Laurel Bakery

- 115 Columbia St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

For New Yorkers seeking a truly exceptional baking experience, Laurel Bakery represents a unique destination where fine-dining technique meets local neighborhood charm. Located in the picturesque Columbia Street Waterfront District of Brooklyn, Laurel Bakery is far more than your typical local shop; it's an acclaimed French-leaning retail bakery created by the esteemed Redwood Hospitality group—the team behind the Michelin-starred restaurant Oxalis and the popular Clinton Hill wine bar, Place des Fêtes. This heritage ensures that every item, from a simple baguette to an inventive Danish, is executed with a level of precision and quality informed by a fine-dining background.

The bakery functions as both a vital production facility—a "bread factory"—supplying high-quality baked goods to its sister restaurants across Brooklyn, and a dedicated pastry shop for the local community. Head Baker Craig Escalante, a veteran in French baking and viennoiserie, runs the kitchen, elevating classic and seasonal offerings to a world-class operation. Laurel Bakery has quickly become a neighborhood destination and a beacon of culinary creativity, renowned for its visually appealing pastries, flaky croissants, and artisanal craftsmanship. Whether you're swinging by for a morning pastry, grabbing lunch, or stocking up on bread, Laurel offers an exceptional, slightly promotional but entirely factual, promise of quality baked goods in a welcoming environment.

Laurel Bakery is perfectly situated at 115 Columbia St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, right on the corner of Columbia Street and Kane Street. This location places it in the Columbia Street Waterfront District, a historically industrial yet increasingly trendy area that connects seamlessly with the vibrant neighborhoods of Cobble Hill and Red Hook.

The bakery is a short, pleasant walk from Brooklyn Bridge Park, making it a perfect spot to stop for coffee and a treat before or after enjoying the waterfront. For locals, its position is highly convenient, establishing it as a routine stop after school drop-off or during a daily neighborhood stroll. While the establishment is noted for its quick visit planning and takeout focus—there's no extensive indoor seating—it often features a few standing tables and limited outdoor seating on the sidewalk along Kane Street. The "very Brooklyn establishment" vibe, coupled with its dedicated high-quality offerings, makes the location a must-visit, often attracting lines down the block, especially on weekends, proving just how much the community has embraced this arrival. For New Yorkers looking for a destination bakery, its proximity to major Brooklyn landmarks and transportation hubs in the nearby Cobble Hill area makes it easy to reach.

Laurel Bakery offers a full suite of services that cater to both the individual customer and large-scale event hosting, ensuring its high-quality products are accessible across New York City.

• Retail Takeout: The primary retail service, focused on a quick, enjoyable experience for purchasing individual pastries, breads, and coffee.
• Breakfast and Lunch: Serving freshly baked pastries, coffee, and full loaves in the morning, with an expanded menu of grab-and-go sandwiches available starting around 11:00 AM daily.
• Full Beverage Menu: Offers a variety of Sey Coffee beverages, a Brooklyn-based roaster, including Espresso Tonic, Iced Matcha Latte, Iced Cortado, and a Coffee Carafe for larger needs. They also produce their own house-made alternative milks like almond and sunflower seed milk.
• Pantry Sales: Sells retail items perfect for home kitchens, including their Oxalis cultured butter (made from New York State cream, whipped and aged for 10 days) and house-made Strawberry Jam.
• Pre-Orders and Event Catering: Accepts online and phone pre-orders for pastries, sandwiches, and full loaves. Pre-orders must be placed 7 days in advance for standard pastries, simplifying the process of catering for casual get-togethers or special celebrations.
• Wholesale Program: Supplies handcrafted breads and pastries 7 days a week to restaurants, cafes, and specialty stores across Brooklyn and New York City, demonstrating the consistent, high-volume quality of their products.
• Daily Sandwiches: Offers prepared sandwiches on their exceptional house-baked bread, such as the classic Jambon Beurre (ham, cultured butter, and Comte cheese on baguette) and the unique Mortadella, Zesty Greens, Pecorino Focaccia sandwich.
• Special Event Offerings: Features special, rotating items like Pizza Slices and Whole Pies on Pizza Thursdays!.
• Payment Convenience: Accepts Credit cards and Debit cards for easy transactions.

The bakery's reputation is built on its dedication to sourcing, craftsmanship, and a unique, restaurant-influenced approach to baking.

• Fine-Dining Provenance: The team is from the group behind the Michelin-starred Oxalis, meaning customers receive a Michelin-starred restaurant-level of quality in their daily bread and pastries. This ensures meticulous preparation and exceptional flavor profiling.
• High-Quality, Sustainable Ingredients: Laurel prioritizes high-quality, responsibly sourced ingredients, utilizing organic and regenerative flours from Central Milling Grains and River Valley Community Grains. They also source the majority of ingredients from local green markets and foragers, ensuring freshness and sustainability.
• Inventive and Savory Pastry Lineup: Their French-Italian pastry line-up goes beyond the basics, offering unique items like the Cacio e Pepe Escargot (a spiral-shaped croissant dough with cheese and pepper) and the Mortadella Pistachio Croissant (mortadella, pistachio pesto, and Pecorino cheese wrapped in croissant dough). They also feature seasonal creations like a Wild Blueberry & Sumac Streusel Scone.
• Baking Excellence: Customers praise the flaky croissants, the rich, caramelized layers of the Kouign Amann, and the dense, moist Almond Pain D’Epice loaf. The Pain Suisse, described by a co-owner as “like a chocolate croissant, but so much better,” is a standout favorite.
• Artisan Bread Program: Laurel serves as a major bread supplier for the Redwood group, offering high-quality loaves like Sourdough Pullman, Whole Wheat Batard, and their highly praised focaccia made with amazake (fermented rice), noted by one customer as "incredible."
• Exceptional Coffee Program: They serve Sey Coffee beans, roasted locally in Brooklyn, which is intentionally a lighter style, designed to pair perfectly with a pastry and suitable for a "casual strolling coffee" experience along the waterfront.
• Unique Brooklyn Vibe: Described as a "very Brooklyn establishment," the bakery offers a unique community atmosphere, despite the focus on takeout. Customers appreciate the kind and incredibly patient staff who are happy to discuss the baked goods.

For New York locals looking to visit or place orders, here is the essential contact information for Laurel Bakery:

Retail Address:115 Columbia St,Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA

Phone Number (for pre-orders and inquiries):(347) 325-9848

Website for Online Ordering and Pre-orders:

If you're making a trip to Laurel Bakery, New Yorkers should prioritize the items that best showcase the team's fine-dining background and technical skill. For a sweet start to your day, the Pain Suisse is consistently highlighted as a must-try. This buttery pastry, layered with creamy custard and rich dark and milk chocolate, is widely considered a superior version of the chocolate croissant. Another sweet highlight is the Kouign-Amann, known for its buttery, caramelized, crispy exterior and tender interior.

On the savory side, the creative laminated pastries are truly what sets Laurel apart. The Cacio e Pepe Escargot, with its rich blend of cheese and black pepper in a spiral croissant dough, offers a delicious and refined twist on a classic savory snack. Alternatively, the Mortadella Pistachio Croissant offers a potent, rich, and inventive flavor profile that is completely unique.

Beyond pastries, their breads are essential. The Focaccia, made with amazake, is incredible and serves as the perfect base for their sandwiches, such as the classic French Jambon Beurre. Finally, be sure to grab a cup of Sey Coffee—either a smooth Iced Americano or an Iced Latte—which pairs perfectly with the rich, high-quality butter and flours used in every artisanal product at this celebrated Brooklyn bakery.

Laurel Bakery

115 Columbia St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA