Conceived by Robert Highsmith and Stefanie Brechbuehler of the Brooklyn-based design firm Workstead, the setting of Arcade Bakery is quite unconventional and rather hidden from the street The space is a long hallway arcade with vaulted ceilings that slopes downward from the street-level entrance, with alcoves along both sides of the corridor. Since the sloping floor creates the problem of regular chairs and tables, the designers created folding tables mounted onto the walls. To go along with the elegant building which houses it, the bakery’s cafe uses antique brass for lighting and beautiful touches of mahogany millwork.
During his time in the music/TV production industry, owner Roger Gural maintained a love for baking such that when the time came to leave his job, he jumped right into studying at the French Culinary Institute of NYC. He then spent a year in Paris as an apprentice at Au Duc La Chapelle. There, he perfected the baguette and returned to the States a patissier.
One of 8 seating nooks along the walls of Arcade Bakery
Alcove along the hallway at Arcade Bakery
Bakers making fresh pizza at Arcade Bakery
Arcade Bakery opened in May 2014 adding a top-notch French bakery to the ground floor of an office building. They specialize in traditional handcrafted breads and yeasted pastries and bake everything fresh daily on premises in small batches. Also on the menu: pizza and Babkas.
For more info on NYC bakeries, check out Harlem’s Best Bakeries and 5 of NYC’s Oldest Bakeries. h/t Marie Joelle Parent for this find!
