2. Arcade Bakery

For the connoisseurs of French bread and pastries, this understated bakery hidden inside a 1920s Tribeca office building is one of the best and most authentic in the city. The beautiful, barrel vaulted office entrance where Arcade Bakery is located was decommissioned when Gap became the main tenant of the building and wanted a private entrance to their offices. The space was empty for five years until Roger Gural, a self-proclaimed “bread romantic” from Staten Island decided to make it the Arcade Bakery. It’s a perfect spot for Gural, who wants to give New Yorkers a chance to rediscover the magic of fresh bread, just like in Europe.

With the affordable space at Arcade Bakery, Gural can focus only on making fresh products throughout the day, starting at five in the morning until about one in the afternoon. He wants the bread to be made as close as possible to when the customers will consume it. For the lunch diners and the American crowds, there is a lot to choose from. Besides french pastries, there are sandwiches, quiches and the famous pizzas, so popular you can now advance order online through the Arcade Bakery website and pick up in 15 minutes.

Located at 220 Church Street, Manhattan.

Read about 5 of NYC’s oldest bakeries. Discover 90 of NYC’s hidden bars and restaurants in the new book New York: Hidden Bars & Restaurants.