There are so many great croissants popping up all over North America, that are very close to the real deal in France - and Librae is definitely one of them! The plain croissant was flakey and beautifully buttery! The coffee-chocolate croissant was also excellent, al though a little too rich for my taste. Their foccaccia looked incredible too, but unfortunately I was not able to try them. The staff were really nice and answered all my questions. The interior is also quite spacious - great spot to take a break and enjoy a coffee and pasty! read more

I like to judge how good a place is based on their most basic item. In this case, it is the classic croissant. So I've been to Paris, I've tried the croissants over there. I have tried many croissants in my lifetime. However, this comes right next to the croissants I had in Paris. This was probably the second best croissant I ever had in my entire life. Maybe it was the time of day that I had it, maybe I just got lucky. I like a good, flaky, buttery croissant, a croissant where you can taste the butter. This croissant slapped. It was so buttery that the bottom part of the croissant caramelized a little and it was crunchy. It was also gigantic. I could not finish it in one sitting. When I bit into it, the top layer of the croissant flaked off and kept its shape as it lifted off the body. I was able to peel it off like it was a sheet of paper and continued to eat the croissant like that until I got to the delicious buttery core. It's been weeks since I had this croissant and I'm still thinking about it. read more

Librae Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

One of my bakeries to hit on my list because what stood out was the pistachio rose croissant. That was my main reason for coming here.. I was dreaming of eating one lol Pistachio and rose combo, why not ? Two of my faves. The croissant was large, and we shared it amongst the two of us. It was halved and contained a generous amount of pistachio filling. The top had a drizzle of pistachio frosting and a few hints of rose petals. That's as far as the rose flavor went, very minimal. Also, decided to try their carrot cake scone. It was very dense, dry, and had an odd spice flavor. I didn't care for this one too much unfortunately. Friendly service, plenty of indoor seating, interesting unique bakery, little pricey. read more

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Blending middle eastern tastes with French pastry, Librae Bakery serves up some creative baked goods! They have a lot of savory options as well with baked goods as well as sandwiches. But after two visits, I can say I'm happy I tried their goodies but I probably won't be returning unless a friend wants to go (or for the halva croissant on the weekends!). While expecting strong flavors based on the descriptions, I feel like the flavors are on the subtle side. - tahini chocolate chip cookie (4/5): a good cookie, with a little chew and lots of puddles of chocolate. I'd probably like it more chilled for a better chew but the flavor was nice-- not super nutty or pronounced on the tahini but the chocolate was nice. - pistachio rose chocolate croissant (3/5): their most viral bake was beautiful on presentation but surprisingly muted in flavor in comparison with how much syrup/oil was dripping off of it. Glad that it didn't taste like rose, but the pistachio part wasn't sweet. Probably great with a drink, but not a very indulgent treat by itself. - halva croissant (5/5): super sweet, creamy, and nutty! Only available on the weekends, and it's a hefty one. Might be a little sweet for most but it was a neat twist on an almond croissant. - espresso pain au chocolate (3/5): tempted by the allure of espresso, this one fell flat since I was expecting a stronger coffee flavor, and it was actually really subtle... had to imagine it, but it was an solid chocolate croissant. - honey cardamom bun (3/5): beautiful and large, but the bread was quite dry. It is plain and simple with cream inside, one to share with friends. I couldn't discern any cardamom :( Haven't tried the savory offerings, but this could be a spot that caters to the whole group easily with such a varied menu. The service was super friendly despite it being so busy both times I visited. There is a self serve water station + seating inside but it's usually full, so there's extra tables + a bench outside. read more

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Another trendy bakery, another place that doesn't necessarily live up to the hype. Librae does have quite an eclectic assortment of pastries, think halva croissants, tahini chocolate chip cookies, savory breads and sandwiches amongst their assortment. Surprisingly when I went, there was barely a line, and figured a pistachio rose croissant was in order. Service was quick and efficient and walked out there fast. The croissant itself is quite huge. Plenty of sugary pistachios filled inside and on top. Not a lot of rose flavor sadly. But pistachio lovers will get a kick out of it. The croissant itself was almost candied, it had a very crisp, sugar lacquered exterior. But my gosh, it was so oily. Like I don't know if it was the nuts or the croissant, but a thin sheen of oil was prevalent on my hands while eating. Overall, I do think it's worth a visit if you don't wait in line. But just remember to bring napkins. And sanitizer. Because you'll be wiping your hands a bit! read more

Librae Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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Finally went back to Librae bakery after going for the first time when they opened and though I was initially underwhelmed I have to redact my words and rave about their baked goods. Their regular croissant stays one of the best in the city and worth trying, and they have a smaller menu than I think what they had when they first came out. One of my favorite things from them is their earl grey cookie which has a really nice soft, crumbly texture throughout it and a fragrant earl grey scent that runs nicely through this not-too-sweet cookie. Hope Librae continues to see a lot of success, and it stays as an ol' reliable that I come back to every so often. Astor Place/East Village is becoming quite the hub for bakeries, so give this place some love!! I think it's better than some of the spots near it for sure, though they may not be as trendy anymore. read more

I'd had this spot on my list for a little while now and it was nice to finally check it out - it was great! The Pistachio Rose Croissant is one of their signature items and I can see why - a perfect croissant with very good servings of pistachios in every bite, while also tasting the subtle flavor of rose. The Tahini Chocolate Chip was a nice surprise with its soft texture, deep dark chocolate chips and the earthy tahini on top that actually works. They had a special Malted Hot Chocolate, which was phenomenal - so good, with very rich, thick and creamy chocolate accented with malt, which added some unique depth. The place is cute and slightly small, so expect take your baked goods elsewhere during popular times. read more

Librae Bakery - Pistachio Rose Croissant, Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie, Special Malted Hot Chocolate - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Oh my GOD the Smoked Salmon Sandwich is to die for. That's it. That's the review. Go here. Get it. Enjoy it. And go back for more. Also - the pastries are insane and the croissants and Babkas are WOAH. 10/10. read more

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Stopped in on a Friday afternoon, which was my mistake, definitely get there earlier for full access to the spread!!! But nonetheless, I was recommended to try the Carrot Cake Scone and my god, that scone will live forever in my dreams. So unique, so flavorful, if I weren't on the go I would have double backed to buy another. Thank you to the kind server who has given me this gift, I will be returning. read more

Pistachio Rose Croissant was just way too oily. I'm willing to give them another shot with other pastries, but the croissant was drowning in oil. I liked the pistachio filling, though. They also run out of a lot of items later in the day (by 2pm), so show up early. read more

With a line out the door, this definitely warrants a try. The smell exuding from this place is tremendous. The atmosphere is inviting and the line out the door sealed my fate. That's where the glazing stops. I ordered the Rose Pistachio Croissant and Dirty Chai Sticky Bun, which looked wonderful. The prices for each item are definitely not cheap. At almost $10 a piece, this had better knock my socks off. It is definitely overrated. Pause. It is definitely good, but for the wait and price I endured, it wasn't mind-blowing. The texture of the croissant is average. It is crunchy outside but not as fluffy as I'd imagined inside. Perhaps that is intentional? The sticky buns were sticky, but the bun was too much. The uneven balance left me desiring more of the glazing per bite, which ruined the experience. At least it's not overly sweet. Just ok for me. read more

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I really love Librae Bakery. I had never been to a Bahraini bakery before, so that's what initially drew me in. Also, bonus points because everything is baked in-store and you can actually see the bakery setup. It just makes the whole experience feel cooler and more legit. I ordered the pistachio rose croissant and man... my mouth thoroughly enjoyed every bite. The inside was stuffed with this rich pistachio paste, and the top had pistachio pieces with a rose garnish. Just so good. I also tried the loomi babka. I've never had babka before, but it kind of tasted like a soft, slightly savory bread with a lemony twist. Super unique. I was in the city for 4 days, and the tahini date latte... WOW. SO good. The barista JB absolutely killed!!! I literally went back every single day just for that latte. It had a unique flavor, not too sweet, nice date & tahini flavor & super delicious. If I had the funds to order this every single day, I would! (but my wallet would cry.) read more

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I gotta say, these are some of the best pastries I've had in the city. If you can find a place to sit, which luckily we did, it's a bustling spot but worth it. I tried the za'atar morning bun and the pistachio croissant, and a bite of the loomi babka bun, and wow. The flavors were subtle but present, buttery without being heavy. Pistachio is usually so in your face but this wasn't. The babka has a beautiful lemon curd inside. The za'atar morning bun is the perfect savory flaky pastry. They've done everything right. I even heated up half the croissant the next day and it was just as good. read more

Librae Bakery - Rose Pistachio Croissant - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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Returned to try the cream brioche. It looked amazing, but weight a lot as I was carrying the plate. The pastry layers are clearly uniquely made. So fresh brioche-like pastry, but the smoky-tasting Bavarian caramelized filling surprised me. It was heavy & odd. Weird is the word. Not sure what it was made of? Lard. I almost tasted notes of smoked bacon. Seriously. Took more than half home: too heavy. Expensive. This recipe needs adjustment. The service is very muted, always. read more

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Probably my favorite bakery in the city. Fast service, definitely gives coffee shop vibes with the handful of smaller tables inside and a couple outside. Nice big windows for lots of natural light. Excellent croissant. Nice butter flavor, super crisp, nice open crumb, and consistent every time I'm here. That said, I'm always coming for the za'atar morning bun. Somehow their pastry dough gets even better from the za'atar and is even more crispy. Very flavorful and super crisp. I haven't had a thing here that I disliked. Coffee is also solid so you don't need to go elsewhere. read more

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Chiming in to say - after a week in France and trying the most notable croissants in Paris... Librae Bakery is still by far my favorite (plain) croissant. I don't think I mentioned the Tahini latte in my last review, but you should order it. read more

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I was jonesing for a coffee shop and some delicious pastry and Librae fit the bill! We grabbed the last seating we could find to enjoy our two pastries -- zaatar morning bun and fig fennel scone. The bun was so light and flaky. The scone was a bit crumbly and dry but still tasty. I bought a tahini chocolate chip cookie I enjoyed later - I didn't love the taste and it needed more chocolate chips. We also had two lattes. Everything else looked soooooo good but we couldn't eat anything else! Our time there was enhanced by some friendly people we met in the nook we were sitting in and we enjoyed our conversation together too! We loved our visit to Librae and look forward to returning for more goodies! read more

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One of my favorite bakeries in nyc! You can't go wrong with any item here but highly recommend getting both a savory and sweet option. I'm a big fan of the egg sando and it's perfect to split between 2 people since it's pretty heavy. Expect long lines on weekends but it moves fairly quickly. There's also pretty limited seating so it can get cramped but there's some parks nearby with benches. read more

Librae Bakery - egg sando - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

My recent visit wasn't my first visit. Both times that I went, my intent was to try cookies (specifically the chocolate chip cookie). My first visit, they were out of the chocolate chip cookies, but had flourless chocolate cookies. That was very moist/ decadent and exactly what I expected. My recent visit, they had the tahini chocolate chip cookies in the case and I also picked up a toffee date cookie. I like tahini, but I wasn't prepared for how awful this cookie was going to be. IM SORRY. I actually grimaced when I bit into it. Maybe I don't like tahini as much as I thought I did? For $4.50, I was extremely disappointed. I couldn't finish it. The toffee date cookie ($5.50) was much much better and the saving grace of the trip. That cookie was soft and wonderfully spiced with large chunks of dates in it. Counter service was friendly and quick and the bakery itself is adorable with the very large disco croissant hanging from the ceiling. I wanted to snap a photo of it, but there were too many people near it LOL. read more

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Ordered: Tahini Date Latte (~$8) Vanilla Bean Latte (~$7) Butter Croissant (~$5) Rose Pistachio Croissant (~$9) Za'atar Labneh Morning Bun (~$8) Carrot Scone (~$7) Aya's take: Librae is NYC's first Bahrain-owned bakery and I've been meaning to try it for so long! We got the Tahini Date Latte & Vanilla Bean Latte. Both were warm and soothing but the flavors were not super prominent. I like you can actually see specs of vanilla bean in the latte; I've never seen that before! I was a bit disappointed they didn't have the cups with their cute branding. Of course, I had to get the Rose Pistachio Croissant which is a work of art. There's a rich pistachio flavor from the frangipane but the rose syrup was much less palpable. The croissant was a tad too hard for my liking but I imagine it is to prevent it from falling apart. Being Lebanese, I was looking forward to Za'atar Labneh Morning Bun but where was the labneh? I mainly tasted the za'atar and was expecting to bite into some silky and creamy labneh. The Carrot Scone had a nice carrot ginger glaze and smoked cardamom. It was on the dry side but definitely a unique take on a scone flavor! And of course, the Butter Croissant did not disappoint. All in all, I'm glad I finally got to try it and will probably be back for their seasonal items. read more

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After having seen Librae on IG for a couple years, I knew this was the one place that I absolutely had to visit on a recent trip to Brooklyn! There was a line out the door, which I expected, but it moved relatively quickly into their quaint and cute bakery. Items we got: - Blueberry & corn scone: Not gonna lie, the name really threw us off, but we opted in and were SO glad we did. What a sleeper scone! The slightly sweet cornbread-tasting scone with the tart and sweet blueberries were an excellent match. I can't wait to try recreating this at home! The outside had a nice crunch and you could tell they were prepped right because they were flakey and moist rather than dense and dry like many scones. Well done! - Feta & dill scone: Uh, YUM. The texture of this one was even better than the blueberry & corn scone and was UBER moist and layered on the inside. The feta and dill gave a savory flavor that I thought would've made for an excellent base of a breakfast sandwich! - Pistachio & rose croissant: This is the most hyped item that I've seen on IG, so of course we had to try it. With a hyped item, though, you always run the risk of being underwhelmed and that was the case for me here. The texture of the croissant was nice and flakey, but I guess because of the way it's prepped it came out pretty flat rather than big and puffed up like I'm used to seeing. The flavor wasn't quite right for me either and seemed to lack enough sweetness to balance the nuttiness of the pistachios. - Chocolate chunk tahini cookie: This one wasn't worth a second bite for me personally. The texture was super soft all over without any crunch, which just isn't the texture of cookie I prefer. From a taste standpoint the tahini came out bitter and didn't have enough sweetness to balance it out, sort of like the croissant. - Dirty chai sticky bun: Oh, man. What a flawless baked good! They absolutely nailed this one from a flavor and bread texture standpoint. The dough must've been prepped perfectly because the outcome was a substantial yet tender roll that was bathed in the most yummy icing! The chai mingled with a distinct buttery flavor in the icing and was just irresistible. - Egg sando w/ mushrooms and cheddar: The bun was well done and the eggs were super puffy, but all-in-all the sandwich lacked flavor for us, saved only by a nice chili sauce they served on the side. Overall, I'd absolutely return and try new items since their menu rotates, being sure to get whatever scones and sticky buns they have on the menu! read more

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I got the Loomi babka which was expertly crafted brioche, delicious, fluffy, flavorful and not too sweet! I even saved half for the next day and it was just as good. I also tried the red currant and almond or pistachio? bread pudding which had a custardy inside and crunchy top. It was easily the best bread pudding I've ever had and my favorite bite of all the bakeries we visited in New York. It was truly phenomenal, and I'll be dreaming about it back in Boston! read more

All of the pastries and cookies are to die for. The Tahini chocolate chip is one of my favorites.

Nice people, great atmosphere, phenomenal pastries. My daughter enjoyed a tuna salad sandwich, I had the pistachio croissant, husband had the Jerusalem bagel with labne, and other daughter had a chocolate croissant--all phenomenal. Excellent coffee to go with. I'll go back! read more

Librae Bakery - Pistachio croissant - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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Holy cow! I dont know why I waited this long to come here. I came here for a quick coffee and a bite before shopping! There was a wait for their pistachios croissant, so got the focaccia instead. Holy smokes (used Holy twice...now thrice). Its the best I have ever had...better than anything in Italy even. I want to come every weekend and try their goodies! read more

Librae Bakery - Flat white - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Might be my favorite bakery ever! Cool take on classic baked goods, like their zaatar morning bun which was a personal favorite or an espresso pan eu chocolat -- you truly can't go wrong here. Everything is absolutely delicious! read more

Went to try the Mother's Day Danish and it was so flaky and good!! Blueberry Danish with butterfly pea cream read more

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I've been craving pistachio croissant for a while and I heard really good things about Librae's pistachio rose croissant! This thing is surprisingly filling! I think it's due to the filling inside the croissant, there's more than I expected. I got this during lunch, and I felt like it was enough to be its own meal. read more

Librae Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Came here to try the pistachio croissant because I saw it online and it looked super good Overall I did like it but thought it was a little too nutty tasting for my liking. However I can see how people like this pastry There weren't much other pastries that jumped out to me though on store The store is nice and big with lots of room for seating and hanging out with friends read more

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Tried the pistachio rose croissant, which was solid! A little on the sweet side, but fantastic texture, I get the hype. Definitely a place you should try at least once. The line gets absurdly long and moves slowly, especially on weekends, so plan for a wait. Service is great considering how busy and chaotic it can get during peak hours. The interior is nicely done, with some seating available, but when it's that crowded it's not really the kind of place where you'd want to hang out for too long anyway. read more

Librae Bakery - Pistachio Rose Croissant - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Stop by when they had a hot fellas bakery, pop-up where they were giving away free desserts, and drinks. It was fun to see the hot fellas and how the bakery was used in the HBO movie. Came back the following weekend for their croissants as I heard they were delicious. I got the chocolate croissant and it was super flaky. I did think the croissant was lacking some chocolate in the middle but, nonetheless, it was still delicious. There were a ton of different options, and the worker said the pistachio croissant also looked good. There wasn't much of a line when I went, but it seemed like it would move pretty fast. We tried to find a table, but all the tables inside and outside of the store were taken. read more

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It's fantastic but seats are limited because it's fantastic and word is out ! The savory bagels and pretzels and bagel pretzels lol are excellent. The labneh is ridiculously good. The focaccias are all perfect but the French onion is my favorite and a standard (whew). My new discovery is the seeded oat loaf of bread. Wow just wow. The pastries are great and I love trying the seasonal ones. The banana creme thing recently was insane and I thought I'd hate it. Banana can be done poorly but this was balanced perfectly. The coffee is great. the ambiance is busy, exciting, efficient and fast sometimes a bit too fast if you're indecisive like me. The decor is gorgeous ... natural yet modern and the open kitchen well i could stare into it for hours. The smell down the block always welcomes me in. I do wish people wouldn't sit for so long once they've finished eating. There's simply never enough space. Bottom line- I fly across the country for Librae. I always come to NYC for new bakeries but they usually disappoint me and I end up at Librae! read more

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((4.75 stars)) been to Librae Bakery a number of time and it's still superbusy and still baking superb pastries. it's a modern bakery. there's a good amount of seating, but on weekend and primetime hours on weekdays -- getting seats will likely be tough unless you get there on the earlier. the vibe and ambiance is friendly even when the lines lengthen and get a bit frenzied. it's also good top get there on the earlier side because different baked items will run out as they are freshly baked each day (you can look into the baking area through the clear glass windows that give you a peek into the baking sorcery, but that area is obviously sectioned off.) when i was last here a couple of weeks ago, picked up a bunch of stuff as a "gift" of sorts for out-of-towners who haven't enjoyed eats from this Bahraini-inspired bakery (yes, pastries can be "gift"! lol). there are definitely Middle Eastern influences on some of the classic pastries. from the variety of things i gifted -- the bread pudding, the espresso pain au chocolate, and the tahini chocolate chip cookie were the standouts and praised accordingly. snagged a feta dill scone because was In the mood for a less sweet bite. the scone was very good-- buttery soft biscuit-like texture with touches of dill and feta. the insides were light and fluffy while firm on the outside. sometimes. the service is friendly and doesn't rush you. definitely worthwhile visit whether you can get a seat or not. read more

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I loved visiting Librae for a quick snack / pastry. The staff was very friendly and there are some indoor seats. It was cool being able to see the kitchen while I waited for my chai. I enjoyed the scone and especially the chai latte. Although Librae is located in the East Village if I'm ever in the area I would certainly stop by again. read more

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This bakery is known for their pistachio rose croissant but that was my least favorite item. The croissant itself was delicious and buttery but the rose and pistachio was too sweet for me. I highly recommend the feta drill scone though! It was incredibly moist and unlike any other scone I've ever tried. I recommended it to my friend and she enjoyed it so much she went back the next day to get another. Line can seem pretty long even on weekdays but it moves quick! There are a few tables inside to enjoy your food but they tend to be taken pretty quick! read more

Librae Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

A new (to me) favorite bakery in nyc! Great to pick up treats to bring to the park OR hang out in the bakery with a friend. Great flavor combinations and tasty treats! read more

Librae Bakery - Everything pretzel - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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Librae Bakery is located in East Village and their pretty popular item is Pistachio Rose Croissant, I had to check it out. The first bite had a good crunch and great pistachio flavor filling with the hint of rose on top. However, the croissant is heavy in butter, as the croissant itself is pretty dense. I could only eat half of it, and I saved the other half the next day for breakfast. There's seating inside and outside, and it's a great place to meet up with friends and catch up. read more

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By far one of my favorite bakeries in NY! I'm a sucker for a good croissant and this place definitely had one of the best ones. The service was quick and the cafe was crowded. Probably not a good place to sit and work but great to sit and catch up with friends! read more

Librae Bakery - Baked goos - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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It's kind of ridiculous that a croissant in the city is $9+ (after taxes) now. But the Pistachio rose croissant was absolutely captivating so I made my way here to give it a try. I enjoyed the crispy and flaky layers but the pistachio flavor was not too pronounced. Could barely taste the rose flavor either. The whole thing just tasted very heavy because of the amount of butter they put in it, as evidenced by the grease that permeated through the bag. My stomach felt a bit queasy after finishing the croissant. Service was very nice and quick though. A few tables to sit at both inside and outside. Overall, not my favorite croissant and not worth the $$. read more

Librae Bakery - Pistachio rose croissant - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

I absolutely hate this place because I can't pass by without purchasing a damn croissant. I'm not even a pastry person but this place has me addicted. The service is fast and the ambiance isn't special but their croissants have me comparing every bakery in NYC to this magic puff pastry. It's soft, buttery, flakey and I refuse to eat a subpar croissant now. At $5 a croissant, I walked out with 4 croissants last time (and I don't like pastries). Thanks, Librae. read more