One of the greatest struggles of humankind is man vs. carbs. In the case of Alexander vs. Mel, I am getting wrecked. I think about Mel the Bakery almost daily, like a crackhead waiting for my next fix. I shamefully find myself making a weekly pilgrimage downtown. I have started looking for an apartment in the area just to be closer, even if my love goes unrequited. Mel's buttery croissant has me pining for its flaky crust and chewy layers. Add an ingredient of ham and cheese and you'll orgasm like Vince McMahon. Have a bit of a sweet tooth? - go for the mesmerizing cinnamon roll. read more

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Holy crap. Named best bakery in 2021 by eater, this place will not disappoint! First, you walk in and you can smell the most delicious scent ever. You can also tell that they likely (and do) have high quality stuff because of the small display... kind of hard to explain, but it just seems more curated?? Pistachio almond twice baked croissant ($5) - absolutely divine. Delicious pistachio taste, super moist, and also had a hint of citrus as well. So good that it's making me want to make pistachio croissants now! Chocolate tahini twice baked ($5) - Holy. Crap. First bite, and I knew my life was changed. It was a huge endorphin rush!! This is quite possibly the best sweet thing I've ever tasted!!!! So sweet and savory, I really don't know how I've lived without this. My mind is blown. You have to get this!!! Chocolate pecan cookie ($3) - a very solid and satisfying cookie with large chunks of chocolate (which I love) and big enough pecan pieces that you can see them. It was also the perfect combination of crispy and chewy, so it caters to every type of cookie lover! read more

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4 stars because if the prices. 6 stars for the product, though. The baked items are impeccably displayed and beautifully made. I bought a $5 ginger with pine nuts (looked odd, tasted lovely) cookie which was delicious. The service was also excellent. I can see why this place is award-winning. The breads and baked goods are beautiful, precise little works of art. I'll go back. read more

Not as tasty as I thought it would be and a bit on the pricey side. You have to have a certain taste for these sweets. Not a fan, but I could see why certain people would be. Check them out! read more

COVID-19 review: tiny bakery that I'd walked past a million and one times during the afternoon, always to find them sold out of everything hours earlier. I finally made the early bird trek downtown last Wednesday morning, and got in line shortly after they opened at 9AM (there's only space for one party inside the bakery, so there's inevitably always a line, but it was only 2 people deep when I got there). They had plenty of pastries on hand, but I averted my eyes and just got a half loaf of the toasted sesame pullman, since I'd been wanting to try their breads. The bread was amazing: I've since snacked on it plan, used it for sandwiches, toasted it up with some peanut butter, and think I'll venture into grilled cheese territory for this week. I sliced and froze the majority of my loaf, and can report it revives back to original quality even in my subpar toaster. Also, I got Mel's twice-baked pistachio almond croissant at Dame one weekend, and it has truly ruined me for other almond croissants. Beautiful mix of flavors, so many layers of buttery pastry, and crisp outer shell. I'll be back to slowly eat my way through the other pastries here, as well as try other breads! Edit (1/14/21): have now had Mel's focaccia, which is pure heaven. Gently crisp top with lots of rosemary, great chew, and you can really taste the quality of the olive oil. Almost feels decadent to eat. Also a fan of the ginger and molasses cookie! Pine nuts add a hint of buttery savoriness, and when you bite into a rare gingery chunk, it's sublime. Edit (1/21/21): tried the poppyseed croissant with delicata squash and gruyere at Dame last weekend, and it was divine. Lovely flavor, crisp exterior, and soooo many beautiful layers in the croissant. On this week's Mel run, I picked up their sesame striped country loaf, which smells AMAZING and has been great for both savory and sweet toasts. I also tried the rye sunflower brownie, and !!!! GET THIS. My new favorite brownie. So rich, perfect size, not too sweet. read more

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I have been wanting to try Mel for a while - I've been seeing it all over social media and it looked right up my alley. I tried to visit once at the beginning of January but they have slightly abnormal hours and were not open. I was able to go on Valentine's Day after coercing my boyfriend to go with me. We got there and there was a line around the block. When we finally got inside, we ordered the meat cheese croissant, cinnamon roll, brownie, focaccia and the Mel loaf. We actually ordered a chocolate tahini croissant as well but were dismayed to find when we got home that it hadn't been included. I don't know if we were charged for it or not because we were not given a receipt. I liked the pastries we got - the brownie was very fudgy, the cinnamon roll had a nice sour icing that complimented the sweetness of the cinnamon roll well, meat cheese croissant was meaty and cheesy although not very flaky. The focaccia was nice as well, but I'm a general fan of focaccia. The Mel bread was a bit disappointing to me though... while it was a decent loaf, I couldn't help comparing it to the loaves from She Wolf Bakery which is by far my favorite bakery in the city and way more delicious in my opinion. I would likely return here to try more pastries if I was in the area and the line wasn't too long but I wouldn't make a special trip again. read more

Mel - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

Not surprising to find another coffee shop but very surprised that they bake their own fresh bread. Convenient location to grab coffee for a date or a stroll in the park. Food is definitely a bit pricer than I would like though. I got the strawberry banana bread and found it mediocre. read more

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Stopped in a couple weeks ago to pick up some baked goods. I came in around 11 and most of the things were sold out. So I ended up just getting a pistachio pinwheel croissant and a chocolate chip cookie. The pistachio pinwheel was pretty good but so tiny for the price I paid. The chocolate was very ok and also pricey. They look like they have good liking croissants but guess I have to get there earlier! read more

Mel - Pistachio pinwheel - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

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The chocolate fudge brownie bar with sunflower seeds was delicious. Bar was almost fudge like with nice caramel notes and the sunflower seeds was added nice texture. Olive loaf and poppy seed loaf are huge. read more

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A very cute coffee shop with great pastries selection. We had their cinnamon roll with was delicious and warm, liked the lemon poppy seed danish and also pistachio croissant. But my favorite was the gouda and ramp danish, it was so good! Definitely going back when I around there! read more

Mel - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

Still my favorite bakery in the neighborhood and I'm so glad they are open Thursday-Sunday now. I feel like they were only open on Fridays for awhile. Now I can get delicious baked goods more often!!! read more

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M elancholically and unseasonably warm afternoon E legy? No this is a love letter L ost in Lower East Side T ruth to be told I didn't know what to expect H eart of LES there I stumble upon this bakery E namored with their selection B ready doughy heaven A romatherapy with the smell of baked goods K armically I will have to work out later E ndlessly and indecisively I finally made up my mind R ogue that's me; I want to have them all Y et their baked goodness worth it all @thedogtrine read more

Mel - IG: @thedogtrine - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

Fast, delicious, and balanced. The hibiscus and mint tea is light and refreshing. Get it unsweetened for a nice, neutral floral--especially if you're ordering an especially sweet or salty pastry! The barley strawberry and banana bread is a sizable mini-loaf. It's super moist to the point of being slightly underbaked--in a good way! The slices of strawberries were fun, and the subtle sweetness and starchiness of the banana plays well with stronger drink flavors. Try it with an iced coffee. read more

Mel - Barley strawberry banana bread and hibiscus mint tea - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

Bread glorious sourdough bread and many many tasty patisserie to accompany it. Mel exceeded my wildest expectations with its springy high hydration loaves. I was met with a moderate 10-15 minute line as during COVID-19 Mel is only open for to go on weekends. I got the nigella seeded rye loaf, a rye chocolate chip cookie and a twice baked chocolate tahini croissant. The bread itself was flavorful, moist so springy and wonderful. It somehow managed not to stale before my family finished it, but I will say it was so good it was gone in a few days. The nigella seed flavor was like a little friendly herb-ally boost to that tangy sourdough. I dream of bread this good every day. The cookie was so chewy and buttery; truly a perfect cookie. The dusting of flakey sea salt all over the cookie makes each bite an experience to yelp about. Now onto the croissant whose delectable, yet still slightly sour and not too sweet taste I can't find a comparison for. Maybe halva? Maybe peanut butter? It was a dense and chewy twice baked croissant with a deep savoriness coming from the tahini (sesame). Unlike many most filled croissants this one wasn't a sugar bomb, rather an expression of complex flavors and love and care in the dough. My gluten filled dreams are to one day return and buy everything else I have yet to try since few bakeries have managed to so thoroughly blow my mind like Mel. read more

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One of the great pleasures I have during these pandemic times is checking out all the bakeries that have opened up. Mel is a hard operation to catch - only open on the weekends and they often sell out quite quickly in the morning. I really don't like sourdough except as a vehicle for avocado toast (can't get over the sour taste), but I respect the sourdoughs here - there's a level of flavor they've achieved at Mel that I haven't found as much with other spots. The breads here tend to had a harder crust, but don't let that fool you - they've got a super nice and chewy texture inside. Pastries / desserts have been a bit more hit or miss for me. The pistachio croissant was fine but a bit too sweet for me. Similarly the cinnamon roll was too sweet for me. I did however love the snickerdoodle cookie I got. read more

I feel like there was a lot of hype for this bakery but I don't get it. The almond croissant was sweet and flakey, but nothing spectacular or distinguishable from other bakeries in the area. They do have lovely outdoor seating. I want to come back to try the other parts of the menu and hopefully find something I enjoy. read more

It smells like heaven in this bakery and after you eat one of their croissants, you'll feel like you died and went to heaven! read more

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Best pastries in the city. Everything is the best you'll ever had, from tomato pie, to savory croissants, to focaccia, to fruity pastries and cookies. There's no such thing as a bad choice. Always the warmest and kindest staff. read more

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Nope, nope, nope. Before I say anything, please have a look at the photo of the croissant that I bought. That is NOT how a well made croissant should look. It should be airy and flaky, not dense and sticky to the teeth. I ate it coz I was hungry after a workout and I still have a funny after taste in my mouth. Yuck! It absolutely does not deserve the hype. The one star is for the beautiful shop front design. It makes sense now why so many people go there now coz they are drawn in by the architecture. read more

Mel - Plain croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

This bakery opened up right at the edge of Chinatown and the Lower East Side. It's been a couple of months since it opened, and there is always a line (which is a good sign). Here some of the things that I have tried so far: baguette, homemade cultured butter, chocolate croissant, twice baked pistachio croissant, and poppyseed croissant. Would 10000% recommend getting the butter than they sell individually. It comes in a tiny plastic container and is so good with the baguette. Would also get the twice baked pistachio almond croissant again! read more

Mel - Poppyseed Veg Croissant, Chocolate Croissant, and Twice Baked Pistachio Croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

Excellent service, best blueberry muffins of my life. The pizza focaccia is also amazing

I walk by this lovely place on the way to work and there is always a line. I finally got a chance to go in and try some of their goods today! They have a display of the baked goods they offer behind a glass with labels so it made ordering easy. I got two items and they were both as tasty as they look! - Focaccia ($3.5) was the perfect mix between chewy and fluffy! It is topped with tomatoes, herbs and sea salt chunks. It is carby heaven!!! It was also HUGE!! Can't wait to come back for more! -Summer danish ($5) was buttery and flakey, tomatoes were acidic and added a nice touch. Would get this again. read more

Mel - Focaccia bread ($3.50) - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

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Wow. Was excited to try Mel because I read about their locally milled grains. Wasn't prepared for how extraordinary everything was. Pistachio almond croissant: melty-nutty delicious. Rye sunflower brownie: salty-mysteriously-rich-chocolate delicious. Another thing I can't remember the name of (two "cookies" sandwiching a cream filling): nostalgic-soft-buttery delicious. Bialy sandwich with smoked trout spread, dill and pickled onions and fennel: perfection. Bought some locally milled AP flour to try at home. I really can't recommend Mel enough. Go there now. read more

Arrived bat 2pm on a Saturday and most of the lovely pastries and bread were sold out already. Tried the freshly baked pistachio twice baked croissant and mushroom Danish. The pistachio croissant was crispy, topped with almonds and filled with a good amount of thick citrus tasting paste. It was nice just tasted more citrusy than pistachio to me and I was expecting a stronger pistachio taste. The mushroom Danish was very flakey and nicely seasoned with cheese and mushroom. Definitely recommend as a light snack or lunch/dinner pastry. Would like to come back to try the bread! read more

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Tried a few items. To be honest, mixed reviews. Eg the blueberry muffin was not great. The real magic is in the cinnamon roll. The crispness of the laminated dough with the icing on top worked perfectly. I'm honestly surprised more places don't do a laminated cinnamon roll given how great it was read more

Mel is a small but mighty bakery housing numerous baked breads, all made from sour dough starters, and a wide assortment of pastries as well. They have a lot of interesting and creative flavor combinations in their baked goods. Mel sources their grains from organic local / regional farms and much of their grain is milled in house which really does make all the difference. Their classic country loaf is amazingly nutty and has a wonderful sourness. The loaf also had a crispy crust with a wide range of hues in browning and also had a soft and chewy crumb. Baked perfection. I also got their banana bread made with barley flour. It is one of the most unique banana breads I have had. It was like a cross between a cornbread, with a crumbly structure, but with an earthy nuttiness from the barley that paired great with the brown sugar and banana flavors. I wished I lived closer since Mel is going to be a bakery I definitely keep returning to. I would definitely try to get here early as there can sometimes be a line and/or they can sell out of baked goods. Not much seating other than a couple of benches outside, this is more of a grab and go type place. read more

maybe the best pastries i've had in nyc... the ham and cheese croissant was out of this world. my friend's seasonal danish with delicata squash and goat cheese was delicious too. i will be back to try their bread! read more

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The croissant I got from here was life-changing. Not an expert but from time to time I would crave a good one. Came by on the first snow day of 2022. The shop is small and only one customer is allowed. The staff was super friendly and he recommended the chocolate tahini over pistachio almond. It was quite hefty for the size. I have never had a twice-baked croissant before - upon the first bite, I loved how crunchy and flaky it was. I left half for the afternoon, it held the shape and texture super well and did not become sad and flat. The filling was surprisingly not as sweet as I expected. Both the chocolate and tahini were creamy with a touch of bitterness. The filling in my croissant was a little distributed unevenly so I had a happier time with the latter half of mine :) read more

Mel - Chocolate Tahini Croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

For most places, I recommend the dishes that were actually worthwhile, not the whole restaurant/bakery which usually has a few duds even if it has many good items. But at Mel, everything we've had has been so wonderful and perfect. This is one of my favorite two or three bakeries in all of New York. Highly recommended. If you're looking where to start, I'd go with the ham and cheese croissant, and the pistachio croissant, and the mushroom tart. read more

I loved my first visit to this shop I had heard a lot about; bought two loaves, enormous, and froze most; and one chocolate fabulous croissant. So good and lovely staff and good latte. read more

So unbelievably good. Got the coffee cake and a blueberry muffin and both were some of the best I've ever had, even the next day! Will definitely be back to try the other baked goods. Love that their grains are locally sourced. read more

I got a twice baked chocolate almond croissant and an iced coffee and they were both yummy. There are about 10 other things that looked delicious that I want to go back and try! read more

Mel - Chocolate almond twice baked croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

Almost everything I've had from here has been very good (though I don't think the cinnamon roll is anything special). For the baked goods themselves, I'd probably give 4 or 5 stars (and I've particularly enjoyed the focaccia, ham and cheese croissant, and blueberry muffin). However, you are simply not a good business if you sell out of a lot of your items 1-2 hours after opening and choose not to make more for the purposes of scarcity marketing. I got here today probably around 10:45am (they're open from 9-2), and several items, including all croissants and danishes, were sold out. I was told you should get there "around when they open" or at least by 10am for the full selection to be available. They said it was "cool" for them to have all the items on display but for many of them to have "sold out" signs in front of them. How, exactly, is this "cool" for your customers? They also said they want to be able to sell through items during the day (and not have leftovers/food going to waste), which is of course true. However, you don't need to sell out ONE HOUR after opening in order to not have anything left over at the end of the day. That is just ridiculous. If your bakery is good enough, you don't need to generate hype by selling out of your popular items in an hour. read more

Amazing new bakery in the lower east side!! Possibly my favorite new bakery in the city. The croissants, baguettes, and focaccia were all incredible. This place has a line every weekend and it is totally worth it. I plan on going back and trying everything else on the menu! read more

Mel - Plain croissant, sun gold tomato focaccia, and baguette - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York

Well this is the best piece of bread I've ever had in my life. I'll be seeing you guys weekly

So many delicious options! Get there early so you actually have a chance to try them all. My absolute favorite is the sweet potato cheddar croissant but the ham and cheese will do well for you too. And hey why not grab some bread while you're here? read more

Wow wow wow is the rating I'm giving Mel's Tahini Chocolate Croissants with tons of sesame seeds and more chocolate chips on top of this flaky, buttery goodness. I'm pretty picky with croissants, there're only a handful places in the city that offers good one and Mel's now on my list! Trying their breads next! read more

Absolutely the best cookies....the Molasses cookie is one of the best I've eve had. Pastries awesome...just wish they'd lower the sodium content of their breads...as I've tried a few, dough is just too salty, aside from sourdough taste. But in general great place. read more

This place is definitely a hidden gem! The bread and the pastries are amazingly delicious. Unfortunately, I most likely will never return. It's one of those place that are just too cool and they know it. More often then not upon my arrival, hours before closing they are mostly sold out; good for them. So early on Sunday morning I decided To arrive when they opened, listed on the sign in their window to be 8:00 am. I was excited, no line my choice of deliciousness. It was not to be, they changed hours and would open at 9:00 even though the sign stated 8:00. I was later informed that they notified customers through Instagram, seriously? So the only customers they're really concerned with are those who follow them on Instagram; deeply unfortunate! Also, would it have been so wrong to say hello or good morning or thanks for waiting? I've seen this before; No you are not the only game in town. Lucky for me there are two very very good bakeries not far away Party bus bakery and Micheli both equally as good not nearly as smug. I understand Mel is the bakery for the new hotel so I guess they don't give a s**t. I did send an email, of course no reply; too busy on Instagram I guess. read more

Honestly, I never knew a slice of bread could be so good. I got a loaf of the poppy seed. Crunchy exterior. Perfect interior. I also tried all the sweets. The chocolate tahini croissant was life changing. The pistachio croissant was better than anything I ever had in Paris. This is definitely one of the best bakeries in all of NYC if not the world. Note: the hours are super limited. Weekends only as of now. read more

Mel - Poppy seed bread. - Bakeries Near Me - Hudson, New York