S&S Cheesecake in the Bronx has baked one cake only since 1959 in New York City. Plain, dense, the canonical New York cheesecake, supplied to delis citywide.
Tip: Cash only, weekdays only. Drive or take the 1 train to 238th; the bakery is two blocks west of the subway.
Address: 222 W 238th St, Bronx, NY 10463, New York City
Eileen Avezzano has baked mini cheesecakes on Cleveland Place in Nolita, New York City since 1975. Single-portion glass-display counter, 25 flavours rotating weekly.
Tip: The plain or strawberry are the originals. The Oreo and the salted caramel are the indulgent picks; share two.
Worth the queue: Strawberry mini cheesecake
Ess-a-Bagel on Third Avenue has hand-rolled bagels in Midtown New York City since 1976. Boiled in barley malt water, baked on burlap, sold dense and seeded.
Tip: The line is 30 minutes at 09:30 weekends. Order over the counter; pre-paid online jumps the line.
Worth the queue: Plain everything bagel with scallion cream cheese
Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A boils bagels at dawn in the East Village, New York City. Eight cream-cheese flavours, hot bagels until they sell out, cash counter.
Tip: Sells out by 13:00 most weekends. Lunch arrives early; the lox sandwich is built thick.
Worth the queue: Pumpernickel everything
Black Seed in Nolita bakes Montreal-style honey-water bagels in a wood oven in New York City. Smaller, sweeter, denser than the New York standard, with house-cured lox.
Tip: Mobile order is the fastest line. The beet-cured lox sandwich is the cross-style order to share.
Worth the queue: Beet-cured lox sandwich
William Greenberg Desserts on Madison Avenue has baked the canonical black-and-white in the Upper East Side, New York City since 1946. Schnecken, hamantaschen, Linzer.
Tip: Order black-and-whites in the bigger six-inch size. Pre-order schnecken at Rosh Hashanah; they sell out a week ahead.
Worth the queue: Black-and-white cookie
Levain Bakery has baked the six-ounce chocolate chip walnut cookie in the Upper West Side, New York City since 1995. Two-tray racks, lines around the block.
Tip: The original Upper West Side basement counter has the shortest line at 17:00. Heat one for ten seconds in your hotel microwave.
Worth the queue: Chocolate chip walnut cookie
