City Bakery

Anonymous Oct 20, 2019 at 11:22PM

Time has come to post this news, although the community has already done so, which feels exactly right. This is not what we wanted. Not what we expected. It’s where a bad path has led. A loss in so many layers. The city dies a death with us. The faces and voices in front of our empty storefront in just the last two days already make that clear. This shouldn’t have been, and there is much to say about that, but not today. For now, two things: first: thank you all for the out...pouring of affection and support. Every word read, every idea registered [including the bank robbery, and the brilliance of the bake sale!]. It’s a powerful communal message. Second: we will return. We will absolutely, positively return. Not as City Bakery - our good name has been taken from us in this saga - but the spirit, the creative, the pleasure, the surprise, the hands and heart that built City Bakery will be back. Please watch this space. Meantime, if you’re a retailer with an interest in our products, or have interest in being involved with our reset, please DM and email mauryrubin.nyc@gmail.com. #hostiletakeover #freshstart
See More

Anonymous Oct 10, 2019 at 11:41AM

[2/2] There has been an exhaustive search for a fix for more than a year. We have too much debt, debt which is like quicksand. Incredibly, no matter that we are a two-generation NY favorite, normal debt relief from a normal bank has not been an option. People believe rent is the ultimate NY retail killer, but worth saying that if a normal bank loan had been available to City Bakery a few years ago, we would not be anywhere near the danger we're in today.
We've been here sinc...e the start of Union Square's revival. We pioneered good food on 17th Street in 1990, then a block of discount perfume stores, a hardware store and check cashing. We were proud backdoor neighbors to Union Square Cafe on 16th, already the standard bearer for making Union Square a destination for great food. Greenmarket was just a dozen farmers. Lower Fifth Avenue storefronts were half empty. The offices above were mostly architects and photographers and artist studios. It was nascent, but already a wonderful place.
We've been baking and making hot chocolate and Mac & Cheese in this neighborhood ever since. We're on our fourth lease. We're a few weeks shy of turning 29. We're nowhere close to being ready to pack it in, given our love of this work. We're hoping for an ending that keeps City Bakery being City Bakery for many more years.
What is lost if City Bakery disappears?
I happen to believe that New York City and the world need places like City Bakery right now more than ever, but that’s just one view. The real answer is in the hearts and minds of the tens of thousands of people who consider City Bakery extended family. We are intertwined with so many lives. The measure of a moment like this resides within all of those people, the people we feel bound to. Heartbreak. Pure and simple. #citybakery
See More

Anonymous Oct 10, 2019 at 11:29AM

PART ONE [1/2] Time has come to share a painful truth: City Bakery is about to go through major changes.
There's a long version and a short version. Suffice to say for now: we won't be staying in our current location. We may move. We may cater only. We may wholesale only. We may transform and partner with another food company in the city. There is also a strong possibility we will close entirely, and soon.
I know people who have been into the bakery recently will be shocked.... At the moment, we are busy, busy like we've been since our early days. Union Square has filled in with a zillion food options, and still we are busy. We're busy at breakfast, and lines at lunch. Tables are filled with friends catching up, writers writing, job interviews, pitch meetings, first dates, moms with strollers and tourists - lots of tourists - getting their first taste of City Bakery Hot Chocolate or a Pretzel Croissant.
The food business is not what it seems, just ask anyone on the inside with enough experience to know. Standing in the center of City Bakery at lunchtime, watching New Yorkers and the fabulous energy of the room, it's hard to imagine anything other than great riches. The greater truth is that City Bakery, an established NYC food destination, is still a small company and has never been far enough away from being vulnerable.
Years ago we began a second bakery concept, Birdbath Green Bakery. A little sister to City Bakery. Birdbath was embraced and grew from Tribeca to Soho to the UWS, but then we had some misses, and the cost was high. We unwound Birdbath to focus on City Bakery. We've sought new partners and financial support that hasn’t been found. We've believed our profitable track record, range of new opportunities and value in the community would be part of a solution. Not so ...
See More

Anonymous Oct 9, 2019 at 7:04PM

Chocolate Croissant. #breakfast #unionsquare #flatiron #citybakery

Anonymous Oct 9, 2019 at 11:17AM

Count the Okra and win a prize. #okra #morethanahundred

Anonymous Oct 7, 2019 at 8:01PM

Cold enough to be thinking of hot chocolate. The work above by @erinwilsonquilts is a City Bakery bag deconstructed and hand sewn. #citybakery #citybakeryhotchocolate

Anonymous Oct 7, 2019 at 12:35AM

Black Walnuts. #walnuts #seasons #time #sacredground @ Hartsdale, New York

Anonymous Oct 5, 2019 at 8:54PM

Weekend forecast: crispy, craggy and chocolatey. #chocolatechip #citybakery #cookies

Anonymous Oct 4, 2019 at 1:35AM

Roasted Sweet Potatoes are back. Served with Mole sauce. Crispy, sweet, spicy. On the salad bar for lunch everyday now. #citybakery #lunch #saladbar #sweetpotatoes

Anonymous Oct 3, 2019 at 8:09PM

Onion Rolls for breakfast. Chive cream cheese part of the pleasure. Hector’s hand with these beauties. #onionrolls #odetokosars #citybakery #breakfast @ City Bakery

Anonymous Oct 3, 2019 at 10:02AM

Rain, the Empire State Building, and a luminous alien spaceship. #nyc #itsahelluvatown

Anonymous Oct 3, 2019 at 12:22AM

New York Black Sea Bass with Chimichurri Sauce. On the salad bar for lunch today. #citybakery #citybakerysaladbar #lunch #unionsquare #nyceats #flatiron

Anonymous Oct 2, 2019 at 12:43AM

#Repost @mikeithdavis ・・・ Lunch today at City Bakery with @zina_raslan AND @franceskatzen (we set this up before you arrived ;-)) #mikeandmartateam

Anonymous Oct 1, 2019 at 9:40AM

#5780

Anonymous Oct 1, 2019 at 12:21AM

Monday lunch. #citybakery #nyceats #unionsquare #flatiron

Anonymous Sep 30, 2019 at 12:16AM

A new grilled cheese this week: Manchego with Greenmarket Tomato. On the main counter for lunch and late afternoon. #citybakery #grilledcheese #manchego #tomatoes #greenmarket #unionsquare #nyceats

Anonymous Sep 29, 2019 at 7:58PM

Green grapes, pebbled pewter. #autumn #alliteration

Anonymous Sep 28, 2019 at 6:47PM

Pretzel Croissant in hand with @phoeberosewood. #pretzelcroissant #citybakery

Anonymous Sep 28, 2019 at 6:15AM

Friday sunset #nyc

Anonymous Oct 18, 2023 at 6:55PM

The staff is great! Everyone super polite and thoughtful. The hot chocolate is literally the best I've ever had in my entire life - take it with the marshmallow !

Anonymous Oct 18, 2023 at 6:55PM

I tried the hot chocolate which was so delicious! I thought, I was drinking hot chocolate from willy wonkas house. The chocolate cookie was good. However, too crunchy, for me. The staff was welcoming! One worker, in particular, Tonks! Thank you, for your kind service, product knowledge, and delightful spirit. You rock, Tonks!

Anonymous Oct 18, 2023 at 6:55PM

I am in love☕️☕️☕️

The earl grey tea and honey hot chocolate is to die for.... The kale salad is super fresh. it is a night of knitting with passionate knitters!

Anonymous Oct 18, 2023 at 6:55PM

Great coffee! Friendly workers. Here on spring break w my daughter and needed a coffee break. Food all looked wonderful and plenty of seating. Didn't feel rushed at all! All around great coffee stop! :-)

Anonymous Oct 18, 2023 at 6:55PM

The hot chocolate with marshmallow was good but a little too bitter for me. But my wife and friend loved it since they like bitter dark chocolate. The marshmallows was as good as always, as large as a pillow and balanced out the bitter dark chocolate for me.

Anonymous Oct 18, 2023 at 6:55PM

Hot chocolate was different than expected, not bad though, pretzel croissant was awesome, chocolate chip cookie was ok, prices are crazy, definitely not a everyday thing but if you want to treat yourself while in NYC check it out!

Anonymous Oct 18, 2023 at 6:55PM

I go to City Bakery a lot and the service is pretty bad. For the amount of money you spend on their eggs they should be a little more professional. she throws my eggs in the box then hands me the box so I can close it, Really!!! They don't have customer service training I know that for sure.

Anonymous Oct 18, 2023 at 6:55PM

CB your birdbath UWS choco chip cookies are not up to par. They are not chewy and fresh tasting as your main location. I was very disappointed when they wouldnt exchange it for me. Sorry, you need a receipt. Thanks but no thanks. I threw it out.

Anonymous Oct 18, 2023 at 6:55PM

Today was a freezing cold day and I was in the area so i figured I would treat my coworker and I to hot chocolate after hearing that it was the best in NYC. Words can't describe how disappointed I am. I got on line and there was no menu or prices displayed. If there was I would've walked right out. I asked for 2 hot chocolate with marshmallow thinking it would be at max 5 dollars each. Then I go to the cashier to pay and they tell me its 15 dollars and that the marshmallow was an additional 2 dollar charge each. I could buy a package or 2 of jetpuffed for that much! I couldn't believe it! 7.50 for a small cup of hot chocolate? I paid and thought to myself that this better be the best dam cup of hot chocolate I've ever had. Sad to say, but it wasn't even close. I'd would've gladly enjoyed a packett of swiss miss instead. It was far too rich it tasted like they melted down a chocolate bar and poured it in a cup. I forced myself to drink it and gave myself a huge stomachache for the rest of the day and I felt nauseous and misserable. If I was feeling better I would've gone back to demand a refund. Either way I will NEVER go back to this place and suggest that you avoid it because it is OVER RATED and OVER PRICED! And an absolute disgrace that I had to pay nearly an hours worth of pay for such a terrible drink!