Since at least 2010, macarons have been readily available in New York City. During this time, they’ve been approaching cupcakes in terms of mainstream appeal, and even NYC bakeries that don’t make their own are buying the meringue-filled sandwich cookies from wholesalers so they don’t miss out on the growing market. While Manhattan is still where you are most likely to see locals and tourists strolling around with a thick green Ladurée bag, you can now find macarons in all five boroughs. If you’re looking for the best in the city, here are six NYC macaron spots you must try.
Ladurée
Ladurée dates back to 1862 and has had a presence in NYC since 2011. Both the Upper East Side and SoHo locations are designed to transport people back in time and out of the intensity of the Big Apple. The Upper East Side store has a small seating area, giving it more of a neighborhood feel. In contrast, the Soho location feels like a bucket list or special occasion type of place — it’s much larger with a small cafe in the middle and outdoor patio seating in the back. The menu is 14 pages long and features breakfast, lunch and dinner options.
Macaron flavors change with the seasons, but chocolate, raspberry and vanilla are popular options that are available year-round. In fact, those are the main three that come in the standard size as well as large, which is similar in diameter to an ice cream cookie.
What to try: raspberry
Where to try: 864 Madison Ave. and 398 West Broadway, Manhattan
Macaron Craft Oizumi
Named after veteran pastry chef and Yokosuka native Miwa Oizumi, this spot is not easy to find but rewarding when you do. While it’s close to the subway, it’s also at the end of an alley, where you would not expect to find the only dedicated macaron spot in Queens.
You’ll pay slightly less than you would in Manhattan for the regular macarons but $1 more for the character ones. Miwa will mix and match them upon request. Pikachu, Baby Yoda, Shiba and the rest of the animated gang come decorated with fondant edible sugar, which her assistant applies in the same small commissary kitchen where everything is prepared.
All of the macarons are gluten-free, except for Oreo, which has cookie dust sprinkled on top. When asked which are her favorites, Miwa opts for plain flavors like vanilla and strawberry. The latter should come as no surprise to anyone who has been to Nikko, where strawberries have their own dedicated stores and even festivals.
While you can ring the bell once you arrive, it’s best to call or text in advance.
What to try: strawberry
Where to try: 43-32 22nd St., Long Island City
Macaron Parlour
Macaron Parlour started in 2010 at the Hester Street Fair and has had locations in the East Village and on the Upper West Side. The current location is near the border between Chinatown and the Lower East Side.
Co-owner and pastry chef Christina Ha trained in France under Pierre Hermé and runs the back of the house. Both Christina and her husband/business partner Simon try to integrate some of the things they grew up eating. Simon prefers lemon, while Christina likes fig. There are also fun options like Cheetos and Party Time (salted Valrhona milk chocolate and dulce de leche). Simon refers to the latter as an “upcycled macaron,” while the former started as a joke on Halloween and has managed to outlast now-retired macarons like rosemary olive oil and the nut-centric Giggity. S’mores is a popular one as well.
Unlike many other NYC macaron spots, Macaron Parlour does not have any floral-inspired options. “We are not selling soap,” Simon says. But with a dozen different plant-based options, Macaron Parlour is the most vegan-friendly NYC macaron spot. Red Velvet is one of the top sellers and is available vegan, as well as with the standard shell, which is egg protein-based.
What to try: Party Time
Where to try: 44 Hester St., Manhattan and Union Square Holiday Market
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We sat down with the founders of Levain Bakery to talk inspiration, copycats and their favorite items in the shopMille-Feuille Bakery Cafe
Started in 2011 by a husband and wife team who were former software engineers in Paris, Mille-Feuille is named after what Americans call the Napoleon. Olivier Dessyn gave up his career to pursue his love of pastry, and that passion led him to the L’Ecole Ritz Escoffier, and he later trained under renowned pastry chef Pierre Hermé.
When asked why he chose New York, Olivier says that he and his wife, Nathalie, fell in love with the city during a 2009 visit. The first location was near NYU on LaGuardia Place, and it’s still there today. He later expanded to an Upper West Side location connected to the Hotel Belleclaire, followed by a Prospect Heights cafe in Brooklyn. The goal was to give New Yorkers an American openness with a French touch in a village cafe type of atmosphere. And the locations certainly have that, as seating is available in all three.
The macarons are made in Williamsburg with no additives or preservatives. While there are seasonal flavors, vanilla, lemon, chocolate and pistachio are available throughout the year. Olivier prefers the passion fruit, while raspberry is Nathalie’s favorite. The espresso macarons are made with La Colombe coffee.
You can also see Mille-Feuille macarons at the Color Factory NYC Interactive Art Museum. They slide along on a conveyor belt, just like restaurants have been doing with sushi for decades.
What to try: passion fruit
Where to try: three locations (Brooklyn is the largest)
Thierry Atlan
Thierry Atlan has the most interesting story of any NYC macaron spot. Founder and namesake Thierry started as a pastry chef before pivoting to chocolate after becoming allergic to flour. They make their own almond flour, and all of the macarons are gluten-free.
In 2010, Thierry’s chocolate consulting business (yes, that’s a job) brought him to New York City to help set up the now-defunct Sugar and Plumm. In 2015, Thierry and his daughter, Julie, started their own chocolate brand and focused on wholesale before opening the Soho boutique on West Broadway in 2022. While wholesale is still the main business, most of the 20 macaron flavors are usually available in the store.
It may come as no surprise that Thierry prefers the chocolate macaron. “Chocolate macarons must have a strong cocoa taste,” Julie says. “You should know what you are tasting and not have to guess.” Meanwhile, Julie prefers the passion fruit macaron. Current seasonal flavors include blueberry and raspberry.
What to try: chocolate (and the macaron madness ice cream)
Where to try: 436 West Broadway, Manhattan
Woops!
Woops! started in Bryant Park’s Winter Village back in 2012 and currently has two year-round locations. The name comes from the idea that the business started small and by accident.
While red velvet, Nutella and cookies and cream are three of the top sellers, co-founder Gal Danay loves to talk about pistachio. “Macaron shells have no flavor, so it’s all in the middle,” he says. “We use pistachio butter, paste and white chocolate ganache.” Gal also points out that a perfect macaron should be divided into thirds. And while it’s not possible to have uniformity in a delicate pastry made by hand, the ganache does tend to be as thick as the shells more often than not.
What to try: pistachio
Where to try: Port Authority, Turnstyle Underground Market and Bryant Park Winter Village
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