Situated near the beautiful Prospect Park, the monumental Brooklyn Museum and the ephemeral Botanical Gardens, Joyce Bakeshop is a perfect example of that which Brooklyn’s neighborhoods can offer. Just off the corner of Vanderbilt Avenue and Park Place, Joyce Bakeshop is this Brooklynite’s favorite spot to get coffee, tea, and of course, snacks. Open only since 2006, this family owned and operated spot provides the Prospect Heights neighborhood with the best of the best in hand-crafted pasteries. The owner and chef, Joyce, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in NYC offers up fresh ideas and old favorites, with precision, every single day. My personal favorites are anything that has to do with Brioche, of which you can get whole loaves on Saturdays and Sundays. Moreover, they offer Brooklyn Roasted Gorrilla brand coffee (definitely better than the standard Starbucks or Koffee Khaus blend) and a wide array of loose teas to choose from.
I did not find Joyce Bakeshop by accident, and neither will anyone else. Admittedly, a good friend of mine (for years and years) is Joyce’s brother-in-law. The first time I ever set foot in the shop it was about three weeks after their grand opening (and two weeks after I returned to New York from a year living in St. Petersburg) and he was helping out while they were building up a staff. Upon my first entrance, I was wowed by the cozy atmosphere of the wood molding and the mind-blowing array of pastries behind the counter. I quickly settled down for a cup of black tea and a sampling of Joyce’s selection. By the time my friend was done with work (we were to go for dinner) I was completely full, having eaten about six or seven different things.
Since then, my friend has moved to San Francisco, but my enjoyment of Joyce’s pastries has not lessened one bit. In fact, it has grown with every bite. To emphasize how fantastic this shop is, I repeatedly traveled the 30 minutes on the metro from my Manhattan apartment for 2 years. Now, living in a different part of Brooklyn (Greenpoint), I make my weekly (or twice weekly if I have time) trip via bicycle despite the many good local cafes and bakeries within walking distance.
Even though it is not my neighborhood, the community that revolves around Joyce is a fantastic slice of New York life. This includes the adorable recognition they give to their “lifers”; that is those children who have been coming to Joyce with their parents their whole lives.
If on your next trip, you are hungry, or want some coffee, or really even if you don’t, make the trip to Joyce Bakeshop one afternoon and enjoy Brooklyn the way the (real) locals do. So go to Joyce and try everything(!), maybe take a friend or two so you don’t get too full.
Joyce Bakeshop
www.joycebakeshop.com
646 Vanderbilt Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 623-7470
Scott Ritner is the New York City Local Expert for Tripbod.
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