NYC’s Best Independent French Bakeries (& What to Get There)

We are living in a carb renaissance. Long fermentations, laminated dough, heritage grains, precise technique. What once felt like a European luxury is now a daily ritual in New York.

Frenchly and French Morning host regular competitions to determine the Best Baguette and Best Croissant in NYC, but while we wait for details on the 2026 editions, there’s no need to wait to enjoy some of the city’s best baked goods.

In 2024, The New York Times wrote, “The Golden Age of American Bakeries Is Upon Us,” and if anything, the numbers have only climbed since. As a European immigrant in New York City, I remember a time, at least 20 years ago, when American bread and pastries, bagels aside, felt nearly inedible. Sourdough was not a thing. Croissants or any kind of viennoiseries were a punchline. There were regional specialties, sure, but broadly speaking, bread culture in New York was bleak.

Now we have the opposite problem. You have to sift through it all. French bakeries and French-inspired ones—because, let’s be honest, most of the best baking in NYC still relies on French techniques—are everywhere. There is absolutely no reason to settle for mediocrity. So we’ve combed through some of the best independent bakeries in New York City to tell you what you should order at each. Some you already know. Others you might not. But all of them are worth the crumbs on your coat.

1. Welcome Home 

Welcome Home is the product of a strong French background, even if “home” in this case is BedStuy. The team previously worked at L’Appartement 4F, the cult Brooklyn Heights (and West Village) boulangerie known for its textbook croissants and traditional techniques. That lineage shows, and the foundation here is unmistakably French: precise lamination, slow fermentation, and a deep respect for the structural potential of butter. While the bakery has the atmosphere of a relaxed neighborhood spot, the baking remains disciplined.

• What to Order: Start with the classic croissant. It’s the baseline test and they pass. Then the pain au chocolat, properly laminated with chocolate. The real standouts are the cinnamon rolls and their distinctive kouign-amann. Add a madeleine to your order while you’re at it. On the savory side, the jambon beurre with maple ham and chive butter is an excellent sandwich, and the ham-and-cheese “pig in a bed” laminated croissant is worth committing to as well.
• Address: 1047 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11216
• Hours: Weds-Mon 8 am-4 pm (Closed Tues)

2. L’imprimerie

All good things happen in Brooklyn these days. L’Imprimerie feels like it was lifted straight from a small French village and quietly placed in Bushwick. Founded by French-born baker Matalon, the space was originally a working print shop (hence the name), but the baking is firmly rooted in French tradition. Long fermentation, organic flours, naturally leavened breads, and textbook viennoiserie define the counter. It’s less hype, more substance—the kind of place where technique speaks for itself.

• What to Order: Start with a baguette. It’s properly crackled, deeply flavorful, and proof that they take bread seriously. The croissants are classic (some might even say that they are the best in NYC), but don’t skip the pain des amis, their signature sourdough loaf with a dark, caramelized crust. If available, grab a chausson aux pommes or a seasonal pastry (like gingerbread cookies, King Cake, or heart-shaped croissants for Valentine’s Day). 
• Address: 1524 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, New York 11237
• Hours: Daily 7 am–6 pm

3. From Lucie 

This East Village spot is less a traditional French boulangerie and more a French-inflected cake atelier. Founded by Lucie Franc de Ferriere, who grew up baking with her family on a farm in southwestern France, From Lucie channels that countryside sensibility into whimsical, floral-topped layer cakes, cookies, brownies, jams, and other sweet creations—often using Swiss meringue in fresh, seasonal flavors rather than heavy buttercream.

• What to Order: Start with a slice of one of their signature floral cakes—the lemonade olive oil with lavender buttercream and chocolate with salted espresso buttercream are favorites. They also do excellent chocolate chip cookies, and often have creative seasonal offerings (think elderflower, raspberry, or rose). 
• Address: 263 E 10th St, New York, NY 10009
• Hours: Daily 10 am–7 pm (or until they sell out)

4. Miolin Bakery 

Miolin Bakery started in a tiny Park Slope apartment during the pandemic, where baker Claudio Miolin began selling sourdough loaves out his window before opening a proper storefront. The vibe is minimalist and classic, and the technique indisputably French, with beautifully laminated croissants with honeycomb layers, properly fermented breads, and pastries that lean on precision rather than gimmicks. It’s the kind of neighborhood spot that feels easygoing, but delivers some serious bakehouse chops.

• What to Order: Start with the plain croissant—airy, flaky, crisp at the bottom, and undeniably buttery. Don’t miss the pain au chocolat, a well-executed classic. Sourdough loaves are excellent, too, if you’re picking up bread. And there are great sandwiches in the afternoon, pairing simple ingredients like turkey, apple, and brie into something extremely satisfying.
• Address: 422 7th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
• Hours: Tuesday–Friday: 8 AM–3 PM; Saturday–Sunday: 8 AM–12 PM (Closed Mon) 

5. L’Appartement 4F 

L’Appartement 4F is one of New York’s most buzzed-about French bakeries, and for good reason. Started by Gautier and Ashley Coiffard during the pandemic as a tiny cottage bakery out of their apartment, the concept was always rooted in slow fermentation, hand-rolled laminated dough, and classic French technique. What began with a Brooklyn Heights flagship marked by long lines and sold-out mornings has now expanded with a second location in the West Village, while retaining its Paris-meets-NYC charm and unapologetically good pastries. 

• What to Order: This is where you get a croissant, or an almond croissant, and a pain au chocolat. That’s that. For something playful, try the viral croissant cereal (tiny, crunchy croissant bits); it’s a bit pricey, though. Sourdough breads and baguettes are worth snagging, too, if you get there early enough. 
• Address: 115 Montague Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, and 119 West 10th Street, New York, NY 10011
• Hours: Daily 8 am–5 pm 

6. Frenchette Bakery 

Frenchette Bakery is the boulangerie offshoot of the celebrated French bistro Frenchette, founded by chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson, and grounded in classic French technique with a modern New York edge. The Tribeca location feels like a tucked-away Parisian boulangerie in a Lower Manhattan office lobby, offering perfectly executed viennoiseries, breads made with ancient and heirloom grains, and classic sandwiches alongside excellent coffee. The outpost at the Whitney Museum of American Art expands this ethos with a full café and seasonal menu. 

• What to Order: Start with the croissant. Their baguette and pain au chocolat are equally strong tests of technique. The jambon beurre is a simple sandwich done well, and you’ll also find seasonal viennoiseries and breads (often made with heirloom grains) worth trying. At The Whitney location, these pastries pair beautifully with coffee or a light lunch from their expanded café menu.
• Address: 220 Church Street, New York, NY 10013; The Whitney Museum ( 99 Gansevoort St First Floor, New York, NY 10014)
• Hours: Daily 8 am–4 pm (Tribeca location)

7. Bread Story 

Bread Story is a bright, neighborhood French bakery in the East Village with clear Old-World roots. Head baker Yann Ledoux, formerly head baker at Maison Kayser in New York, opened this shop to bring classic French breads and viennoiseries to the community with a focus on natural leavening, artisan technique, and a touch of heritage storytelling in every loaf.

• What to Order: Get a classic baguette to take home. To try there, the plain croissant is well-layered and buttery, and the pain au chocolat hits the right balance of crispness and chocolate richness. Don’t skip the pain aux raisins or the flan nature slice either, and grab a buckwheat or walnut loaf to take home for sandwiches or toast. On the savory side, their ham-and-cheese croissant and quiche Lorraine are excellent choices.
• Address: 264 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10009
• Hours: Weekdays: 7 am–7 pm, Weekends: 8 am–7 pm

8. Lysée

The Flatiron District’s Lysée feels like a dessert gallery. It’s the vision of chef-owner Eunji Lee, a classically trained pastry chef who studied at top French institutions and worked under the likes of Alain Ducasse and at multi-Michelin-starred kitchens before launching her own place. Lee also competed on France’s prestigious baking show Qui sera le prochain grand pâtissier ? (a pro pastry competition similar to The Great British Bake Off), where she stood out among international talent before bringing that competitive discipline back to her work in NYC.

• What to Order: This one’s a treat because haute pâtisserie is expensive. Skip the viennoiseries and go for the signature Lysée mousse cakes and show-stopping plated desserts that play with texture and unexpected flavors (corn mousse, brown rice elements, floral accents). Mini cakes like yuzu or marble are perfect if you want a sampling, and seasonal collections change often. 
• Address: 44 E 21st Street, New York, NY 10010
• Hours: Mon–Thu: 11 am–6 pm, Fri–Sat: 11 am–8 pm, Sun: 11 am–7 pm

9. Raf’s 

Raf’s in NoHo operates as a French bakery with the warmth of an Italian café. From daylight pastries to a full dinner service that’s earned buzz (even an inclusion on the Michelin Guide), Raf’s was born from the same creative team behind acclaimed restaurants like The Musket Room. Its vintage brick ovens, once part of a Sicilian bread bakery, turn out house-made breads, focaccia, brioche, and croissant-style pastries that nod to both French technique and neighborhood Italian heritage. While it’s not a traditional Parisian boulangerie, the bread and viennoiserie here are worth seeking out as part of the all-day café experience. 

• What to Order: The bakery side is worth an early visit: start with a classic baguette or focaccia served warm with olive oil and butter. The almond-orange croissant and buttery milk buns are standout hits, and seasonal Italian-French pastries like rhubarb ricotta danishes or olive oil lemon poppy cakes capture the hybrid spirit here. The bread basket alone makes it worth staying for brunch or lunch, after which desserts from pastry chef Camari Mick lean into refined French pâtisserie with playful twists (like an opera-tiramisu hybrid).
• Address: 290 Elizabeth Street, New York, NY 10012
• Hours:  Bakery: Tues–Sun 9:00 am–3:00 pm

Angelika Pokovba is a writer and longtime Francophile originally from NYC, now based in Mexico. She’s into food, wine, skincare, and all things French—especially summers in the South and pharmacy finds she stocks up on way too early.