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Categories: Bakeries, Chocolatiers and Shops
Neighborhood: Flatiron23rd St-Broadway (R, W)
14th St-6th Aves (F, V, L, 1, 2, 3)
23rd Street (PATH)
Mon-Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
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I love this place to the utmost. If I was cool enough to be one of those "work from home/cafe" types, I would park myself at City Bakery.
Top 3 favorite things:
1) The staff is really friendly, and completely adorable in that "I don't try too hard which somehow makes me utterly refreshing and totally interesting" way.
2) They have the best iced coffee in the city. Hands down.
3) Their cafeteria-style offerings are always fresh, varied, and so yummy-looking that I end up dropping $20 on lunch b/c I've filled my plate too full. It's always worth it.
I come to this place religiously for their hot chocolate, which might be among the best in the world (the $5 hot chocolate at Eastern Market in Washington D.C. is, perhaps, the only serious rival). Be forewarned: when you see the baked goodness behind the counter, you will be compelled to custom arrange your own coronary. Warning Two: Don't order anything larger than a small hot chocolate unless you want to experience the biggest sugar crash depression trough of your life.
I hear they have delectable gourmet food items in the back, if you make it past the cookies. Also has a handy bathroom (worth at least two stars on its own in this city).
Went here today for the first time for a hot chocolate and a dessert. First, the food: My daughter and I shared one hot chocolate and didn't finish it. It was rich (which I normally like very much) but it tasted oily. The chocolate flavor was rather bland. Also had a chocolate chip cookie which, again, we didn't finish. Greasy and just not very good.
Next, the ambience: What ambience? The food is displayed poorly, there was old macaroni and cheese (seriously!) in the display area with the desserts (which looked dull and boring), and there is no vibe whatsoever. Yuck.
Finally, who organized this place? Where are you supposed to place your order? We went up to the (nice) man at the cash register who said, "Next!" and then placed our order. He said, "Did you already order?" (Huh?) Apparently we were supposed to place our order somewhere else, not sure where. There was no signage at all.
We drank half the chocolate, ate half the cookie, and left quickly, never to return. (Grand total: $7.50)
"Nicole, I have an emergency and I need you in the office right now."
"Yes?"
"Where did you get these muffins? I need to know."
"City Bakery."
I desperately want a secretary. Or an office assistant. Or an intern.
A lot of people who do my job have those.
She'd probably be paid in the form of verbal compliments, but occasionally, if she agreed to never make direct eye contact with me, she'd definiely be treated to some goodies from City Bakery.
Particularly the muffins.
My only reason for giving this place 3 stars is because it's a little pricey and my Blueberry Corn mufiin was just aight. However, my Hot Chocolate with a marshmallow was angelic. It's pretty much a chocolate bar melted down for easy drinking. Hipsters, hobos and Families can all be found here....it's just that type of atmosphere; very warm comfortable and inviting. The front is mostly dedicated to pastries and hot beverages, and soup is served in the back. Hopefully my next visit will allow me to boost my rating.
My favorite items are the hot chocolate, the pretzel croissant, the chocolate chip cookie, the mac n' cheese, the radicchio, and, oddly, the baked tofu with miso sauce and red chili paste. This might be the only place I regularly eat tofu.
But the hot chocolate and pretzel croissant are the best.
First people should know that this place isn't cheap. The foodbar is WAY overpriced. I had the mac and cheese and the fried chicken and honestly, whole foods does it better for less. Great Pumpkin pie though. Their baked goods are definitely the highlight and I hear the hot chocolate is amazing.
Honestly It was a meh experience though. The staff wasn't that friendly, and i didn't plan on spending almost 20 dollars on lunch.
I love how quickly things move in this city. Servers & cooks & even customers seem to be right on top of it all the time. It was the same here. Plus, they're really friendly and the hot chocolate is fantastic. Everyone makes hot cocoa, but City Bakery gets it right. The cups seemed a little small to me, but even splitting it with a friend it was plenty. They are really rich! I usually hate marshmallows, but theirs are good. The other desserts look ridiculous as well. I hope to make myself happily ill on them soon.
I work right by City Bakery so it was inevitable that I'd end up going there and subsequently reviewing it. I made the mistake of eating lunch there a couple times in an effort to find food that was great so I didn't have to just review the desserts.
Alas, I found only over-priced mostly mediocre food. The mac and cheese was the one thing I might go back for as far as lunch is concerned. But even that is only good when you are cold and starving and want a heavy comfort meal (and it'll still cost you five dollars for a spoonful).
Another complaint I have is that their coffee is CRAZY expensive for a very small size. Get one at Dunkin Donuts or something and go to City Bakery just for a snack.
The stars at City Bakery are (as one might expect) their baked goods and surprisingly their hot chocolate. I'm not normally a fan of rich hot chocolate but this stuff is amazing. It's a diet killer for sure but you'll find that every calorie is worth it if you're truly craving hot chocolate. It's not an everyday thing, but def. a treat for once in a while.
What I really go back for here are the vegan chocolate chip cookies. I am in no way a vegan but I love these non-greasy, delicious cookies. I only ordered them b/c the regular choc chip cookies were so greasy and packed with butter that despite my sweet tooth I couldn't stomach another one.
Now I'm addicted to the vegan version and I go back over and over for them. So the stars include one for hot chocolate and two for the cookies.
This five-star review is for the hot drinking chocolate and the amazingly delicious huge homemade marshmallow cube which made its home in said bowl of hot chocolate. Yum!
Additionally, the people-watching is fun from the upstairs at the bar overlooking the bakery counter.
The foodbar is a little pricey, but the carmelized fennel was tasty all the same :-)
Go for the hot chocolate + marshmallow = toasty happiness!
City Bakery had the best hot chocolate on the island that I found. Thick, rich and just the right amount of deep, dark chocolate flavor. I savored my homemade marshmallow cup all the way to the Flatiron Building.
I passed up all of the other delectable looking items and headed straight to the cauldron of chocolaty goodness.
In the front as you enter are the baked goods, then you have a little soup station/omelette bar, and finally a salad bar/buffet area. My wife and I got the Famous Pretzel Croissant (10/10) from area 1; tomato soup from area 2; and basically sampled about 6 or 7 cold veggie dishes from area 3.
The salad bar options were fresh and interesting: red rice w/water chestnuts, sweet potato w/pineapple, butternut squash w/asian pears & hazelnuts, raddichio & chickpeas, roasted cauliflower, teriyaki tofu, etc.
One thing which has been noted elsewhere is that everything is a little pricey: for the 2 of us it was $37 for lunch. Also note that there is limited, crowded seating; and when we were there on a Saturday at noon it was like trying to eat a meal in Macy's foyer, a total madhouse.
But the place is overall really charming, nice staff, definitely worth a try for you.
Their chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal cookies are delicious! They remind me of the Paradise Bakery cookies on the West coast (but the City doesn't beat Paradise! seriously though...how can you beat something heavenly?). Anyway, they also have tasty gourmet-ish food - the mac and cheese is pretty delish. It would have been even better if it were still hot - it was only lukewarm when I got it - warmer would have been gooier and better. I also had a turkey meatloaf sandwich on garlic bread. It was yummy even though it was too tall to eat as a sandwich - I had to disassemble it to devour it. But I would go back for this one. The chocolate zucchini cake is outrageous -- it's intensely cocoa (not chocolate because it has a slight bitterness to it) and it's pretty heavy, so it's a fantastic snack. I'm going back to try the hot chocolate on a colder day so that it tastes extra soulwarming.
This was an excellent and chill place to visit. I had a fantastic coffee along with a cookie. I was able to try to hot chocolate which was perhaps not on par with Maison du Chocolat or Marie Belle, but really was excellent and quite enjoyable.
I'm sure this place can get crazy, but we were able to park quite comfortably upstairs and have a nice chat.
What's the deal with the chocolate room? It was pretty much bereft of chocolate. Anyway, good spot.
I heard about this bakery when i was reseaching for NYC and the SATC Girls are big fans, i think it may have appeared on an episode of Sex and The City. I had been looking forward to the salted pretzel croissant for months and it did not dissapoint. It was flaky and salty and freakishly resembled the taste of a pretzel. The interior is really cool, kinda looks like a modern cafeteria, and its 2 floors so there are lots of seats. My experience was pleasurable however i had a chocolate cookie with white choc wafers and it was dry, not a big fan of that.
So, here's the deal, ever since I started working at city bakery I have gained 7 pounds. I'm not gonna sue, it's obviously self inflicted. The problem is you get a lunch break, and the food is so fresh and tasty that you don't realize you've just had a ridiculous serving of delicious.
It's a bitch to work here just because the line is like whoah, like black rob whoah. But I manage for the free lunch, shitismadexpensive.
Very particular kind of hot chocolate. I didn't get it with marshmallow, because I never understood the whole thing about marshmallow in hot chocolate. Such adulteration. The hot chocolate is very thick; it's basically drinking chocolate. It would be great for breakfast on a cold winter morning with some excellent pain. An excellent po'man's sexy breakfast. But alas, I am not in Paris anymore. Or with churros!
I wish they would have told me their iced tea had some weird flavor because I thought it was gross. I like my iced tea plain, no sugar, no lemon, just plain. Lots of ice. This had some weird new age ginger thing going on and I tossed it immediately.
I am adding a whole one star for the croissant! I was hungover, it was early, I had to meet with work friends at Paper Presentation to get stuff for work and while trying to get a cab, we popped in to City Bakery. I think that croissant cured my hangover in 2 minutes flat. I probably gained six pounds from it, too but whatever...
Went there a couple of weeks ago and the restroom issues had been resolved! Good job!
All the rest was still awesome!
I can't believe I never wrote a review for City Bakery! I love it! I love the mac and cheese, the… Read more »
Small Drip coffee (and we're talking smaller than a standard "Greek" paper coffee cup)= $2.25 ...and they don't fix it for you.
The cookie is huge, and tastes like sawdust.
M-E-H.
one of the things i miss most about new york is City Bakery. there's nothing like a hot chocolate with an epic homemade marshmallow in New York autumn.
the baked goods are heavenly, and the lunch and breakfast buffet (weighed by the lb) is so yummy.
the only reason i didn't give my review 5 stars is because City Bakery is far too expensive. the seating can also be a bitch at "rush hour"
City Bakery is a good place to grab a sandwish (they have one with melted cheese that's delicious) or have a soup while hidding from the cold. The coffee is refill and there're several interesting pastries to have with your coffee.
This review is limited to the hot chocolate and to the cookies.
City Bakery, which looks like some crappy chain, actually has some really world-class treats.
The hot chocolate is absolutely divine - you can almost chew it, it's so thick. They're also wise enough to err more on the side of not-sweet than sweet, though they don't get the balance exactly right.
The cookies are also good, but almost in an intellectual way. I RESPECT the cookies, I'm intimidated by the cookies, but after a tough day at work, I'm in no mood for such reverence. Give me a Levain.
(Note that if you're an east village baby, you can get a lot of their baked goods at Birdbath).
I will definately be back to City Bakery for more hot chocolate and delicious cookies!
I sampled the cold hot chocolate which was delicious but after sampling the warm hot chocolate, I went with the reliable standby which was a good call. It was warm, tiny, thick and rich. Yummmm.
Also brought home their chocolate chip cookies which were large and chocolatey but I'm waiting to go back next time and sample the melted chocolate cookie which was sold out by the time we got there.
And I will def be back to do some more hot chocolate sampling this February for the Hot Chocolate Festival!
I have found the perfect summer lunch at City Bakery -- small gazpacho from the gazpacho bar (where you can add your own cucumber, scallions, cilantro, croutons etc) and 1/2 of an egg salad sandwich. It's the right amount for lunch, even though it might not sound like it.
Their gazpacho is absolutely delicious. And I think they might put crack in the egg salad, that's how good it is.
On the downside, this perfect meal is $8, which is a lot for a small soup and 1/2 sandwich. Also, I once made the mistake of getting their iced coffee. The smallest size cup is $3. So now I get $1.50 iced coffee from the cart across the street.
I'm afraid to try the salad/hot bar because at $13/lb, I'm pretty sure I could easily spend like $18 without knowing it. All the food looks incredible, though.
Sometimes if they have cookies that are broken, they'll given them out for free. When this happens, it's like winning the lottery. It's only happened to me once, but I still go in almost every day, hoping some careless baker's clumsiness will result in a free cookie for me.
This review will be a bit biased because I can't handle too much sweet stuff.
I've been here twice and both times had only the hot chocolate with the marshmallow. Diabetics beware, this drink can kill you. This is almost pure melted chocolate, no milk whatsoever.
The first time I drank it by myself made me sick and I'm not sure I finished it. Don't get me wrong, it was super delicious but despite the small cup, it's a LOT of melted chocolate for me to handle. The second time I shared it with my girlfriend which was enough for the both of us. It made me artificially full. I'm sure chocolate lovers will enjoy this.
I would recommend it but for a special occasion or a monthly thing. I haven't tried anything else ... yet. The place can be a bit messy as well. Definitely a nice place to take a date to once.
Everything is delicious but even after everyone on the planet started serving hot chocolate theirs is still the best--no contest.
When it comes to chocolate chip cookies, it's really all about personal preference. I happen to like mine thick, gooey, and soft, but despite my personal tastes, I was willing to set that all aside and try the famed flat, buttery City Bakery chocolate chip cookies. You know, for posterity's sake and all....
Utter disappointment. The cookie to chocolate ratio was totally out of hand! Where did all the chocolate chips go??? Maybe I happened to get the dregs of that batch of dough, or maybe City Bakery is just that stingy with their chocolate chips. Either way, unacceptable! Especially when the cookie part of the cookie wasn't so hot. It was chewy and flat (as I guess I expected), but it was beyond buttery. I'm pretty sure it left more grease marks on my napkin than would have a slice of pepperoni pizza. And that's how it tasted too....like butter. I guess I was just hoping for a lot more flavor and texture from City Bakery.
On a much better chocolate note, their Cold Hot Chocolate was fantastic. I only got a sample, but it was smooth, creamy, and rich. Just how you want your cold (and hot, for that matter) hot chocolate to be! It might have been a little too rich for a whole cup, but I thoroughly enjoyed my sample.
Ok, though I cannot even remotely afford this place, I won't hold it against them too much.
I stumbled across this place just looking for a scone and was floored. It's beautiful inside. There's a bakery section, a cafe section, a mac and cheese section?!@?#$?SFW#$E& A MAC AND CHEESE BAR? yes its true.
The 'salad bar' (though it should be called the Smorgasbord) had tons of beautiful food that was clearly freshly prepared. Though it happens to be like what, $13, $15 per pound... I couldn't afford enough to actually be full, so I just window shopped. There's also little individually priced items in there, like pretty little pizzas, etc.
The interior is big, spacious and attractive. It's pretty spectacular to call itself a Bakery.
And in writing this review, I just decided to go back there on my lunch break... in an hour.
great ambiance, swooping ceilings, helpful staff, AMAZING hot chocolate, i scraped out every last drop, my friend used her fingers to do the licking ! mm mm
The first thing you taste is the heavy aromas of homemade chocolate chunk cookies that line glass counter-tops along with other comparable desserts. Brace yourself for the best cup of hot chocolate topped with homemade marshmallows. Healthy food, mediocre seating, nice vibe.
First the positive: whenever I'm in the area, I head straight to the City Bakery for lunch or a snack. The salad bar is ultra tasty, and the desserts are great. I always bring out of town guests here.
Now the negative: the place is looking really, really shabby. Bar stools have been ripped out of the floor without the floor being patched, the bathroom is a pit, there's an overall sense that things aren't going well financially and they're not putting any cash into keeping up the place. Plus, the food bar is looking a bit thin (but I'm usually there around 2 pm). It hasn't quite got to the point where I'd reconsider a visit when I'm down there, but it's getting close. The prices are really high, and it's a lot to pay when the environment is a little "eh."
effective pit stop for a sugar & caffeine fix. cheerful service, potent expresso & decent pie..if a tad too sweet. pas mal.
The pretzel croissants are like eating a cute, fuzzy animal*. You'll know what I mean when you try it.
*This is a good thing.
This is a OK place for me.
-1 for the price. It is pricy for one muffin.
-1 for not so comfortable seating.
Based on JJ Abrams' recent recommendation in WIRED, I decided to order the two items he mentioned in the publication: the hot chocolate and the pretzel croissant.
Both were excellent. Somehow, the fine folks at City Bakery managed to combine the flavors of a pretzel and a croissant into a magnificent bastard child of deliciousness. Based on it's appearance, you wouldn't expect something so good. It just looks like a croissant shaped like a pretzel, but my God, is it packed with pretzel goodness.
The hot chocolate was some of the best I ever had. It's pretty much just like drinking melted chocolate. I can't put it into any more words. I wasn't too impressed with the look of the place, but whatever, the food was great.
I don't understand the hype surrounding this place. I will say that they must have the best PR people, because there have been mentions of City Bakery in all the local publications.
Anyway, I saw the NY Times article about chocolate chip cookies from a year ago, and happened to be at Adorama down the street. Had my dog with me so wasn't able to eat in, but I'll agree that it seemed to be a cozy place to sit for awhile.
There's various food bars in the back (fruit, hot food, cold food, etc.) and baked goods up front. Things were definitely pretty but quite pricey (i.e. more expensive per pound than Whole Foods).
Ended up with some mac and cheese (not bad--crisp, cheesy crust on the top...about $5 for a small box, say 2"x3"x5") and said chocolate chip cookie. Which...was terrible. Or at least not to my liking.
First off, it was definitely overbaked--it's supposed to be larger in order to bake crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle, but the cookie was more like crunchy on the edges and crispy in the middle. Secondly, there really wasn't much chocolate, and it wasn't integrated well. Third, and worst of all, the cookie didn't taste buttery--it tasted like oil. Rancid oil.
Blergh. I might be back if I'm in the area, but definitely not for the chocolate chip cookie.
Tip: Jacques Torres's chocolate chip cookie takes the cake! It actually tastes buttery, chocolately (they use house pastilles), and delicious.
Holy flippin' cookie! These things must have crack in them. If I have one favorite dessert that rates higher amongst ANY other kind of dessert-like item, it's cookies. I like to bake 'em, I like to buy 'em, and I really like to eat 'em. This place has some killer cookies. I'm excited just writing about them!
I would usually sway towards the chocolate chip or the double chocolate chip (both are great options), but my favorite ones were these yummy coconut cookies. OH my god. I couldn't stop eating these things!
Be prepared to fight for your cookies. Once they're sold out for the day, they're out. No more, nada, none, finite-o. It's just not going to happen, so get over it. From what I hear though, if they do have extra cookies on a slow day, they package them up and sell them by the box full the day after for next to nothing.
Go here (make sure not too late), to get your cookie crave on.
This was my first visit to City Bakery. Definitely great service and a tempting row of pastries in the morning. I ordered a cappuccino, a mixed berry scone, and since I wouldn't have time to go back later in the day, one of the chocolate chip cookies. The scone was a disappointment - the berries (what was left of them) were only visible on top - no fruit chunks or really any fruit inside the scone. Just pastry. Not interesting or very tasty. I should have tried the seeded croissant instead.
The chocolate chip cookie on the other hand was delicious.
Will have to go back and try it again on my next NYC tour.
Every one of those stars go to their AMAZING cookies!
Really people.... if you consider yourself a cookie person (and who doesn't consider themselves a cookie person) you NEED to go.
They are on the softer/moist side of cookies, so crisper cookie lovers watch out!
I just might head there right now.
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