Hani's Bakery & Café

Chef Miro Uskokovic runs this Cooper Square bakery, where the malted cinnamon bun hides its cakey, cardamom-scented dough under a thick cream-cheese frosting. The cookie that topped our NY ranking of five contenders is fairly flat but gooey in the center, with caramelized edges and a darker chocolate flavor. A carrot cake that's not overly sweet holds its own among the popular pastries, and the cosmic brownie and passion fruit meringue were all hitters. Expect a line on weekends—by most accounts it moves quickly.