Bánh by Lauren

"A bakery that blends traditional ingredients with modern baking techniques, showcasing the owner's cultural background and culinary expertise." - Richard Whiddington

"Opening: April Former Gramercy Tavern pastry chef Lauren Tran has been selling Vietnamese-American and French pastries via roving pop-up since 2021. Now, the pandemic-born operation is headed to the majors. A permanent location will debut by the end of April in Chinatown across from Golden Diner. You’ll no longer have to check your IG feed and scramble around town to get your bánh bò nướng, macarons, and pandan coconut chiffon cakes." - bryan kim

"We’ve been looking forward to Bánh By Lauren’s opening for months—and the pandemic-era popup business turned elegant Chinatown bakery does not disappoint. Their signature pandan honeycomb cake is as pleasurably chewy as a lively conversation, while the moist, flavor-packed chinese sausage, cheddar & chive scone may be even more exciting. There’s also a Vietnamese-inspired coffee menu to play around in: We’ll be drinking the big-time refreshing, sweet-and-sour iced Lime Drip all summer. The bakery is currently open from Thursday to Sunday." - molly fitzpatrick, bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, will hartman

"Bánh by Lauren, a Vietnamese American bakery with French influence, was started by Gramercy Tavern alum Lauren Tran during the pandemic. Beginning as a pop-up, her pastry drops consistently drew a waitlist. Now, the bakery from Tran, and her husband, Garland Wong, has a permanent home in Chinatown." - Eater Staff

"We’ve been waiting for Bánh By Lauren, a Vietnamese pastry pop-up, to open their brick-and-mortar shop since they began during the pandemic. The time has finally come: starting on June 15, you’ll be able to get their pandan coffee cakes, chiffons, and electric green bánh bò nướng from their storefront in Chinatown." - will hartman