BAGELS FROM SADELLE'S
Developed in Poland more than 400 years ago, the bagel arrived in New York in the early 1900s. Made using high-gluten flour, water, salt, malt and yeast, traditional bagels are dense and chewy, with a sweet, almost sour tang. For years, H&H Bagels produced the quintessential New York bagel but since its closure in 2012, newcomers such as Sadelle’s have stepped up. Here, Melissa Weller embraces old and new, stacking fresh bagels on wooden dowels, while also selling unusual flavours such as Icelandic sea salt, and pepper and pumpernickel.
Address: Sadelle's, 463 West Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Website: sadelles.com
PIZZA FROM LOMBARDI'S
This Spring Street pizzeria was the first of its kind in the USA, back in 1905. And it’s still serving Gennaro Lombardi’s famous coal-fired extra-wide New York-style pies – a little thicker than a Neapolitan, and a little thinner than a Sicilian. The base has a real bite to it and they use a lower-moisture mozzarella than the Neapolitan style, which helps it melt well and take on a stringy texture.
Address: Lombardi's, 32 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
Website: firstpizza.com
BABKA FROM BREADS BAKERY
New Yorkers visit this Union Square spot for many reasons, but top of the list is the chocolate babka. The distinctive swirls are a direct result of the shaping technique used to make the twisted yeast cake. Israeli baker Uri Scheft’s modern version is a staple on critics’ lists of the city’s best babkas, courtesy of its flaky, buttery crumb and dark, Nutella-spiked filling.
Address: Breads Bakery, 18 East 16th Street, New York, NY 10003
Website: breadsbakery.com
FLATBREADS FROM HOT BREAD KITCHEN
Find this not-for-profit stall in La Marqueta, an indoor market in Harlem. Its kitchen provides opportunities for women in the city’s low-income and immigrant communities through its Bakers in Training programme. And as well as being taught to make rye, sourdough and challah loaves, each student also brings their own traditions to the kitchen. On the menu are bakes from all over the world, including several flatbreads.
Address: Hot Bread Kitchen, 1607 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10029
Website: hotbreadkitchen.org
NO-KNEAD BREAD FROM SULLIVAN ST BAKERY
Jim Lahey, the founder of this innovative bakery, is known the world over for reigniting interest in no-knead bread. The process is mostly hands-off: it takes about 24 hours to make, with a large amount of water in the mix and a long fermentation time. The result is a deeply caramelised bread with a crispy, assertive crust and pillowy crumb.
Address: Sullivan Street Bakery, 236 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Website: sullivanstreetbakery.com
'Modernist Bread' is out now (Phaidon, £425 for five volumes)
- DestinationsThe 36 most beautiful places in Italy
- Places to StayThe best beach hotels in Europe
