Otway Bakery

"Otway Bakery makes the funkiest croissant on this entire list—sort of like if a plain croissant went to Oberlin, started wearing Birkenstocks with socks, and became crunchy. The outside of each croissant is a deep, dark brown, and the insides are darker than average, perfect for a croissant lover who appreciates some nuance. This Clinton Hill bakery also makes an excellent cardamom bun, and croissant dogs on occasion." - willa moore, bryan kim, sonal shah, will hartman

"You might know Otway as the restaurant in Clinton Hill where you can eat a fried chicken sandwich and drink a bloody mary. But they also have a bakery (four storefronts away) that’s quietly making some of the best baked goods in the city. Try the sticky cardamom bun, and a plain croissant that tastes like it went to Oberlin, began wearing Birkenstocks with socks, and got a little crunchy. They also make chocolate-brown sourdough loaves, and you should get your hands on a croissant dog if you can. There’s nowhere to sit, so grab some pastries and a coffee for the road. Some of the baked goods, including the cardamom bun, are also available at the restaurant." - willa moore, carina finn koeppicus, kenny yang

"When you walk by Otway Bakery on a chilly morning, the heat of freshly baked pastries fog up the windows like they’re trying to keep a secret. Inside, the smell of butter and cardamom hit you instantly. It’s large and airy, but there’s nowhere to sit—every square inch of this place is busy churning out excellent baked goods, like a sticky cardamom bun, and a plain croissant that tastes like it went to Oberlin, started wearing birkenstocks with socks, and became crunchy. If you need a seat (and a plate to catch the crumbs), Otway’s restaurant is down the street, and open for brunch daily. They don’t have all the baked goods, but they do have the greatest hits, including the cardamom bun, which you can pair with a fried chicken sandwich, and a Bloody Mary." - Willa Moore

"Otway offers a classic selection of croissants among baked goods: traditional ($4.25) to chocolate ($4.75), and ham and cheese ($6) among them. The breads are standout, too." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff

"Here’s some of what Samantha Safer’s Otway Bakery, a casual spinoff to her namesake restaurant in Clinton Hill, might carry on any given morning: croissants, pain au chocolats, ham-and-cheese croissants, cinnamon buns, pain au raisin pinwheels, the increasingly prevalent Swedish cardamom bun, savory buns filled with mushrooms, pretty danishes decorated with sliced citrus, braided lemon poppy seed doughnuts, and what might be one of the city’s most stunning crullers." - Ryan Sutton