Librae Bakery

"Librae in the East Village makes a very visually stimulating croissant: it’s shiny, it’s pointy on the ends, and it’s plump in the middle. Make sure to take your photos before you bite into it, because it will leave some visible streaks of butter on your hands, and chomping down will leave a smear of butter down your chin. The inside is chewy, puffy, and well-seasoned, and the exterior layers are so fine and crunchy that you’ll find little bites of still-crusty dough in your teeth a few hours later." - willa moore, bryan kim, sonal shah, will hartman

"Librae Bakery in Cooper Square is best-known for its inventive pastries that blend Middle Eastern flavors with modern techniques. You've probably seen their sticky, stunning pistachio rose croissant on social media, and it's definitely a must-try. We're obsessed with their savory options too, like the Marmite cheddar morning bun, which is a salt-lover's dream, and the Jerusalem bagel." - willa moore, carina finn koeppicus, kenny yang

"Sourdough Breads & Laminated Doughs "Librae churns out some of my favorite bread and the most gorgeous pastries in New York. I frequently go for the sourdough loaves, the sourdough pretzel, and their focaccia. NYC’s first Bahraini-owned bakery, they call themselves a 'third culture bakery,' which is a sentiment myself and many other third culture kids can relate to: caught between identities but producing food, products, and art that represents it all." - brennan carley

"A bakery with “Middle Eastern roots and Danish technique,” Librae brings chai shortbread, strawberry sumac Linzer cookies, za’atar labneh morning buns, focaccia, croissants, and more to Cooper Square. The place comes from Dona Murad, a Bahraini coffee roaster, and partner Andre Gerschel, who worked in restaurant management in the U.K. and the Persian Gulf. With their combination of heritages — Bahraini, Persian, Indian, and Moroccan — they call this a third-culture bakery." - Eater Staff

"A bakery with “Middle Eastern roots and Danish technique,” Librae brings chai shortbread, strawberry sumac Linzer cookies, za’atar labneh morning buns, focaccia, croissants, and more to Cooper Square. The place comes from Dona Murad, a Bahraini coffee roaster, and partner Andre Gerschel, who worked in restaurant management in the U.K. and the Persian Gulf. With their combination of heritages — Bahraini, Persian, Indian, and Moroccan — they call this a third-culture bakery." - Eater Staff, Melissa McCart