Positioned on ever-busy Canal Street, New Cameron Bakery occupies a highly visible location at the…read morenorthern edge of Chinatown. The storefront is classic New York Chinatown: compact, practical, and packed with displays of baked goods. Inside, glass cases dominate the space, showcasing a wide variety of traditional Chinese bakery staples, including roast pork buns, pineapple buns, sponge cakes, sesame pastries, egg tarts, and various savory snacks. In addition to baked goods, the bakery often carries prepared items and light takeaway fare, making it a popular stop for quick meals as well as desserts.
The emphasis is on classic Chinatown bakery offerings rather than modern reinterpretations, and the low prices make it easy to leave with a substantial assortment of items for only a few dollars. There's a couple of tables, but as with most Chinese bakeries, it's more of a grab-and-go situation. Pricing remains highly accessible (they take both cash and card, though be aware of a tax and fee upcharge when paying with the latter), with many baked goods available for only a few dollars each.
I've sampled their Pineapple Bun and their Yogurt Bun (both within the range of $2-2.50); the former is a soft, fluffy bun with a crackly, buttery, sweet topping (unlike the name implies, there's no actual pineapple; it's named this way after the yellow criss-cross pattern that the topping creates on the bread), and their Yogurt Bun is a yeasted bread filled with a tangy, sweet yogurt filling. Both were quite tasty, even at the very end of the day.
While baked goods will be freshest the beginning of the day, the bakery is open until 8:30pm, which is later than most Chinese bakeries in the area, making it a great spot for an after-dinner treat. Even in the last 30 minutes before closing, there's still a decent selection of different pastries.
For visitors exploring Canal Street and the surrounding neighborhood, it represents the type of old-school Chinatown bakery experience that has become increasingly difficult to find elsewhere in Manhattan; this is a solid option in a great location, and I'll definitely be returning!