Padoca Bakery

"Padoca takes a more liberal approach to Brazilian cafe fare, with pão de queijos transformed into sandwiches like one stuffed with ham and cheese and another with tomato. The original “PDQs,” as they’re called here, are oversized and extra cheesy — two is more than enough for a full breakfast. Make sure to ask for them warm if a fresh batch isn’t available, and don’t skip out on the tiny baked pockets of chicken, mushroom, or hearts of palm known as empadinhas." - Robert Sietsema, Carla Vianna

"There’s a rotating selection of Brazilian pastries at Padoca Bakery on the Upper East Side, like mini chicken pies made with marinated pulled chicken known as empadinha de frango. But the one permanent fixture on the menu is the oversized pão de queijo, or cheese bread, which you have by itself, or stuffed with ham and cheese like a sandwich. It’s a savory tennis ball-shaped pastry that’s crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside, and it pairs wonderfully with Padoca’s cappuccino." - Eater Staff