Nancy A.

I came here twice and both times were really good! I came here during Valentine's Day and they had pretzel twists dedicated to the holiday! The line was long and all the way out to the door that day. They were selling pretzels in heart shapes! So cute! I loved the heart shaped pretzels that I decided to get one! I saw they were warmed in a nice glowing box behind the counter when I was waiting in line. The pretzel was salty in my opinion but I finished it all because it was so lovely and exclusively from Elbow Bread! Apart from the heart pretzel, I got their strawberry sugar sweet potato pretzel. I was so sad to see that they did not have any strawberry sugar sweet potato pretzel left in stock and the only one I can get is the displayed one. I decided why not and went for the displayed one. Surprisingly, it was edible and still looked fresh as what the staff claimed it was made the same day so I took the chance. The strawberry sugar sweet potato pretzel was so sweet and sugary in a good way! The pretzel was easy to chew and soft. However, it was kind of salty and I could taste the big salt rocks that hit my mouth especially the heart pretzel was kind of salty! Besides the pretzels, I got a kasha latte! I was kind of disappointed that it was kind of small in size when I saw it sitting on the counter after the staff made it. It was a tad bit too small and I wished it was a bit bigger! I did not regret the purchase at all when I took a sip of it. The latte tasted like nuts and cereal milk! It tasted so good that I wanted more! I will definitely be getting more of this latte the next time I'm here. The pretzels came in a paper bag that had one handle. The paper bag said Elbow Bread and was all white. It looked really cool with one handle! I saved it for the future because it can be reusable! It looked so unique with just one handle! The whole place got no chairs but counter top table for standing and drinking coffee. It was crowded the first time I was there and many people were just hanging by the table and sipping their coffee and eating the famous pretzel bread, the elbow bread! The second time I was there, I got two elbow breads and they looked so cute! Each end got a tiny hand with fingers! The hands looked too cute to bite and eat off. So crunchy and nice!

Ruwan J.

((4.75 stars)) Elbow Bread is a small bakery planted at the intersection of Ludlow, Division, and Canal Streets. cozy brightly-lit space--no seats inside but there are small tables set up outside for those who want to place to perch, but most customers grab-and-go or grab-and-eat-on-the-go. there are a variety of baked eats here from various sour dough loaves to sweeter options like cookies and kolaches to savory options like bialys and schmaltz scallion knots as well as other comfort eats. if you can stop here in the morning during the week--i would say that is your best bet as items on menu will run out way before closing time which is like 3 pm on weekdays and a little later on weekends. definitely try the pretzels, when you see them as that is one of the signature items, but my current favorite is the everything bialy with cream cheese--a chewy airy bread roll sprinkled with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and salt and a dollop of cream cheese. it's one satisfying comfort food in the bread quality alone but the cream cheese adds that creamy fatty-ness and combined with the "everything flavor" makes for enjoyable bites from beginning to end. nothing against bagels, but you haven't really lived as a New Yorker unless you have eaten a great bialy...and Elbow Bread serves a great one. the coffee is pretty good too--probably a medium roast which pairs with sweet eats as well as savory ones without detracting. service is pleasant and quick but not rushed. while Elbow Bread has its fans from the LES / Dimes Square / Chinatown area, people definitely travel here from all across the city to indulge some finely baked carbs...and it is very much worth the trip.

Lien L.

This place is so tiny but it's filled with lots of creative flavors that I'm looking forward to trying everything. The scallion schmear bialy was pillowy and dedadent but not a traditional bialy texture so keep that in mind. The fig and crunchy walnut sandwich was a great play on textures and something I'm going to try to replicate at home. The simple sourdough rolls with butter- delicious even though it sounds like the plainest thing on the menu. I do wish the prices were a bit more wallet friendly but understandable due to the quality.

Jenny Z.

this sandwich is a 10/10 - the sourdough is delicious, the ingredients blend together for the perfect combination of savory and sweet with the nutty texture of the nut butter and the smooth cream cheese. The eb bb is pre made so you get it right away and the half size is perfect for snack! There's not really any seating except for maybe 4-5 standing spots.

Alyssa C.

Highly recommend grabbing a group of friends and trying out as many pastries here as your bellies can fill! A great spot for brunch as they offer a number of great savory bialys, sandwiches and pastries as well as sweet. Favorites were their banana pudding kolache (insane), EB BB sandwich (walnut butter, date and cc on brown bread; super unique and delicious), and pistachio cake donut (one of the best cake donuts). Also tried their chile garlic bialy and scallion roll which were v good and their chocolate rugelach.

Kristina I.

I stopped in on a Tuesday around lunch time and they had a great selection of available items. There were a few people inside when I arrived. I was thankful that it was not packed so that I had some time to look at all the items in the case to make my choice. I had originally found this place because I was looking for chocolate chip cookies. The corn meal chocolate chip cookie ($5) was the star of the show for me. The corn meal gave the cookie a lovely sweet flavor with a slightly gritty exterior texture. The center was soft and chewy with crisp edges. The chocolate babka ($7.50) was beautifully made and also quite delicious. I reheated it prior to cutting into it so that the center would be soft. The salted sweet potato pretzel hug was visually pleasing. A $7 pretzel in NYC comes with very high expectations and I hate to say that this was just a regular ole pretzel for me. Service was quick and friendly, but the price tag walloped my experience.

Colin C.

In a cute little bakery right near East Village, Elbow Bread provided the pick me up I needed for a day of shopping. Its quaintness and hometown vibe was very charming and provided a nice respite from the business of the city. The workers were extremely friendly and their everything bagel was to die for. The cream cheese filling was light and refreshing while the bagel itself was fluffy and moist. However interestingly, they did not toast the bagel which would've elevated it even further.

Alisa J.

Absolutely loved this bakery. The vegan bialy was absolutely delicious. It was a bit greasy but it tasted amazing. The clementine danish was also so good and not too sweet. Would definitely return to this bakery in the future.

Wendy T.

Wow, Elbow Bread surprised me with its charm and delicious pastries-- a serious contender for the best spot during my last bakery crawl! ** Chocolate babka bun- (4.5/5)- unlike most babkas, this one was soft and fragrant even when room temp, probably amazing warmed up. Enjoyed the chocolatey filling and sweet dough :) ** Challah croissant (4.5/5 warmed)-- I wasn't a fan of it room temp (tasted like dry sweet bread), but when I toasted it at home, it had such a light, crisp yet buttery texture. Simple but pleasing! ** Sweet potato pretzel (4/5)-- interesting combo of sweet and salty, fun to eat with a nice dense and chewy texture. Comes with choice of cheese or mustard (both cold). ** Apple cider cake donut (4/5)-- comes with a little donut hole. Was dense and moist, full of Apple cider flavor and a bit sticky. Having bits of apple inside would have brought this to another level for me; while flavorful, it wasn't my favorite find. I would definitely come back to try other cake donut flavors though! ** walnut butter with cream cheese and dates on black bread (5/5)-- wow, albeit not as sweet as the other picks, this sandwich was my favorite for uniqueness and taste! It tricks one into thinking it's sort of healthy :P it's a sweet but hearty treat; the velvety walnut butter and luscious cream cheese really pair well. Love how you can order a half size. Super beautiful as well! The small bakery is tiny, bright, and cute, the service was friendly. There's a small window side ledge/table without chairs enough for 2 people to eat next to another without being too awkward, so plan to take everything to-go. Big kudos for providing water and cups :D definitely stop by to grab a few pastries when you're in the area!

Pamela L.

While visiting my mom for CNY I see a new bakery on the corner of Ludlow Street. Without doing any research on Yelp, I jump on the long line. I mean, who wouldn't get excited for baked goods. I love the quaint Soho exterior look. It's a modern take on traditional Jewish baked goods. Interior is only enough for 8-10 customers at a time, no seating. Here is what we ordered: - Chocolate Babka - Onion Bialy (nothing beats the old schooled ones on Essex Street) - Dark Chocolate Rugelach (I've had better) - Potato Sauerkraut Knish (my favorite one) - Schmaltz Scallion Knot - Sweet Potato Pretzel (meh, nothing special) Unfortunately, none of the pastries stood out to me. Some needed more butter, some were on the greasy side, etc. I don't get the hype. We also got a Mocha latte and a cappuccino. If there is one thing that bothers me the most about coffee is when it has a sour taste. I give the coffee here a 6/10. As per other reviews, people seem to enjoy the EB BB (crispy walnut butter, cream cheese and dates on black bread). Maybe I ordered the wrong items.

Elizabeth G.

The line was around 15-20 minutes long. Inside it was very small but you could see workers putting final touches on the baked goods which I found very comforting. The pretzel was easily the best pretzel I've ever had. It was crispy on the outside and fluffy and hot inside. There was no sweet potato flavor and I was okay with that. The mustard that ít comes with is strong and the cheese dip is not the best I've had. The scallion knot wasn't my vibe. It was very soft bread like challah or brioche. And I wasnt into the poppy seeds but the people I was with enjoyed it. The cookie we got for free because we were waiting for the pretzel to come out of the oven. It had a corn meal garnish (not great) and the cookie itself didn't taste flavorful. It was like a watered down cookie

Renata G.

So many delicious things here. Everything Biyali with cream cheese is a dream 5/5 Sweet Potato pretzel is a YES for pretzel lovers 4/5 Potato knish so simple but heavenly 5/5 For me, baked goods have to be worth the carb intake. And Elbow Bread is beyond worth it. There's a good variety of sweet and savory to choose from too which I love. And people who work there are sweet and welcoming. Makes me want to come back more and more.

Alan S.

3.5 stars rounded up for me. I have mixed feelings about the nouveau Jewish bakeries cropping up around the city, and in Elbow Bread's case capitalizing on the neighborhood's history. On one hand, history must evolve to stay relevant, although the Dimes Square crowd and gentrified environs are admittedly a bit hard to stomach. The chocolate babka knot was very good - not overly sweet like Breads Bakery's take, but with a modest chocolate aroma evocative of Oneg's. The pretzel stick was aesthetically pleasing, but mostly tasted like any other pretzel to me.