CHEESECAKE REVIEW: Breads Bakery

My search for the best cheesecake in New York continues….

I was not expecting to visit Breads for my official cheesecake search. This is an Israeli-owned bakery known more for their breads, rugelach, and babkas than cakes. But this past summer they celebrated cheesecake month and focused on making a different cheesecake dessert each week.

The month-long celebration has ended, but it caught my eye and I discovered that they make a year-long cheesecake. Turns out their unique take on the classic rivals many of the old time Italian bakeries in the city.

This one is quite different though. It doesn’t comfortably fit into the two general styles of cheesecake: New York and Italian. Should we call this Israeli style?

It’s cut stout and fat and looks smaller than most (and is more expensive at $8), but it has lots of depth. On top of a soft sponge cake crust that holds up to the moist cake, the body is impossibly fluffy and creamy.

Cream cheese is the predominant flavor adding wonderful tang, but it’s cut with some lemony zest. The sweetness is backed by the acidity from the citrus. It almost feels like a dreamy cross between New York cheesecake and lemon meringue pie.

This opens up so many more possibilities in my search for cheesecake. I recently posted a conclusion bringing the official journey to a yield, but I will be keeping my eyes peeled for unexpected cheesecakes like these that just might be the best in the city.

Does Breads Bakery have the best cheesecake in NY? Surprisingly, their distinct creamy, fluffy and dense, lemony concoction is close to as good as it gets. I was very excited to discover it and bestow them with a 9 out of 10.