A new bakery, founded by a husband-and-wife duo from the Upper West Side, is expected to open in late September or early October at 2394 Broadway, between 87th and 88th streets. The space was previously occupied by a Starbucks.
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“We have all the equipment already,” said Jonathan Hengal, co-founder of La Farine Pâtisserie. “We’re wrapping up the renovation, and then we’re going to spend two to two and a half weeks to train the staff.” Originally from Israel, Hengal moved to New York ten years ago, where he met his future wife, Rica, a baker from Morocco. Rica moved to Israel at 13 years old before landing in New York at 22.
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“We’ve been living on the Upper West Side for ten years, so we’re very familiar with the area, and our two kids go to school nearby,” said Hengal when asked about their choice of location. He believes the Upper West Side will appreciate what his family brings to the table: a bakery that offers fresh baguettes and sourdough bread, as well as croissants, sandwiches, salads and soups. They’ve partnered with farms in upstate New York to source the freshest seasonal ingredients, including flour, and will use French techniques with Mediterranean flavors.
We got a sneak peek at the menu the Hengals are working on. La Farine plans to offer Jerusalem bagels for $3.50, challah for $7.50, and Jonathan Hengal’s favorite, French sourdough bread, for $10. The bakery will feature a variety of croissants, ranging from plain for $4 to pain au chocolat, lemon meringue, or cheddar cheese for $5, among others. Spinach and mozzarella bourekas, a popular baked pastry in Jewish culture, will be $5 each, as will margarita or potato focaccia. Chocolate rugelach will be $2 a piece.
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All sandwiches are currently priced at $9. Options include smoked salmon in a croissant, mozzarella in challah bread, and roasted vegetables in a challah roll. We’re looking forward to trying the sabich, a staple of Israeli cuisine, in a croissant. This dish typically features fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, chopped salad, pickles, hummus, tahini sauce, amba and spices.
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Cookies and cakes await you as well. Their chocolate babka is priced at $14, while their lemon, orange and olive oil cakes are $12. All cookies are $10, including options like palmier, parmesan, alfajor, and Moroccan almond macaroon. They’ll also be selling a variety of spreads, each for $10, such as hummus, tahini, tuna, roasted eggplant, labneh, tomato jam, and more.
A lineup of coffees and teas will also be available, starting at $3 for a macchiato or espresso and going up to $5 for iced matcha, iced coffee or double espresso.
La Farine Pâtisserie plans to be open Monday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Their website is currently down, but plan to see something go live soon at www.lafarinecafe.com. You can also follow them on Instagram at @lafarinenyc.
Jonathan Hengal said he’ll keep us posted on their official opening date as things are finalized. Stay tuned for updates.
Good luck to the Hengel family! The UWS welcomes you.
I won’t claim to be very familiar with the UWS and I’ve lived here 30+ years.
I am somewhat familiar with my immediate neighborhood on the UWS.
I don’t know how you mess up a chocolate chip cookie, but they managed. They need to work on that.