"It’s easy to confuse Carl Marletti’s pastry shop for a jeweler’s. From the pale pink rose-scented religieuses with whipped cream collars to massive fuschia macarons lined with a layer of raspberries, their cakes are as beautiful as they are delicious. And that holds whether you’re looking for something traditional, like the opéra cake with impeccable layers of coffee and chocolate, or unique, like the Lily Valley, a violet-scented version of the Saint-Honoré created for the founder’s florist wife. You might get overwhelmed here, so zero in on an éclair (the salted butter caramel is a no-brainer), the zingy lemon tartlet, and a shortbread gâteau basque stuffed with praline or lemon curd." - Emily Monaco
Gabe Bergado
