6 Postcards
Nestled in Hudson, Mel Bakery serves hits like flaky, buttery croissants and tangy sourdough, attracting long lines of devoted fans for its seasonal delights.
1 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002 Get directions
"The Foundation nominated former Manhattan spot, Mel the Bakery (now in Hudson, New York), as an Outstanding Bakery finalist." - Melissa McCart
"New York City bakery fanatics collectively mourned when Mel closed up shop on the LES. Thankfully, people who brag about having sourdough starters older than most kindergarteners can flock to Mel’s location on Warren Street, where you can get flaky laminated pastries and boules to pair with the fancy butter you can find in nearby shoppy shops. You can’t really go wrong here, but we especially love the cinnamon roll, which has a thick pat of frosting in the center rather than a pervasive sticky glaze. On Fridays starting at 11am, they also do Italian heroes on a sesame-covered spelt baguette, so it’s worth coming into Hudson early to try the weighty sandwich." - Anne Cruz
"Nora Allen’s bakery, Mel, may be open just a few days a week, but nevertheless, customers consistently wait in lines wrapped around the shop to get their hands on the bakery’s fragrant, tangy sourdough loaves and flaky, buttery croissants stuffed with whatever’s in season at the farmers market. The small-but-mighty menu landed Allen on the 2023 James Beard Award long list as an outstanding pastry chef." - Eater Staff
"According to 2am dorm room wisdom, bread soaks up all the alcohol in your stomach. We haven’t checked the science, but if you’re observing Mardi Gras next Tuesday, we’d start getting some sourdough in your system now. Mel Bakery is teaming up with baker (and producer of much bread-related media) Artisan Bryan to bring you sourdough medialunas at their “Mardi Gras Luna” popup this Saturday. Enjoy a few fresh ones, and grab some to go–you’ve still got a few days to build a ShamWow in your stomach. " - neha talreja
"Mel, which opened in fall 2020, quickly garnered a fan base, even with all the growing number of popular restaurants in Dimes Square. Head baker Nora Allen sets the bakery program apart from the pack with a focus on fresh-milled, heirloom-grains. A sourdough loaf cloaked in black-and-white sesame seed stripes — allegedly inspired by Beetlejuice’s pants — is a customer favorite and go-to for sandwiches." - Eater Staff
