In a city packed with bakeries on almost every corner, earning standout recognition is no easy task. So when Eater named the Pastry Box one of the best new bakeries in 2024, it confirmed what loyal customers already knew - that this East Village gem is something special. If you haven’t yet stepped inside, consider this your sign.
At the heart of this not-so-best-kept-secret is founder Tiara Bennett, who is carrying forth a dream of entrepreneurship for both her father and herself.
“My father always told me that owning a business is one of the ways that you can actually make it out of poverty.” - Tiara Bennett, Food52
Upon enrolling in culinary school in 2018, she honed her skill for pastry-making, a craft that allowed her to marry her passion for food, art and science. Just two years later, on Juneteenth weekend, she held her first pop-up. A native Brooklynite, she began selling handcrafted pastries outside of her Bed-Stuy apartment, bringing joy to her neighbors during the uncertainty of the pandemic. She continued this pop-up for the next two years.
When she met her business partner, who owns the Sip + Co. cafe in Central Park, she stepped in as pastry chef and executed a full-on bakery program. At the same time, she was enrolled in Janelle Copeland’s online Passion to Profit program, which teaches bakers how to run a successful and sustainable business.
By June 2023, she opened her own brick-and-mortar store in the East Village neighborhood, becoming the first Black-owned bakery in the neighborhood in over 20 years. Although she was met with skepticism by some in the neighborhood, she remained grounded. As she puts it, “I didn't choose the East Village. The East Village chose me… we’re here to stay now.”
The breakthrough moment came when Eater spotlighted her now-famous chocolate chip cookie. The feature catapulted her sales, allowing her to make rent in just one weekend. It was a defining moment that shifted the trajectory of her business and cemented the Pastry Box as a must-visit on any NYC itinerary.
And while the chocolate chip cookie is a non-negotiable, the menu offers many other options worth trying, including the Yuzu olive oil loaf cake, brown butter brownie, and filled doughnuts with seasonal house-made jams and creams. But to keep things exciting, Bennett rotates the menu, refreshing it with trendsetting and innovative flavors from around the world. Beyond the storefront, she also offers catering and wholesale options for anyone wishing to delight their guests and elevate the occasion with fresh artisanal pastries and thoughtfully crafted desserts.
In just a few short years, Tiara Bennett has turned her passion and a sidewalk pop-up into a must-visit East Village institution. More than just a bakery, the Pastry Box is indeed a story of community and sweet success.
