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Trois Pommes Patisserie-tried it, was not impressed , but I did not try the products you mentioned. I guess I'll go back.
Soutine- I interned there, and I agree the baked goods are excellent. I just wish they would clean up their kitchen.
Does the Doughnut Plant count? I know they only make a single category, but they do it well.
It is interesting that you did not name the usual suspects- Magnolia, Buttercup and Crumbs. I agree that these are mostly hype and fluff.

Great list!

For those of us who consider Brooklyn to be part of New York I'd add Gribouille: Patisserie Traditionnelle in Williamsburg for the real deal croissants and éclairs (sadly they stopped making religieuses, which were as good as any I'd ever had in Paris).

You left out the Silver Moon Bakery on B'way and 105th. They make some of the best breads and pastries I've had on this side of the Atlantic. They are a real bakery, in that they operate around the clock, and they bake everything on premises. And you can observe this for yourself if you are a night owl. Late at night when everyone is already in bed, there is someone there, on the other side of the glass, knocking down, cutting and weighing balls of dough to be baked.

They have a steady stable of French, Italian, American and sometimes Jewish (although no bagels or bialies) bakery items, sweet and savory pastries, plus a daily specials list (challah on Saturdays for example).

I've recently become bread obsessed thanks to the no-knead bread recipe Mark Bittman helped to disseminate, and I always have them to measure myself up to.

I've actually been consistently disappointed by the things I've tried at Silver Moon. I've been there a couple of times in the last few months and I've never found anything truly delicious. Maybe I've been getting the wrong stuff there.

Sullivan St. Bakery (@ Gran Daisy)? I've only been once, but I got six items to split with my family, and each one was amazing.

No Italian bakeries? A good sfogliatelle beats just about anything.
As for Black Hound--worst service ever. Special ordered a cake that was never made, when I arrived to pick up a last-minute replacement--at the precise time I was told to be there--they would not open their doors.

I agree with you about Black Hound. They're really flaky. They do make some great things, when they actually make them, that is. I've never had a great sfogliatelle in New York. I had a couple still warm in Naples that were amazing Where do you like the sfogliatelle in NYC? In general I must admit I am not a huge fan of the kinds of southern Italian bakeries found in Bensonhurst, Williamsburg, little Italy, or even the east village.

What are vienoisserie? La Bergamote is right near Serious Eats World Headquarters, and a few weeks ago I picked up one of just about everything they had. When we tasted all the stuff, it was clear that some things were better than others, but for the life of me I can't remember any of the standouts. Care to steer us in the right direction?

I think Pinisi Bakery needs to find it's way on that list! Cakes (red velvet! pistachio cheesecake! carrot cake!...) tarts, pies (an insanely good pecan pie! pumpkin pie!). Reliable and consistently fresh cheese danishes and fresh fruit muffins. And owned by two of the most friendly people in this world - that's hard to beat! :)

i liked the sticky bun and pumpkin cheesecake at Trois Pommes too. good stuff.

Viennoiserie are pastries made from yeasted laminated doughs. La Bergamote's croissants, pain au chocolat, pain au raisin, are great examples. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viennoiserie
As for sfogliatelle, I had an excellent one from a bakery in the Arthur Avenue neighborhood in the Bronx, though I cannot remember the name.
I LOVE Moishe's black and white.

Ed, the stuff I like from them are the crusty breads (ciabattas, pains de campagne), the brioche and challah, the baguette, and they make really good fruit and custard tarts.

Don't know the name of the bakery where I had sfogliatelle warm from the oven, but it was on Court Street, across the street from the Cobble Hill movie theate, down the block to the left if you're standing with your back to the theater. I grew up in a neighborhood full of Italian bakeries, but this one blew me away.
Oh, and how could I forget Moishe's sugar kichel? Ask for one with dark edges.

FYI, Yura is now called "Corner" I believe. The parent restaurant also changed names (to Corner Cafe instead of Yura cafe) but nothing seems to have changed. The scones are still great and the smell on a saturday morning is still drool worthy.

Since we are talking about bakeries, I was wondering if any of you knew whether cake is considered pastry.

yura/corner makes the most amazing delicious layer cakes, sour cherry cobbler, scones and cupcakes -- the browned butter cupcake is my favorite.

baHa, i believe you're referring to the court pastry shop. they make the most wonderful italian ices in the summer.

i love claude, too.

several people have mentioned taralucci e vino. i can't get past their cheese plate -- every time i have eaten there, i have had the best cheese i have ever eaten in the states.

Great list, though the last time I went to Bouchon in October the peanut butter cookie was horrible. I didn't even want to finish it. And last weekend my co-worker went there and found the same thing. That peanut butter cookie used to be one of my favorite things ever. I suspect something funky is going on at Bouchon Bakery, and I hope they get their act back together soon.

Thanks for checking up on it, Ed. Both times it was bad was later in the day on the weekend. Hopefully it'll be as good as it used to be when you go. I'm a fan of that bakery.

I actually disagree with the bad reviews of Black Hound. I got excellent service - all the people working were fantastic and very attentive, and gave my friends and I free samples to try. I didn't really like the cakes though. I don't like sweet cakes too much, but theres could have done with a bit more

Wow, that's an amazing story, John. Would you consider posting the recipes on Serious Eats? Maybe we can find a pastry chef who will test the recipes.
I would love to work with you on getting these recipes on Serious Eats.