Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery

"There’s some origami flair to this palm-sized croissant from a Tom Colicchio-backed bakery that has several locations in the city. The corners splay out slightly from a full-bodied center, like edges of a fan, and are just gently singed. They also peel apart like petals, bringing elegant ribbons of laminated dough with them. Lush with grass-fed French butter, the dough is notably well-salted, with a hint of sourdough tang. This one isn’t a shatterer—instead it comes apart in soft but crisp pieces." - willa moore, bryan kim, sonal shah, will hartman

"Special. That’s the first word that comes to mind when we think about the hot chocolate from this West Village cafe. From the toasted marshmallow that slowly melts with every sip to the deep, rich chocolate that carries it, this is the best, classic cup of hot chocolate in the city. Even if you usually order your hot beverages in a small cup, this drink will make you want to order an XXL. But since this isn’t 7-Eleven, you’ll have to settle for the large and return for another cup sometime in the future." - will hartman, carina finn koeppicus, nikko duren

"Umber Ahmad’s West Village bakery serves the team’s signature dense brioche doughnuts, which are filled with vanilla cream and dusted with sugar. The doughnut hole extracted from the center of the pastry comes along with it, sitting picturesquely on top of the regular doughnut." - Eater Staff

"With the kind of display case that makes us wonder what Holly Golightly saw in all those Tiffany trinkets anyway, Mah-Ze-Dahr bakery's original location is a sunny spot on Greenwich Street. Behind the glass are little piles of perfectly folded croissants, pillowy, cream-filled brioche donuts, chocolate-studded cookies, and a few savory bites. These treats are as delicious as they are elegant, and there are some seats inside, plus a couple of sidewalk tables where you can enjoy a good cup of coffee or one of the city’s best hot chocolates. With three locations in NYC and another in Virginia, this Tom Colicchio-backed cafe has a whiff of the corporate expansion plan about its standard-issue, gray-blue-bronze decor, but you’ll barely notice it under the welcoming scents of butter and coffee grounds." - Sonal Shah

"mah-ze-dahr bakery creates pastries rooted in the belief that what you eat changes who you are. we draw from years of travel, industry work, family recipes and the notion that time and food are the ultimate luxuries we all crave. we are known for our award-winning brioche doughnuts, heavenly cheesecake, croissant and more."