(212) 366-1414
3 W 18th St
(5th Avenue)
New York,
NY
10011
40.7387
-73.9919
Neighborhoods: Union Square, Midtown, Flatiron District
Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:30am-7pm
Sat 7:30am-6:30pm
Sun 9am-6pm
Price:
$$
Parking:
Street
Last updated 11.20.09
What People Are Saying About City Bakery
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
This vast, incredibly popular Flatiron super-bakery is as crowded for Sunday morning brunches as an uptown 6 train during rush hour. Expect a mad jumble of Prada bags, baby strollers and fierce body-to-body jockeying for open seats. But for its baked goods alone--the wonderfully salty, soft-on-the-inside pretzel croissants, the moist cheese Danishes, the textbook lemon and chocolate tarts--City Bakery is worth the trouble. Also noteworthy is the eatery's global array of buffet salads and entrees. Typical choices include breaded catfish, black peas with kaffir lime and salads like jasmine rice…
Doesn't beat Chocolate Bar in the West Village!
by lindsayalix at Citysearch
City Bakery is a pretty decent place to try, but if you're looking for an even better dessert hot spot with amazing gourmet chocolate, you have to try Chocolate Bar in the West Village!
CHOCOLATE BAR WEST VILLAGE
Alison Nelson reopened her West Village location just steps away from her pioneering original
Chocolate Bar: 19 Eighth Avenue between 12th Street & Jane, NYC (West Village)
www.chocolatebarnyc. com/ info@chocolatebarnyc. com
Nice food, expensive, some horrible staff member
by Periodictable at Citysearch
My long, long love affair with City Bakery is almost over. I started going shortly after they opened the old place closer to Union Square, what?, ten years ago. I've eaten at CB, on average, once a week for ten years. But over the last year or so, I've slowed down to once a month. Pretty soon, I'm going to move on.
What made CB so special for last ten years? First, their close association with the Green Market at Union Sq. CB was my Green Market classroom. I'd eat at CB to see what was new and wonderful at the Green Market and then head straight to the market to buy what I'd just eaten. I learned a lot. Second, the staff at CB was always very professional, educated, and friendly. The freshest employee would serve my coffee with a smile and my questions about the food were always answered with verve. Sure, it was tricky to eat on a budget at CB but the price wasn't so bad since I felt at home there.
In the last two years or so, the staff has turned sour. Sure, there are still a few wonderful people working there but--and I can point to several specific staff members--questions are no longer tolerated and nothing is served with a smile. Kids used to be welcomed, now they are barely tolerated.
If management is reading this, I suggest a very simple test: Send someone down the line with a medium size order and have them ask for a tray. Count the number of times they have to ask for a tray. See if the tray is clean. Look for anything resembling a smile or a kind word when the tray is handed over. It's a very, very simple thing but, IME, you have to ask a minimum of three times for a tray, it's always handed over with a frown, and half the time it's dirty.
I have no idea who is responsible for managing the servers/cashiers but it's clearly time to clean house if CB is going to stay in business. Really nice food just doesn't make up for rude and unprofessional staff.
Great Breakfast
by plat18k at Citysearch
I go to City Bakery every time I go to New York, and though the staff has become more & more rude each time, I've never been disappointed by the food. My friends & I found it by mistake, had no idea of any hot chocolate hype. In fact I think I usually get a mochacino, so it's a good balance; the heavy hot chocolate with the coffee. The breakfast with the granola, yogurt, fruit and mini bagels is really a great value IMHO; I want to say I've never paid over 8 bucks for breakfast, including the coffee.
Sad to see such bad reviews, honestly. Hopefully management reads the reviews and does something about it...
The Details on City Bakery
The Extras:
Cookies come out of the oven every half hour, which almost guarantees you'll always get a fresh one.
Know Before You Go:
Fair warning: Finding a seat during the lunch rush can be a serious challenge.
Fun Fact:
Many food items are seasonal, meaning that tart you love so much might not be available all-year long.
Category:
Bakeries, Restaurants, Diners, Catering, Dessert Shops, Coffeehouses
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Breakfast, Brunch, People Watching, Lunch Spot
Cuisine:
Dress Code:
Casual







Join Us on Facebook
Follow Us on Twitter