Dominique Ansel Bakery
Before there was the Cronut, there was a simple neighbourhood bakery headed by one of the greatest pastry chefs to ever grace the New York dining scene. Formerly of Daniel, Dominique Ansel spread his wings to open his own bakery in the West Village with his take on classic pastries. While everything is tasty, standouts include his seasonal desserts. Pictured is the Fig Brown Butter Financier Cake, which is subtly sweet, creamy and the perfect combination of textures. Year-round, however, you should definitely make a point to get the DKA (pictured) - Dominique's take on the kouign-amann, a pastry that tastes like a palmier cookie, but pulls apart and flakes lightly like the best croissant. Think of it as a “plain,” non-deep-fried cronut, but better, because you don't have to wake up super early to get one.