Librae is a third culture establishment if there’s ever been one. The passion project of Bahraini women, the bakery brings together Middle Eastern flavors with Danish pastry technique, and the result is something truly special. Take the za’atar labneh morning bun for example. Perfectly laminated, layers of dough spiraling with creamy labneh and a generous dusting of zesty za’atar. And then there’s the pretty rose pistachio croissant that tastes as good as it photographs with the bright natural pinks and greens. The lemon olive oil sumac cake, the tartness of the lemon and sumac perfectly complemented by the rich and full bodied flavor of the olive oil.

Point is, their pastry case is filled with one of a kind hits that put the bakery on the map as a destination of its own. With a menu like theirs, it’s no wonder it’s quickly become the darling bakery that food obsessed New Yorkers crowd into and scramble over. The storefront is simply designed, with the pastry case and coffee bar as the centerpiece, luring you as you wait in line, and just big enough to have some tables inside. On any given day it’ll likely be packed, but so long as there are still pastries on the counter it is well worth dropping in.