Best Bread Bakery in NYC

[Lesliepbg]

I remember my dad going out on the weekends and buying bread at Zito's in GV. Where is a great italian style loaf to be had? I even remember the corner grocers all getting good italian loaves but no more.

[CitySpoonful]

Have you tried the Italian bakeries on/around Arthur Ave. in the Bronx? It's not Manhattan, but it's amazing stuff.

[michelleats]

I'm not sure what kind of bread you are looking for, either. But Il Cantuccio in the West Village does a fantastic, salt free, authentic Tuscan loaf bread (pane sciapo), as well as smaller, sweet rolls. The lack of salt in the loaf is disconcerting at first, but it's meant to go with salty cured meats and cheeses and works beautifully when eaten in that context. It's a dense crumb bread with a hard crust, not the kind of loose, squishy, insubstantial loaf you might see called Italian bread at a chain grocery store.

IL Cantuccio
91 Christopher Street
New York, NY 10014
[phone]

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Il Cantuccio
91 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014

[Lesliepbg]

Thanks, yes I'm looking for a crusty bread--can't find one in supermarkets around me. Thanks for the suggestion I'll give it whirl.

[sugartoof]

Ahhh, finally some feedback.

In addition to the tip above, if you're looking for crusty, and rustic, Sullivan Street or Grandaisy are the two places you should hit up, followed by Amy's Bread.

They all carry an "Italian bread", with thick crust. The trick will be finding the crumb density you're after, and depend if you want a country bread or a more spongey elastic crumb found in the rustic breads similar to sourdoughs (Sullivan is the only one that pulls this off anyway, in my opinion).

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Sullivan Street Bakery
533 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036

Amy's Bread
250 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

[michelleats]

My pleasure, Leslie. I really hope you find what you're looking for! (Childhood memories can be tough to recreate.)

[Cheese Boy]

Grandaisy Bakery has some good breads with an old world taste to them. Also, try Agata & Valentina if you're in the neighborhood on the UES.

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Grandaisy Bakery
73 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012

Agata & Valentina
1505 1st Ave, New York, NY 10021

[sugartoof]

The OP never really clarified what kind of bread they're after, but Grandaisy is a little advanced if it's a NY style Italian Bread they're craving.

[penthouse pup]

The reason why your dad went to GV in the old days was that the corner grocers did not get good Italian loaves, unless the shop owners were Italian or were in certain areas of NYC. Good bread was hard to find...(1970's especially) If you want to relive some memories: here are some places that will have varieties of Zito-type breads: Parisi, Joe's Dairy, Alleva, Russo's, Raffetto's: they sell breads that will remind your or you dad of Zito's including semolina breads...I'm sure others will offer more ideas...

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Raffetto's
144 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012

Alleva Dairy
188 Grand St, New York, NY 10013

Russo's Mozzarella and Pasta
344 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003

Joe's Dairy
156 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012

[sugartoof]

Are you talking about the soft light bake breads with a mild flavor similar to what was sold at Vesuvio on Prince Street, and is still made at Parisi?

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Parisi Bakery
198 Mott St, New York, NY 10012

Parisi Bakery
290 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012