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New Kid on the Block: Baked
After opening the original Baked in Red Hook in 2005, Renato Poliafito (at left below) and Matt Lewis took their sweet time before embarking on a second location. “We weren’t interested in doing a cookie-cutter store,” says Lewis. Instead, they wanted it to be neighborhood-specific—but first they had to decide on a neighborhood. Lucky for us, they chose Tribeca.
Fjord Architecture jazzed up the space with oblique angles and beautiful millwork, but the new Baked pays homage less to the neighborhood than to a previous occupant: Harmony Theatre, whose “Burlesque” sign has remained a Church Street fixture long after the venue closed. (“I actually took my brother here for his first lap dance when he turned 21,” says Lewis.) This Thursday, a “cake pole” will be installed in the front of the shop, and there’s a flashy “B”—made by Let There Be Neon around the corner—in the dining room. A vintage dancer shimmies on the Tribeca outpost’s menu, tissue paper, and shopping bags.
Beyond size—it seats around 40, which makes it twice as large—the new Baked differs mainly from Red Hook’s in that it has an extensive lunch menu. Right now, that means quiches and sandwiches (with old-fashioned women’s names—i.e., dancers), with salads, soups, and sides to come. And unlike the first Baked, the Tribeca one has a bread oven, so loaves of bread will be available, along with “toasts,” such as the one pictured below with ricotta and plums.
This week, the beer-and-wine license should come through, to go with the savory snacks that Baked Tribeca—open daily till 10 p.m.—has in the evening. Lewis and Poliafito are also excitedly planning events: Dessertapalooza in December, with Ample Hills Creamery, Dorie Greenspan, and other big dessert makers; a monthly gay night called Coffee Grindr; and a big literary event with the Awl.
There are plenty of reasons to go in the meantime: breakfast options savory and sweet, such as a ham-and-cheese biscuit, granola parfaits, muffins, scones, and Stumptown coffee, and delicious treats all day long, such as cookies, brownies, tarts, whoopie pies, and more. Everything sold there is made there, as you can see in the glassed-in upstairs kitchen and as you can’t see in the huge kitchen downstairs. And of course Baked is famous for its cakes.
Baked is at 279 Church (between White and Franklin), 212-775-0345; bakednyc.com.
Recent New Kid on the Block / First Impressions articles:
• Drill Fitness
• Bar Cyrk
• Dutch Petals
• Ruum
• Morsi
• Church Street Tavern
• Tribeca’s Kitchen
• White Street
• EGG by Susan Lazar
• Barre Tribeca
14 Comments
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I had lunch there on Friday, and, boy, was it a mess! They are still working out a lot of the kinks, and although there seemed to be a couple of manager types sitting in the back talking and typing on their laptops, the staff was lost. My sandwich was quite good, however, as was the apple pie :) But my Boylan’s was more like a slushy because the fridge was too cold. Will try again in a month, but if they don’t get their act in order, I’m going to take it off my list permanently
hi joe,
thanks for giving us a try. we are glad you like the sandwich and promise to have opening week kinks worked out shortly. come on in again soon…we have an apple pie with your name on it.
thanks,
matt
Please make entrance more stroller friendly and also add a changing table in the bathroom. There are a lot of young kids and mothers in the neighborhood and they would visit your bakery a lot more if you make it easier for them. Thanks!
Just FYI 279 Church is landmarked, so converting the two steps at the front door to a ramp is a major process (as I’m sure you can imagine).
Not everything can be made to perfection for tribeca moms.
thank you Sane Person, enough is enough with the strollers the neighborhood is not only for you and in fact i am looking forward to a place that is not hopefully overrun with strollers. can’t wait to try Baked.
Any basic dog harness, or in some instances, a cat harness, can be retrofitted to accommodate the girth of an infant or toddler. So harness them up and then, with a 4′-6′ leash, clip it to a tree branch, street sign, or iPhone 6 Plus. Remember that the neighborhood is very low on predators and kidnappers, so you’ll have a good 10-15 minutes to leave your offspring unattended.
Especially if you set up your velvet ropes to encircle the tree/sign post/iPhone 6 you’ve attached them to. It’s like their own little reality-coccoon protecting them from the harsh, nasty world of predators and steps.
Don’t change a thing!! Everything is PERFECT!!!
Love that Baked is open until 10 PM – you never know when you’re gonna need a last minute baguette at 930 and are too lazy to walk to Whole Foods.
looks delish! happy to have it in the neighborhood
YUMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!
This place is awesome. A welcome addition to the hood!
And, one thing to note – they have Liquiteria juices ($8.75 each)! They had three kinds (all greens with apple, royal flush, and grasshopper). The juices tend to taste better on the colder side so I would suggest getting a bottle that’s further in the window case.
The service was prompt, friendly, and quick. The peanut butter krispy was amazing!
I’ve been to Baked a few times now, and everything has been incredible. The staff has been a delight too. This is such a wonderful addition to the neighborhood and I’m so happy about it.
Re the stroller debate above… There seems to be such divineness between parents and non parents in this neighborhood. It was a totally acceptable suggestion for “Tribeca mom” to make. If you’re a mother of a young baby and you happen to have your child with you in a stroller, you are almost completely blocked out of going to an establishment if they have a narrow stairwell like Baked has. As Erik pointed out, it would be difficult to do because of Landmarks. So fine, discussion done.
But lets point out another completely reasonable reason to have a ramp, It makes access easier for those in wheel chairs. But “Sane Person”, perhaps that would bother you too if those in wheelchairs were in Baked.
Lets all try to be a little more tolerant of one another. Trust me, I get it… its difficult to sit and have lunch and have a child screaming next you. But that’s life… some of us choose to procreate, and at one point your parents did and created you.