GRAMERCY & UNION SQUARE, MANHATTAN
Breads Bakery (Union Square)
The chocolate babka that made the line — half a block off Union Square.
Half a block off Union Square, this is the original of the bakery known above all for its chocolate babka: dense, glossy twists of laminated dough layered with chocolate, sold by the loaf. New York magazine has called it the best in the city, and it is hard to argue.
Grab a coffee and a black-and-white cookie, or whatever seasonal babka is on the counter, then walk it over to the Greenmarket. It works best as a morning stop on a market day, or a loaf to carry home to someone who deserves it.
Editor’s tip
Buy the babka whole rather than by the slice, and pair the visit with a Greenmarket morning.
Make an evening of it — beautiful stops nearby
Also in the neighborhood
GRAMERCY & UNION SQUARE, MANHATTAN
La Dong
A Bib Gourmand Vietnamese room off Union Square — lotus lamps, turmeric crêpes and pho poured tableside over wagyu.
Vietnamese · Date Night · $$
GRAMERCY & UNION SQUARE, MANHATTAN
Narkara
Northern and Isan Thai cooking off Union Square — dry-curry short rib, herb soup and sausage platters.
Thai · Date Night · $$$
Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 13, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.