New York City / Cakes
Best Cakes
in NYC
The best carrot cake, tiramisu and chocolate cake in the city — from Lloyd’s benchmark carrot cake to Maison Pickle’s 24-layer chocolate showpiece. (Cheesecake has its own guide.)
These are bakeries and cafés, not happy hours — most open in the morning and sell out by evening, so go early.
- 10 verified spots
- carrot: Lloyd’s
- chocolate: 24 layers
- tiramisu: 3 picks
The short version
- Best carrotLloyd’s — the NYC benchmark, since 1985.
- Best tiramisuRubirosa — light, airy, the most-cited in town.
- Best chocolateMaison Pickle — the viral 24-layer cake.
- Tiramisu to goMammamisu — a whole shop of it.
- Whole-cake pickBalthazar — polished French layer cakes.
The best cakes in NYC, by type: Lloyd’s Carrot Cake is the citywide benchmark for carrot, Rubirosa has the most-cited tiramisu, Maison Pickle’s 24-layer chocolate cake is the chocolate showpiece, and Lady M’s mille-crêpe is the elegant wild card. For a whole cake, Billy’s (carrot) and Balthazar (French layer cakes) are the orders. These are bakeries, cafés and restaurants — no happy hours here, and for cheesecake we keep a separate guide. Below, grouped by cake: carrot, tiramisu, chocolate, and more.
At a glance
Grouped by cake type — carrot, tiramisu, chocolate, then more. Tap a number on the map to place it.
| Bar | The deal | Days | Window | $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lloyd’s Carrot Cake | Carrot cake (the benchmark) | Daily | Counter | $$$ |
| Billy’s Bakery | Carrot cake slice, ~$7 | Daily | Bakeshop | $$$ |
| Rubirosa | Tiramisu (sit-down) | Daily | Reserve | $$$ |
| Mammamisu | Tiramisu specialist | Daily | Counter | $$$ |
| Ferrara Bakery & Cafe | Old-school tiramisu | Daily | Café | $$$ |
| Maison Pickle | 24-layer chocolate cake | Daily | Sit-down | $$$ |
| Breads Bakery | Chocolate babka | Daily | Bakery | $$$ |
| Lady M | Chocolate mille-crêpe, ~$11.50 | Daily | Boutique | $$$ |
| Magnolia Bakery | Chocolate ganache cake | Daily | Bakery | $$$ |
| Balthazar Bakery | French layer cakes | Daily | Bakery | $$$ |
Map: where these 10 spots are
Most sit in downtown Manhattan, with Lloyd’s up in Harlem (and its flagship in the Bronx) and Maison Pickle on the Upper West Side.
Pins are numbered to match the table above – tap any pin for the deal and directions.
Best carrot cake
The two carrot cakes New Yorkers argue about. For more sweets, see our best bakeries and best pastries guides.
Lloyd’s Carrot Cake
The verdict: the benchmark carrot cake in New York, no argument. Family-run since 1985, Lloyd’s does a dense, properly spiced carrot cake with real shreds of carrot and cream-cheese frosting, by the slice or as a two-, three- or four-layer whole cake. The why: it is the one every other carrot cake gets measured against. The local move: the Bronx original in Riverdale is the true flagship; the Harlem counter on Lexington is the easy Manhattan grab. Honest caveat: it is a takeout counter with little to no seating, slice prices aren’t posted online, so bring cash and call ahead for whole cakes.
lloydscarrotcake.com · See our Harlem happy hours
Billy’s Bakery
The other carrot-cake answer, and the one people fight for. Billy’s ~$7 slice is dense and gooey — cinnamon batter with carrot, coconut, pineapple and pecans under a thick cream-cheese frosting — from a retro Chelsea shop that feels untouched by trends. Worth it whether you grab a slice or order a whole one. The local move: get the slice in-store; order a whole cake a day or two ahead for a party. Honest caveat: it is a small bakeshop with limited seating, and the popular stuff sells out later in the day.
billysbakerynyc.com · See our best bakeries in NYC
Best tiramisu
Restaurant tiramisu and a shop that does nothing else. More Italian in our best Italian restaurants guide.
Rubirosa
The most-cited restaurant tiramisu in the city, and worth building a Nolita dinner around. Rubirosa’s version is light and airy — mascarpone, ladyfingers, real espresso — and generous enough to share. The why: it is the tiramisu New Yorkers name first. The local move: it is a sit-down Italian-American spot, not a takeout counter, so reserve on Resy and pair the tiramisu with the thin-crust vodka pizza. Honest caveat: there is no cake counter here, waits are long, and the dessert price isn’t listed online, so ask when you order.
rubirosanyc.com · See our Nolita happy hours
Mammamisu
A tiramisu-only shop, which is exactly the point. Mammamisu does the classic espresso-and-mascarpone cup plus a rotating lineup — pistachio, strawberry, Lotus, Oreo — boxed to go from a tiny East Village counter. The why: you can’t get this range at a restaurant. The local move: order the classic first to judge them, then try a flavored cup; the boxes travel well. Honest caveat: small footprint, limited seating, and it is a specialty shop, so it is tiramisu or nothing.
mammamisu.com · See our East Village happy hours
Ferrara Bakery & Cafe
The old-school tiramisu, from the oldest Italian bakery in the country. Ferrara has been on Grand Street since 1892, and its traditional tiramisu — plus the cannoli and sfogliatella — is the full Little Italy café experience. The why: a fifth-generation classic, done the same way for over a century. The local move: sit down with an espresso and the tiramisu rather than getting it to go. Honest caveat: the Grand Street stretch is tourist-heavy, and it is a pastry house first, so tiramisu is one classic among many.
ferraranyc.com · See our Little Italy happy hours
Best chocolate cake
From a 24-layer showpiece to an award-winning babka. Looking for cheesecake instead? See our best cheesecake in NYC guide.
Maison Pickle
Home of the viral 24-layer chocolate cake, and a genuine Upper West Side destination for it. Maison Pickle stacks 24 layers of chocolate-on-chocolate into a slice big enough to feed a table. The why: it is the chocolate-cake showpiece everyone photographs, and it holds up to the hype. The local move: one slice easily feeds two or three, and you can order whole 24-layer cakes online for events. Honest caveat: it is a full sit-down restaurant, not a bakery counter, and the slice is enormous and rich, so come hungry or split it.
maisonpickle.com · See our Upper West Side happy hours
Breads Bakery
The chocolate babka that wins every best-of list, framed honestly: it is a swirled loaf, not a layer cake, but it is one of the best chocolate bakes in New York. Breads’ Nutella-and-chocolate babka earned a Best of New York, and it is worth a detour to Union Square. The why: buttery, dense, chocolate in every layer. The local move: buy a whole babka to take home (it also ships), and get it fresh in the afternoon bake. Honest caveat: it is a babka, not a slice of cake, and the Union Square flagship gets crowded.
breadsbakery.com · See our best pastries in NYC
Lady M
The house that made the mille-crêpe famous, and its chocolate version doubles as a top chocolate-cake pick. Lady M layers 20 gossamer crêpes with light pastry cream; a signature slice runs about $11.50. The why: nothing else eats quite like it, and the chocolate mille-crêpe is a quieter, more elegant chocolate fix. The local move: order a whole 6- or 9-inch cake a day ahead for an occasion. Honest caveat: it is premium-priced and the cakes are delicate — eat them the same day, not out of the back of the fridge all week.
ladym.com · See our best bakeries in NYC
More great cakes
Whole cakes and layer cakes worth ordering. See also our best cookies guide.
Magnolia Bakery
The West Village institution, and its Devil in Ganache is a reliable, rich chocolate layer cake. Magnolia is best known for cupcakes and banana pudding, but the chocolate cake earns its place. The why: it is everywhere, it is dependable, and the ganache version delivers. The local move: skip the tourist line at the Bleecker Street original and hit Rockefeller Center or the Upper West Side; order whole cakes ahead online. Honest caveat: the chocolate cake is very good but not the main reason most people come, and the flagship draws heavy tourist traffic.
magnoliabakery.com · See our West Village happy hours
Balthazar Bakery
The polished French option, from the bakery arm of the famous SoHo brasserie. Balthazar does traditional French layer cakes with real pastry pedigree, including a carrot layer cake with walnuts and golden raisins. The why: it is a one-stop for a proper whole cake plus bread, done to brasserie standard. The local move: the carrot layer cake is a quieter alternative to Lloyd’s and Billy’s. Honest caveat: the bakery is separate from the brasserie, it is premium SoHo pricing, and there is often a line.
balthazarbakery.com · See our SoHo happy hours
Best cakes in NYC: FAQ
Where’s the best carrot cake in NYC?
Lloyd’s Carrot Cake is the citywide benchmark, family-run since 1985, with a Harlem counter and a Bronx flagship. Billy’s Bakery in Chelsea is the other favorite, with a dense ~$7 slice.
Where’s the best tiramisu in NYC?
Rubirosa in Nolita has the most-cited restaurant tiramisu. Mammamisu in the East Village is a tiramisu-only shop with classic and flavored versions. Ferrara in Little Italy does the old-school version, since 1892.
What’s the best chocolate cake in NYC?
Maison Pickle’s 24-layer chocolate cake on the Upper West Side is the showpiece. Breads Bakery’s chocolate babka is an award-winner (a loaf, not a slice), and Lady M’s chocolate mille-crêpe is the elegant pick.
Where can I order a whole cake in NYC?
Balthazar Bakery does polished French layer cakes including carrot; Lady M takes 24-hour orders for whole mille-crêpe cakes; Billy’s and Magnolia both take whole-cake orders online.
What about cheesecake?
Cheesecake has its own guide — see our best cheesecake in NYC page. This list stays focused on carrot, tiramisu, chocolate and layer cakes so the two don’t overlap.
Last updated: July 2026. Deals and hours change – confirm with the venue before you go. Spot something out of date? Let us know.
