BakeryWashington HeightsAudubon / W 165th St
Carrot Top Pastries
A long-running neighborhood bakery where the carrot cake is the draw; its official site is gone, so confirm hours before a trip.
3931 BroadwayBroadway between W 164th & W 165th Sts
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What it is
Carrot Top Pastries is a bakery at 3931 Broadway, on Broadway between W 164th and W 165th Sts, according to Patch. The Infatuation’s 2023 guide says it has been open since 1979 and makes some of the best carrot cake the critic had had, with slices taller than a coffee mug, and that it also serves diner classics at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Who it’s for
Neighbors, medical center staff and visitors, and anyone who wants a slice of carrot cake. Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s list of nearby local food options includes Carrot Top Pastries at 3931 Broadway with hours of 6am to 8pm.
Standout details
Robert Mancino told the Manhattan Times that he and his wife Renee, the bakery’s founder, set up shop in the 1980s when the neighborhood was considered dangerous, and that 3931 Broadway was their second shop. Patch reported that the other location, in Inwood, closed in early 2019 after its building lost gas service, and that the Inwood stretch of Broadway was co-named Renee Mancino Way in 2019.
Honest verdict
A real neighborhood institution with a loyal following, and the carrot cake is the reason to go. The bakery’s old website domain no longer appears to belong to it, so this listing links none; the open status rests on a Grade A city inspection on July 7, 2026 and the CUIMC listing. Call or check a map listing for current hours before a special trip.