Best Babka in NYC!

True story: On Saturday night, a friend brought me a loaf of babka (jewish sweet bread) form a new bakery (Breads Bakery).  By Sunday, I had eaten the entire gift (with the help of my husband) and was so in need of the another loaf that I traveled 46 blocks to get my fix on Monday. Yep, a babka junkie. Because OH MY GOD, this sweet delicious amazing ridiculous cake slash bread is to-die-for. I literally had one hour free of time between a work commitment and my kids waking up from nap, but I had to HAD TO go get another loaf.

Or four.

babka

This heavenly piece of cake is from Breads Bakery, an Israeli bakery in Union Square that opened in February 2013. Israeli (Danish trained) Uri Scheft is a seasoned baker with a store in Tel Aviv and now in NYC. The bakery carries a variety of savory breads, cookies, rugelachs, and most importantly, babka.

breads

This babka is worth the calories and the travel time. You want (and will) eat every crumb. The babka is made with cultured butter from France, and then a mixture of Nutella and Belgian dark-chocolate chips. This sounds amazing, right? But then it is topped off with sugar syrup that gives it a rich, crisp crust with a moist, soft inside. Holy crap, that good (thank god I am not diabetic). The babka lasts several days, and tastes good defrosted (so if you stock up like me and want to hoard them, they still taste good!) During checkout, my first question to the cashier was whether or not they deliver (answer: not currently).

Old time bakery feel.

Old time bakery feel.

Everything about Breads Bakery looks and smells delicious. They are dedicated to producing artisanal, handmade breads using traditional baking techniques (and many made with whole grains). Being in the bakery makes me want to run away and become a baker. But since that is not going to happen, the next best thing is eating a loaf of babka every week.

The cashier asked me if I was throwing a party (when I bought 4 babkas and 8 rugelachs). OOPS! Party in my BELLY!!!!!

The cashier asked me if I was throwing a party (when I bought 4 babkas and 8 rugelachs). OOPS! Party in my BELLY!!!!!

Some more sweet options on the menu.

Some more sweet options on the menu.

Three of the four loaves.

Three of the four loaves.

I know, the packaging doesn't look like much, but I PROMISE that what is inside is the best flipping piece of goodness out there!

I know, the packaging doesn’t look like much, but I PROMISE that what is inside is the best flipping piece of goodness out there!

The logo. My only qualm with the bakery and the goods is that the logo looks like a chain restaurant and bakery. But it is not.

The logo. My only qualm with the bakery is that the logo looks like that of a chain restaurant. But it is not.

Rugelach. Bite sized. But in this picture it looks huge.

Rugelach. Bite sized. But in this picture it looks huge.

Inside.

Inside… babka

Hunk of awesomeness.

Hunk of awesomeness.

Another angle.

Another angle.

Breads Bakery is located at 18 E. 16th St., near. Union Sq. (right next to the Green market and subway hub!), and I highly suggest going there STAT to stock up on life’s necessity of chocolate, bread, and sugar. And did I mention that New York Magazine rated Breads Bakery babka as the best babka in NYC? That reason alone is good enough to buy four loaves. Have a great weekend!

Anika Yael Natori, aka, The Josie Girl

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10 Comments

  1. I checked out their website and it looks like they have cinnamon babka too. Have you tried it?

  2. So glad you share our obsession!!! You MUST try the challah. We buy it every week and make the best French toast (that is, if the loaf lasts until morning…). Little miss K loves to walk over there and pick out a “treat”! Xoxo.

    • Thank you for your introduction. Or maybe not thank you DAMN YOU HEIDI HO! I am obsessed!!! SUCH A BAD OBSESSION! 🙂

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