Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse is a bread-and-pastries bakery located in Crown Heights. They are renowned for their sourdough breads (which are sold commercially) and their cinnamon buns. This review was written in June of 2021.
Where is Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse located?
Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse (BAB) is located at 529 E New York Ave, between Kingston and Brooklyn in Crown Heights. The restaurant is just a 7 minute walk from the 2 & 5 Subway, at Sterling St station. You can also drive to BAB, but depending on the time of day, parking might be difficult.
BAB is recognisable by the painted logo spanning the width of the outer wall. The BAB is part of the restaurant revolution in Crown Heights- an influx of above-average places to eat.
The BAB is open from 7:30AM-9PM every day, 7:30AM-2PM Fridays, and is closed on Saturdays. You can also order from the BAB via DoorDash, UberEats, Seamless and GrubHub.
Just so you know: there is an additional Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse in Coney Island that is not the topic of this article.
What type of food does Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse serve?
BAB is a dairy cafe, serving modern, European-style cuisine and French pastries. Most of the meals come with house Sourdough bread, or is a sandwich made with sourdough bread.
The menu is just one page, featuring dishes like Tequila Sunrise: an avocado and sunny-side-up, served in a croissant toast sandwich. I mean, when the menu is that fantastic, you really don’t need more than one page of options.
Here’s a warning: the portion sizes are not huge. If you are a big eater, or especially hungry, consider buying 2 dishes.
BAB also serves pastries that are baked fresh every day. No matter the hour you visit, there’s always a tray of something coming out of the oven. If it happens to be Cinnamon Buns- buy one.
Do I need to dress up fancy to visit?
No, BAB is a very casual dining experience. The patrons were a mix of high-schoolers out for lunch, sisters on a girls trip, a few couples on a date, and a young family with kids.
Seating is currently all indoors except for 2 tables outside, and because the weather is warming up in New York (as of writing this article), there’s really no need to dress any differently than usual.
If you are feeling warm- order an iced coffee! They have blended iced coffee, which I cannot recommend enough.
Also, inside the restaurant does not have windows, so it can get warm. (Owners, if you are reading this: Why don’t you make a giant window in the front? It’s such wasted space! Ok, ok, I’ll get off my soapbox, sorry.)
What is on the Menu at Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse?
Because of how close it is, I’ve been to the BAB a few times, and tasted quite a few items on the menu. My absolute favorite has got to be Shakshuka. It’s the traditional tomato sauce base, with green pepper and cubes of feta baked into it- and then topped with a giant spoonful of fresh cream and the standard three eggs. Served up with thick slices of sourdough, it is a work of art.
Another delicious item is the Power Breakfast. It’s like a breakfast special, but with sourdough bread, baked potato wedges, any-style eggs and arugula + pickled onion salad.
More great dishes: Avocado Toast (yay, avocado toast!), Roasted Salmon (served with veggies) and Pesto Panini (oozing cheese. So, so, good.)
What else?
- Artisan Breads
- Toasts
- Cold Sandwiches
- Hot Sandwiches
- Salads
- Fish
- Pasta
- Soup
- Pastries
- Cold Drinks
- Hot drinks
What is the best dish at Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse?
The fastest selling menu item at BAB that’s not dessert, (but also- get a pastry) is actually any of the croissant sandwiches.
Tequila Sunrise is incredible, or you can try the Gravlax Croissant- home-cured salmon, dill cream cheese, arugula and pickled red onion. The flaky, buttery pastry with the surprisingly healthy and wholesome filling makes for a refreshingly delicious dish.
There’s also a Caprese Sandwich in a croissant, with fresh mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, basil and a pesto sauce. How can you say no to that? You can order a box of assorted croissant sandwiches for a party (or a picnic) and they’ll go pretty quickly.
What is the Hashgacha at Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse?
BAB is under the Kosher supervision of the OK. All products are Cholov Yisroel, Kemach Yoshon and Pas Yisroel. The BAB does not serve alcohol on premises.
And FYI, if you need to contact the BAB for allergy information, catering options (yes, they do catering) or any other concerns- DM them on instagram, or message them on Facebook. There is no direct phone line into the storefront.
Is Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse wheelchair accessible?
Yes, BAB is wheelchair accessible. There’s a ramp incline to enter, and the space inside has plenty of room to navigate around. There’s also an accessible restroom in the back.
Is Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse kid-friendly?
The BAB has a few high chairs available, and although most of the menu is not really for little kids, there are a few items that are great for tots.
Try the Four Cheese Panini- aka your new favorite grilled cheese, Penne Arriabata (or you can ask them to do it without the sauce, for the extra picky eaters), and Potato Side- it’s a side dish of simply delicious baked potatoes.
Do I need to make a reservation?
You do not need a reservation to visit Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse. If you are visiting for brunch or lunch, you may have to wait a few minutes for a table. The turnover has always been fairly quick when I’ve visited in the past, and this last time was no different.
BAB is visited by meal-eaters and coffee/pastry-eaters alike, so there’s almost always a space to sit down. If you are visiting on a holiday weekend, or a particularly busy time of year, you can always go at off-peak hours, which in the BAB means between 2-5PM.
This restaurant is self-service, so you’ll have to find a seat, make an order and pick it up from the counter yourself when they call out your number. Hot tip: Don’t wait for a seat to open up to place your order!
How is Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse dealing with COVID-19?
Laws in New York (as of May 2021) are easing with regards to social distancing. Because it closes at 9PM, the BAB is not affected by the 11PM lockout. Currently, you should wear a mask until you are seated (fair warning: few actually do), and the BAB has removed a few tables to create some more space between patrons.
You can also expect your food in to-go containers, which are sealed closed in the kitchen- although no one seemed to be clear if that was specifically a precaution to COVID-19 or just a change in in-store experience.
Final Thoughts:
I’ve visited Brooklyn Artisan Bakehouse quite a few times. The food is great, the ambiance is cool and simple, and the coffee and pastries are phenomenal.
Although a full meal can be on the pricier side, the freshness and wholesomeness of the food cannot be beaten. With coffees for each of us, a main dish each, plus another to share, and 2 pastries for dessert, our meal was $67.
