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The Best Bakeries and Desserts in Washington Heights

A sweet-tooth guide to Washington Heights: carrot cake on Broadway, Southern biscuits and custom cakes on W 187th St, and Colombian pastries.

Updated

The W 187th Street shopping block between Fort Washington and Pinehurst Avenues, where Dutch Baby Bakery is located (street view of the block, not the bakery)
Beyond My Ken (opens in a new tab)CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

This guide is for anyone who wants cake, pastry, or something sweet in Washington Heights, whether that means a slice to eat on the sidewalk, a custom cake for a party, or a case full of Colombian pastries.

We looked at the bakeries and cafes listed on Washington Heights Guide and ranked them by how central baking and dessert are to what each place does. Picks are editorial: the order is our judgment, not star ratings, review counts, or any scoring system, and every place is a listing on Washington Heights Guide with its own page, sources, and verdict.

Some of these are full restaurants or cafes that also bake, and we say so in the blurbs. Hours and stock change, so check the listing page before heading out for one specific item.

  1. 01

    Best carrot cake

    Bakery

    Carrot Top Pastries

    Open since 1979 according to The Infatuation's 2023 guide, which says it makes some of the best carrot cake that critic had had, with slices taller than a coffee mug. Its official site is gone, so confirm hours before you go.

  2. 02

    Best biscuits and custom cakes

    Bakery

    Dutch Baby Bakery

    Its own website says everything is made in-house, from sandwich bread to biscuits, and offers custom cakes, cupcakes, and cookies with a week's notice. It is also a restaurant and bar, so you can stay for a meal.

  3. 03

    Best Colombian pastries

    Cafe

    Salento Colombian Coffee & Kitchen

    The Infatuation described a large display case of buñuelos and puff pastries filled with guava and cheese or with savory fillings. A restaurant-review aggregator reports some inconsistency in pastry freshness, so go earlier in the day.

  4. 04

    Best guava pastry

    Bakery

    El Manantial Bakery

    A Dominican bakery at 1220 St Nicholas Ave near W 171st St, known for flaky guava-and-cheese pastries and coffee. No official hours page turned up, so call before you go.

  5. 05

    Best café con leche

    Bakery

    El Panadero Bakery

    A Dominican bakery at 1380 St Nicholas Ave and W 179th St, known for tropical pastries, dulce de leche cake, Cuban sandwiches, and café con leche. Call for hours.

  6. 06

    Newest bakery

    Bakery

    Boogie Bakery & Bistro

    A sourdough bakery and bistro at 4015 Broadway, in the old Coogan's space. The listing says the bistro opened Oct 15, 2026, with focaccia, sandwiches, and sourdough pasta. Check hours; it is new.

Sources