK, I read other reviews. I'm not gonna comment on his politics, not my business. But I gotta say I love that the owner can't even spell "mille-feuille" correctly ("millie fluere" is what he wrote) and this is right after he writes "as I have been to Paris" - hilarious! Obviously he doesn't speak any French. It's in his response to Kate Z's review, BTW. -
Review from Saori E.
6/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went here with a French friend and we both agreed, nothing about this place is French. You don't have to be French to see that. You don't even need to have visited France to see that. It's a drab American bakery with mediocre pastries.
I hate judging from appearance, but everything just looks old, stale, and (snoot alert!) like it somehow doesn't belong in this neighborhood. My opinion didn't change after tasting their pastries either. Their palmier ($2.50), instead of being crisp and flaky, was doughy like a dense dinner roll.
I was going to give this place 2 stars because despite the quality of the pastries, the old lady was really patient, nice, and trying so hard to be a good salesperson while I decided which of the not-so-appetizing pastries to buy (I was really hungry for a pastry and just couldn't wait any longer). She kindly described many of the pastries to me unlike some other shops that ignore you til you wave money in their faces. That said, back at home, I found out about their racist cookie fiasco and decided to downgrade to 1 star. I will not stand mediocre pastries from a racist shop.
(In case you hadn't heard of the issue:
http://gothamist.com/2...
http://www.thevillager... ) -
Review from robyn h.
Philadelphia, PA
5/21/2011
This is the home of the DRUNKEN NEGRO cookie, for those who don't know!!! Don't be fooled by what looks like harmless pastries in the window. This place is RACIST.
On top of that, their pastries are AVERAGE!!! I haven't been here since before I heard about these "cookies", but their cupcakes are terrible. Save your money and go to a bakery that appreciates its customers. -
Review from Sam H.
Woodhaven, NY
5/9/2011
I checked this place out with a co-worker. It looked like an old school NYC bakery but not as polished. The cookies in the case were just thrown in, not really arranged and the cases weren't lit at all so it wasn't the best looking place. The Macaroons looked a little burned and were sort of thrown in there any old way, still stuck to the paper.
Upon sampling the goods, the cupcake turned out to be a little dry, probably held over from the weekend. The cookies were nothing special.
Only after the guy behind the counter said something that struck me as a little off, did I think to myself 'wait a minute, is this THAT bakery?'
I checked my blackberry and sho nuff' it was.
Drat! Its one thing to have so so baked goods but its a whole 'nother to have offensive public views AND so so baked goods.
But I'm not going to get on a moral high horse. To be honest, I've heard some pretty unsavory things in a pizza place near where I live and vowed never to return...BUT THEN I GET A HANKERING and the only place to get that kind of slice is where the guy behind the counter has views that are...how do you say...antiquated...OK OK they're just wrong! In that case however, I will drown out the sound of my protesting concience with the chewing and lound yummy sounds while eating that so so good pizza. Does it taste better BECAUSE its wrong? What I'm saying is, while his ideas are offensive but the man knows his way around a pizza oven and at the very least, I'm paying for a quality service which is what I didn't get at Lafayette French Bakery.
Owner's views aside, this place is just so so, keep walking and you'll find better. -
Review from Miriam W.
12/29/2009
Cheesecake, black and white cookies, French macarons: these are a few of my favorite things. I was delighted to receive a box containing all three on Christmas Day when I expected nothing more than a bagel.
Unfortunately that's where my delight ended. Every single one was atrocious. I mean, throw in the garbage, can't stand another bite, B-A-D! And anyone who knows me knows that I am not the kind of person who tosses out baked goods!
The black and white cookie was more rocklike than cakelike in texture.
The macarons tasted as though they'd been soaked in cloying almond liqueur.
Hoping against hope for a respite from these repugnant flavors and textures, I stuck my spoon into the cheesecake. Its consistency was a bit like toast and it was overly imbued with nutmeg.
Considering how excessively every item was flavored, it's as if the taste buds of the bakers here were somehow dimmed or otherwise compromised.
I once judged an amateur baking contest; even the most dissatisfying entry was better than anything I sampled from Lafayette French Pastry. -
Review from Kathleen M.
San Jose, CA
4/24/2008
Chowhound's usually a braintrust of opinions on where to find anything food related. I have black and white cookie needs and since I was visiting New York I wanted those needs met. Someone on Chowhound unfortunately suggested this place.
Their black and white was dried out, with the "cookie" part no longer spongey like it should be. The frosting was hard. Basically we could tell looking at it that it wasn't going to be good, but since it was recommended to us and we'd just walked a couple miles to get it we went ahead. Big mistake.
There's no seating here (which sucks) so we went a few doors down to a big open playground that was hosting a retail market and sat down on a bench and ate our sad little cookie.Listed in: I Want to Eat a Part of it,…
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Review from Amy C.
Astoria, NY
1/23/2009
The pastries are of low quality, and more importantly the service/ personality of the owner are the type of crass, classless and rude people I would not like to give my business to.
Only an ignorant southern bell would think their cookies are "funny" and not offensive.
Do not come here.... There are other bakeries that have the all around great atmosphere, wonderful service and delicious pastries that are attractive to pastry lovers! -
Review from Jon P.
Cockeysville, MD
1/30/2009
Not so good. This used to be a great place for celebrities, NY Elite and many other locals who loved to eat there. Unfortunately the owner or manager made a huge miscalculation by spewing his views and trying to defend them by trying to hide behind the first amendment.
While the food is great, the service is very good and the prices are reasonable I can no longer support this establishment . Stay away from this place. We are all entitled to our opinion. But when we push it on to others then we are setting a dangerous precedent.Comment from t k. of Lafayette French Pastry Bakers 10/7/2009
Genius is the word of the day! Creativity is the root of all… More » -
Review from Hank W.
Allentown, PA
6/13/2007
Totally agree with the first review, I just happened to be walking by and was drawn in. Great tasting pastries are a rarity these days This place has a large variety, while I only had the napoleon, it was devine.
Definitely give them a try, you will not be disappointed. -
Review from Gunes K.
New York, NY
2/26/2009
I'm all about supporting mom and pop businesses, which this one is a good (bad, really) example of. I will pay a slight premium to, say, get the same loaf of bread from an independent bakery instead of Food Emporium.
So I gave this place a fair chance, shopped a couple times. All three things I've tried tasted horrible.
Furthermore, the guy gives you the same guilt trip every time about how he's losing business to corporate giants. I'm like, dude, how did you EVER keep anyone coming back long before Food Emporium was around the corner, if you simply don't know how to bake?
You know what, I guess the guilt trip MUST be working on some people. That's the only explanation I can think of why this guy is still in business.
P.S. The place looks like it's been there forever, too. Fucking blows my mind.... -
Review from BJ B.
New York, NY
7/23/2011
Yikes! This place has mice! It wasn't even that late (maybe 7 or 8p) when one came from behind the counter and ran along the wall! DISGUSTING. The workers are also rude. If I could give this place zero stars I would...
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Review from Jasmine L.
Los Angeles, CA
3/22/2009
okay, so here's the deal -- i went to this bakery without knowing anything about the racist cookie (check out this link to see what i'm talking about http://gothamist.com/2...) or what had taken place, so when i walked by the bakery i decided to stop in.
upon entering i was immediately thrilled with the wide variety of choices and purchased several cookies and pastries -- all of which were quite good.
after purchasing my baked goods, i overheard a reporter from a local NYC newspaper interviewing the owner and his mother -- and the reporter filled me in on all the controversy.
when i got home i saw images and read articles about the racist cookie and was quite shocked and disappointed that someone would do that.
i certainly understand why everyone is so upset, me included, which is why this place gets 1 star and i won't be going back like many other NYCers.Comment from t k. of Lafayette French Pastry Bakers 10/7/2009
Ratings and comments made here are not food related and… More » -
Review from jeff s.
Brookline, MA
6/14/2011
this is a joke, HORRIBLE dry, tasteless baked goods, I threw it all away after one bite. The owners are even worse, DONT GO
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Review from Amaka O.
Brooklyn, NY
1/30/2009
Don't go here. The pastries are not even that good. And the fact that this place is RACIST should be enough of a reason not to even patronize this business. Stay away
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Review from Adam A.
Brooklyn, NY
1/26/2009
Great snacks.
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Review from Kate Z.
Astoria, NY
3/20/2009
I went to this place pre-distasteful cookies, but I was still surprised by how little I liked it. I had walked past the front many times and thought that it looked good--worth supporting in the face of so many huge, faceless chains or some of the sleek, well-funded (but devoid of personality) neighborhood standards. So one morning I decided to get breakfast for my friends and bought a bag of croissants and other pastries.
For the record, I didn't mind the chocolate cigar. It was okay. Did it seem even a little French? Not really. But it was okay. The croissants, on the other hand, were the weirdest I've ever had: butter-soaked and flabby, without the crispy outer shell that most people would associate with this particular variety of pastry. Each croissant left a giant grease stain on whatever it touched. My friend, who had grown up in this neighborhood, ate a bite politely and later informed me that everyone knows this place is horrible and avoids it at all costs. (She did also tell me that the pastries were once a little better--I think the guy who's doing the baking now is the son of the guy who started the place?)
I tried, at least. In a way, I guess I'd be sad to see it go. But in another, more accurate way, it's a shame this place takes up real estate when a better bakery could move in and really be a service to the neighborhood.Comment from t k. of Lafayette French Pastry Bakers 10/7/2009
Obviously not a true fan of real croissants. Our croissants… More » -
Review from Alexis L.
Brooklyn, NY
1/26/2009
The cookies have all of the lightness and texture of a chunk of concrete. The dead goose bread tastes like...the innards of a taxidermy goose. And could anything be more disgusting than 'drunken Negro cookies'? I think not. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
