The Union Square Flagship for Chocolate Babka and Artisan Bread
Famous for its rich, gooey chocolate babka, this Union Square bakery serves exceptional artisan breads and pastries.
Why this stop works ✨
Breads Bakery built its name at this flagship on East 16th Street just off Union Square, and it still draws the biggest crowd. Inside, a wall of fresh loaves and pastries makes choosing genuinely hard before you even reach the register.
The headliner is the chocolate babka, rich and gooey enough to have earned a citywide reputation, backed by exceptional artisan breads. The case also runs unexpected twists on classic New York treats, including croissant-dough hybrids you will not find elsewhere. A gooey chocolate babka that built a citywide reputation is worth the trip to Union Square.
At 4.6 stars across more than 2,500 reviews, this is one of the most celebrated bakeries in the city. Come in for a warm chocolate babka, grab an artisan loaf for home, and try whichever croissant-dough hybrid is on the counter that day.
