"As soon as I read about Chika Hanyu’s cream puffs, I ordered a box and headed to Sunnyside. Each one is fist‑size, the crackly pastry giving way to elegant, cloudlike vanilla (or chocolate) cream. Get half a dozen ($39) for a gathering — or just a Saturday with friends — and expect texts later like, “This is really the best thing I have put in my mouth in a long while.” They’ll keep a couple days in the fridge, though I doubt you’ll need to test that." - Bettina Makalintal
"Operating without a traditional storefront, this pickup-only patisserie asks you to order online and choose a time slot, then head to an industrial stretch of Sunnyside for boxes of made-to-order, jewel-like chocolate bonbons and a lineup of cakes worthy of the swankiest display case—think fluffy Japanese shortcakes crowned with mango rosettes and Swiss rolls scented with salted sakura leaves and topped with pickled blossoms. Packaging is as artful as the sweets themselves, from custom boxes to seasonal bonbon-filled advent calendars, and her signature tempered-chocolate logo disks finish many items. Most coveted are the cream puffs, filled to bursting with vanilla-flecked diplomat cream and meant to be eaten within hours; devoted regulars trek from all over the city for a box. I couldn’t resist trying one immediately—it’s like biting into a vanilla-flecked cloud with a crackly, crunchy topping reminiscent of a pineapple bun." - Diana Hubbell
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John R.
