As someone with a sweet tooth much larger than her height, it was a delight to dream about the bakeries in the Hamptons and North Fork. These are Hamptons.com’s top ten places to satisfy your frosted and glazed cravings.
Tates Bakeshop‘s chocolate chip cookies are popular all over the east end, NYC, and also shipped all over the country. These cookies are just the right amount of sweetness and crunch, and owner Kathleen King’s different varieties can please anyone in a crowd. Classic chocolate chip, double chocolate chip, chipless wonder, gluten free, oatmeal raisin; you name it, she’s got it. Famous east end chefs such as Ina Garten use Tates cookies in some of their dessert recipes, and you can even pick up a Tate’s recipe cookbook. (43 North Sea Road, Southampton, www.tatesbakeshop.com)
The freshly baked artisan breads from the Blue Duck Bakery just can’t be beat. The bakery began in 1999 in Southampton, and brings you the best in cakes, cookies, pies and pastries. They also have a North Fork location, in Southold and serve a Blue Duck Blend Coffee, created for them especially by The Hampton Coffee Company. (30 Hampton Road, Southampton, www.blueduckbakerycafe.com)
Briermere Farms in delicious fresh fruit pies, breads, cakes, muffins, cookies, jam and jelly, that are all made from scratch right on the farm in Riverhead. Some of their pies include, apple, cherry, blueberry, peach, strawberry rhubarb, raspberry cream (a Hamptons.com Editor’s favorite), blackberry, lemon meringue and many more. They offer over 17 types of jams, and 12 homemade jellies. (4414 Sound Avenue, Riverhead, www.briermere.com)
Financier Patisserie is new on the scene in the Hamptons this summer. Their famous “financiers” are little almond coffee cakes that got their name quite some time ago when men in the finance industry in Paris ate the gold bar shaped cakes on their coffee breaks. You can also find elephant ears, meringues, a decadent chocolate walnut fudge brownie, and walnut cookies, macaroons, among many other tasty treats. (760 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, www.financierpastries.com)
Dreesen’s Famous Donuts in East Hampton sells more than 400,000 donuts per year! Dreesen’s donuts can now be found on Long Island, Manhattan, Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts. They even offer a class to show people the process behind making the best donuts on the market called “Donut University.” (15 Lumber Lane, East Hampton, www.dreesens.com)
How can you not love Simon’s Beach Bakery Cafe? As a staple on Main Street, this delightful shop has been satisfying taste buds for almost 25 years now. The recent renovation brought not only more baked goods but also kosher-parve food for breakfast and lunch to the café, as well as a liquor license. A personal favorite of mine is the classic chocolate mousse cake, but I also immensely enjoy the chocolate éclairs, as well as the double chocolate chip breakfast muffin. (112 Main Street, Westhampton Beach, www.beachbakerycafe.com)
Ye Olde Bakeshop is full of rustic, country charm and has the baked goods to match. This bakery is certainly a hidden gem of the Hamptons. Their giant Linzer tart cookies are delicious, but they are also popular for their cinnamon buns, cinnamon cookies, and cherry turnovers. (17 Windmill Lane, Southampton)
Levain Bakery is located in Wainscott, and also features a NYC location. They offer rustic breads and the famous six-ounce chocolate chip walnut cookie. Everything not sold during the day is donated to those in need. Their famous chocolate chip cookie ships worldwide. (354 Montauk Highway, Wainscott, www.levainbakery.com)
Sugar Sugar Custom Cakes bakes beautiful custom birthday or wedding cakes, as well as cupcakes. Their red velvet cupcake is to die for. Sugar Sugar just relocated from its previous location in Westhampton Beach. (152 Jessup Avenue, Quogue, www.sugarsugarcustomcakes.com)
Junda’s Pastry Shop: Crust & Crumbs in Jamesport is famous for its banana cream pie and apple strudel. They do phenomenal custom order wedding and birthday cakes, as well as seasonal items such as Irish soda bread. People rave so much about the buttery, flaky apple strudel and say that they travel all the way out here from New York City just to get a piece of the stuff. They use fresh, local apples, cinnamon and a bit of powdered sugar. Be sure not to leave Junda’s without a slice of apple strudel! (1612 Main Road, Jamesport)