12 Bakeries That’ll Make Thanksgiving Dessert Unforgettable
Whether you want to serve pie, cookies or something else, these dozen Bergen bake shops really take the cake.
Maybe your Thanksgiving menu is already planned, maybe you’re still tinkering with the details or maybe you’re planning to go out this year. Just remember, after every fantastic dinner comes the inevitable question—“What’s for dessert?”
Pie is a must on any holiday dessert table. If you’d rather have the experts handle that instead of hoping your crust comes out right, Bergen has a truly impressive spread of baking pros. These local bake shops (some of them Readers’ Choice Award picks and all of them highly rated) will make your dessert spread—pies, cakes, pastries and more—the talk of the town. Make sure you get your orders in early!
• Black Magic Bakehouse. The menu is always changing at this Ridgewood spot and Readers’ Choice nod, which specializes in brioche doughnuts and seasonal breads. Their Thanksgiving offerings include a double-crusted caramel apple pie. We’ll take seconds, thanks!
• B&W Bakery. Another Readers’ Choice pick, this Hackensack shop is most famous for its crumb cake. But you’ll also find plenty of cookies, cakes and pastries to round out your dessert table.
• Joe’s Craft Pies. This Westwood-based pie expert is taking orders for Thanksgiving, and you can pick from pumpkin, apple, chocolate pecan and more.
• L’Arte della Pasticceria. This Italian-style bakery, located in Ramsey, will cater a whole dessert table for you. Want something a little different for your Thanksgiving spread? Try a twist on two favorites with a gelato cake.
• La Promenade. The Thanksgiving menu of this Tenafly spot is extensive, and includes chocolate mousse and pumpkin caramel cheesecake in addition to classic apple and pumpkin pies.
• Le Carré Café & Pâtisserie. Over in Hillsdale, you’ll find black forest cake and large fruit tarts in addition to apple and pecan pie, and the café’s Thanksgiving specialty—a white chocolate pumpkin mousse log.
• Lyndhurst Pastry. Though this bakery is a year-round favorite (we love the Italian ices here in the summer!), the seasonal offerings are particularly tempting. Grab some pumpkin muffins when you’re picking up your pumpkin pie, for snacking or a Black Friday breakfast.
• Mills Bakery. You can’t go wrong with desserts from this Wood-Ridge locale, where you can pick up practically every pie imaginable in addition to cakes, cookies and breads (to serve with dinner or with your grazing spread).
• Rispoli Pastry Shop. This Readers’ Choice winner in Emerson (its Ridgefield location closed this fall) has been going since 1937 and offers every sweet treat you could want. Both the American- and Italian-style cheesecake is to die for.
• Sook Pastry. One of Ridgewood’s favorite places, this French-style bakery offers cakes, breads and impressive cookies (how great do brightly-colored macarons look on a table?).
• Sweet Avenue Bake Shop. Food restrictions are accommodated deliciously at this Rutherford spot. These cakes, cupcakes and other sweets and desserts are all vegan and gluten-free, so everyone has room at the dessert table.
• Vegan Pastry Lab. Don’t leave your plant-based friends out of the sweet fun! This spot in Englewood creates vegan and vegetarian-friendly desserts, including perfect pies for Thanksgiving.
What’s on your Thanksgiving menu? Let us know on Instagram @bergenmagnj!
