(212) 366-1414

3 W 18th St
New York, NY 10011 40.7387 -73.9919

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Neighborhoods: Flatiron District, Midtown, Union Square

thecitybakery.com

Price:

$$

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Bakeries, Restaurants, Diners, Catering, Dessert Shops, Coffeehouses

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Breakfast, Brunch, People Watching, Lunch Spot

Cuisine:

New American

Dress Code:

Casual

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About City Bakery

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

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…

Editor's Tips

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.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “do have to say the atmosphere of the place is nice with the seating area on the balcony.”
  2. “Fab food, great location, good-looking crowd, and plenty of space.”
  3. “trendy brunch, fun crowd, great spot”
  4. “The view from our 2nd level balconyish seat was great for people watching and it was a blast to see the activity that buzzed below.”
dessert
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “great cookies and sweets, usually the have some good chicke dish and many vegetable dishes.”
  2. “the hot chocolate is fabulous, baked goods are fantastic and the omelettes are delicious!”
  3. “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!”
  4. “hot chocolate was not that great”
  5. “This hot chocolate is as good as my favorite cafe in Paris except maybe better because there is nothing like City Bakery's homemade marshmallows!”
  6. “The hot chocolate is good, rich, and a little like having warm chocolate soup.”
  7. “The best hot chocolate EVER!”
  8. “What we were rewarded with was the excellent hot chocolate, exceleent baked goods, and amazing brunch.”
  9. “It is not that similar - this is sludgy and the taste is at first sip, very good, then the chocolate flavor becomes cloyingly bitter as you sip (or chew) some more.”
  10. “As others mentioned, their hot chocolate is very rich, but AWESOME.”
  11. “In fact I think I usually get a mochacino, so it's a good balance; the heavy hot chocolate with the coffee.”
  12. “really didn't like the hot chocolate - it was just much too thick to drink and i'm a chocolate lover.”
  13. “The salad bar is great, and the sandwich bar has interesting and delicious offerings such as white grilled cheddar on cornbread or a grilled chocolate sandwich.”
  14. “everything here is delicious but the chocolate chip cookies are out of this world and you can even bake them in your own oven (they come pillsbury style in the back-just don't look at the nutrition guide) great casual brunch spot, too.”
  15. “had an oatmeal cookie with the drink and it was more apparent how bitter the chocolate was after eating a bite of the cookie, which was sweeter.”
  16. “The best hot chocolate!”
  17. “Best hot chocolate I've ever had”
  18. “The hot chocolate is not for everyone, but I really enjoyed the rich, smooth, decadence of indulging in a warm cup of melted chocolate.”
  19. “The chocolate chip cookies are outstanding, like a huge disk of brown sugar with wedges of chocolate.”
  20. “Food is good (I lenjoyed the buffet) and the baked goods are excellent (pretzel croissants, the moist cheese Danishes, lemon and chocolate tarts).”
  21. “On top of that they make the most amazing scones and cakes.”
  22. “like Marie Belle's hot chocolate ten times more.”
  23. “The best hot chocolate ever.”
  24. “the food is overpriced and has obviously been sitting out, and the hot chocolate more like pudding than like a drink.”
  25. “Good hot chocolate, Pricey Food”
  26. “best hot chocolate in the city!”
drinks
60.0% positive
  1. “In fact I think I usually get a mochacino, so it's a good balance; the heavy hot chocolate with the coffee.”
  2. “The salad bar was beautiful, and I took a fairly small amount of my favourite grilled veggies, no lettuce or spinach, but my bill was still $11.”
  3. “really didn't like the hot chocolate - it was just much too thick to drink and i'm a chocolate lover.”
  4. “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.”
  5. “Thanks, but there's a huge Whole Foods about 1/2 mile away- they have a very extensive and high quality cold and hot salad bar priced at $7/lb and a great prepared foods department.”
  6. “The best was their mini egg salad with smoked salmon sandwich on a dark grainy bread- light and heavenly, & reminded me of delectable tea sandwiches.”
  7. “The salad bar is great, and the sandwich bar has interesting and delicious offerings such as white grilled cheddar on cornbread or a grilled chocolate sandwich.”
  8. “And yes, their salad bar is overpriced!”
  9. “the food is overpriced and has obviously been sitting out, and the hot chocolate more like pudding than like a drink.”
  10. “had an oatmeal cookie with the drink and it was more apparent how bitter the chocolate was after eating a bite of the cookie, which was sweeter.”
food quality
74.31000232696533% positive
  1. “Nice food, expensive, some horrible staff member”
  2. “The fresh greens were lightly coated in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, well seasoned and tossed.”
  3. “Yummy, if overpriced, food.”
  4. “And yes, their salad bar is overpriced!”
  5. “Thanks, but there's a huge Whole Foods about 1/2 mile away- they have a very extensive and high quality cold and hot salad bar priced at $7/lb and a great prepared foods department.”
  6. “Really nice food just doesn't make up for rude and unprofessional staff.”
  7. “The hot chocolate is good, rich, and a little like having warm chocolate soup.”
  8. “My friend's more conventional scrambled egges and roasted potatoes were also very good.”
  9. “The best was their mini egg salad with smoked salmon sandwich on a dark grainy bread- light and heavenly, & reminded me of delectable tea sandwiches.”
  10. “Overpriced food, extremely rude service”
  11. “the hot chocolate is fabulous, baked goods are fantastic and the omelettes are delicious!”
  12. “The good quality bakery wheat bread was lightly toasted, and the fillings were fresh and well layered.”
  13. “the soups and mac a cheese are always good comfort food”
  14. “My only problem with this place is that the food is ridiculously overpriced.”
  15. “This place has a HUGE variety of breakfast breads & pastries and the grill in the back is also excellent.”
  16. “great cookies and sweets, usually the have some good chicke dish and many vegetable dishes.”
  17. “everything here is delicious but the chocolate chip cookies are out of this world and you can even bake them in your own oven (they come pillsbury style in the back-just don't look at the nutrition guide) great casual brunch spot, too.”
  18. “City Bakery is my new favorite hang out for delicious treats.”
  19. “The salad bar is great, and the sandwich bar has interesting and delicious offerings such as white grilled cheddar on cornbread or a grilled chocolate sandwich.”
  20. “The salad bar was beautiful, and I took a fairly small amount of my favourite grilled veggies, no lettuce or spinach, but my bill was still $11.”
  21. “Tried one of their muffins-it was delicious!”
  22. “Fab food, great location, good-looking crowd, and plenty of space.”
  23. “the food is overpriced and has obviously been sitting out, and the hot chocolate more like pudding than like a drink.”
  24. “However, once seated (practically on top of the family sitting at the next table) the food was great.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Thanks, but there's a huge Whole Foods about 1/2 mile away- they have a very extensive and high quality cold and hot salad bar priced at $7/lb and a great prepared foods department.”
  2. “love their variety.”
  3. “This place has a HUGE variety of breakfast breads & pastries and the grill in the back is also excellent.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “It's a great place for people watching.”
  2. “didn't have my kids, but saw other kids enjoying their meals & thought great place to bring kids--not stuffy.”
  3. “of us in bridal party met to discuss wedding stuff and it was a great place (go early, before 10:30 with group) to have a quick meeting over great brunch.”
service
65.27999877929688% positive
  1. “Really nice food just doesn't make up for rude and unprofessional staff.”
  2. “The view from our 2nd level balconyish seat was great for people watching and it was a blast to see the activity that buzzed below.”
  3. “Great brunch, casual, kid-friendly and hip vibe!”
  4. “It's rare to find wait staff like our wonderful waitress.”
  5. “It's a great place for people watching.”
  6. “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.”
  7. “These days, their staff seems so unhappy.”
  8. “Service was delightful - friendly, casually and attentive without being intrusive.”
  9. “Overpriced food, extremely rude service”
  10. “Nice food, expensive, some horrible staff member”
  11. “The scene was a bit chaotic and it took a while to find somewhere to sit without any sort of help from the staff.”
  12. “great self service buffet”
value
45.45000076293945% positive
  1. “Thanks, but there's a huge Whole Foods about 1/2 mile away- they have a very extensive and high quality cold and hot salad bar priced at $7/lb and a great prepared foods department.”
  2. “Nice food, expensive, some horrible staff member”
  3. “My only problem with this place is that the food is ridiculously overpriced.”
  4. “Yummy, if overpriced, food.”
  5. “the food is overpriced and has obviously been sitting out, and the hot chocolate more like pudding than like a drink.”
  6. “The chocolate chip cookies are outstanding, like a huge disk of brown sugar with wedges of chocolate.”
  7. “Sure, it was tricky to eat on a budget at CB but the price wasn't so bad since I felt at home there.”
  8. “And yes, their salad bar is overpriced!”
  9. “What a huge dissapointment.”
  10. “The quality was not good enough for the price--especially since it is buffet-style dining.”
  11. “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.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “of us in bridal party met to discuss wedding stuff and it was a great place (go early, before 10:30 with group) to have a quick meeting over great brunch.”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

03/19/11

Apple cake!

by nolitalolita

I love the apple cake here nice thick helping, and great coffee. you can relax there with out feeling like the next table is on top of you. can you say- elbow room?

1 Star Rating: Poor

11/13/10

Huge disappointment

by Brooklyngirl136

I hadn't been to the City Bakery for a few years, but stopped in today for a sweet treat and a cup of coffee. Not only were the choices minimal (which made me wonder why they still refer to this place as a "bakery" ... it isn't), the chocolate chip cookie I decided on was so sickly sweet it hurt my teeth. The pumpkin pie my friend has wasn't much better ... also overly sweet, with a tough crust that was about 1/2 inch thick.

If you like thick cookies that taste from excessive amounts of brown sugar, then the City Bakery just might be for you. Otherwise, go elsewhere. I certainly won't be going back.

3 Star Rating: Average

05/26/09

Doesn't beat Chocolate Bar in the West Village!

by lindsayalix

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

3 Star Rating: Average

06/16/08

Nice food, expensive, some horrible staff member

by Periodictable

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.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

06/04/08

Great Breakfast

by plat18k

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

Place Categories:

  • best hot chocolate
  • good pricey food
  • great place
  • overpriced food
  • great casual brunch spot
  • excellent exceleent baked goods
  • overpriced salad bar
  • rude staff
  • like city bakery
  • well layered fillings
  • delicious everything
  • sludgy taste
  • not so bad price
  • warm gourmet chocolate
  • great pretzel croissants
  • rich decadence
  • bad vibe
  • outstanding chocolate chip cookies
  • delicious offerings
  • rude service
  • good comfort food
  • famous brownies
  • great brunch
  • huge variety
  • delightful experience
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