Here’s the UWS Dish: Epices Bakery’s Croissant, Pastries… and Harissa!

By Abigael T. Sidi

I’d love for long-time Upper West Siders to chime in: In your view, has Epices Bakery proven itself a worthy successor to your beloved Soutine? I was 4 when Soutine closed in 2012, after three decades operating in the same spot on West 70th (off Columbus), but I’ve always heard great things about it.

In researching this piece, I also learned that legendary Soutine owner Madge Rosenberg had sold her recipes to the owners of Epices Bakery, Tunisia natives Ali and Biba Naouai, in hopes of ensuring some continuity. (The Naouais first opened Pain d’Epices when they took over for Rosenberg and, after a two-year hiatus in 2019 and 2020, opened Epices Bakery in 2021.)

Back in 2013, Naouai had even promised Rag readers that “we’re going to do almost the same thing [as Soutine], but cut out some of the sugar.” While I can’t compare it to its famed predecessor, I’m here to tell you that Epices Bakery does a lovely job at every level, whether with their croissants, patisseries or harissa (yes, the Maghrebi hot sauce, you read that right.)

Epices Bakery first came to my attention when loyal reader (and arguably my fiercest critic in the column’s comments section), the (in)famous Jay, recommended it in response to my piece on Wave Hill’s sourdough miche. Given the high praise I had given the miche and Jay’s unattainable standards for everything food, I took his suggestion seriously.

Agonizing over what to choose, I asked Epices Bakery clerk Siri Edafemuoke for advice. “Our specialties are croissants – plain, chocolate, almond – and our baguettes; people love-love-love our baguettes,” she said. “But my personal favorite is the chocolate mousse cake.” She added that I couldn’t go wrong, because “Ali [Naouai] has a passion for ingredients of the highest quality, such as the freshest fruits for our pastries, to deliver the best possible products to our customers. We have our bakers that come every morning and make everything fresh. And we always have gluten-free options as well.”

With that info in hand, I proceeded to order a baguette, a plain croissant, the chocolate mousse cake, two fruit-based pastries (the lemon meringue and caramelized apple tart), and added one of the gluten-free options of the day (the Opéra). Lastly, for good measure, I also got a gigantic, almond covered sphere of goodness called “Délice.” My dad, who was tagging along that day, had been drooling at a jar of home-made harissa, which was sitting in the counter next to the pastries. “We’ll have that as well!” he said, whispering in my ear that “whether your [Moroccan] mom likes it or not, Tunisians make the best of the best.”

Back home for tasting, I first focused on the pastries. The gluten-free Opéra definitely held its own, with a rich chocolate ganache and lightly rum-infused sponge cake layers reminiscent of a Magnolia-type, solid American cake. Edafemuoke’s favorite, the chocolate mousse, was indeed sensational: rich and decadent but not too sweet, a tell of the quality of the chocolate. The Délice was just ridiculous, probably meant for six people, combining meringue, sweet butter cream, and chocolate ganache, and covered with toasted almonds – an over-the-top, crunchy/crispy/decadent creation.

Where I felt Epices Bakery’s pastries shone most, though, were the fruit-based creations I had selected. The lemon meringue tart was excellent– especially its buttery short crust and tart lemon cream – while the caramelized apple tart felt like a quintessential, full-of-love, homemade cake, with jammy apples and hints of burnt caramel all melting in my mouth at once.

But I wasn’t done yet, setting my sights on the croissant. And let me tell you, this is a real-deal croissant. The kind where just bringing it to your mouth immerses you in a world of butter. The kind where the flakiness, crispiness and lightness all hit at once: an unmistakably great croissant. It completely overshadowed the baguette, which I felt was good (with a nice saltiness to its crust) but not on the same level.

Lastly, the harissa – how can you judge a bakery if you don’t try its harissa? The Naouais’ version of the condiment is not of the paste type, but rather, it has a loose-puree consistency to it, perfect for slathering on anything you like (merguez, lamb, avocado toast, you name it.) It has an enchanting, smoked paprika-like flavor and potent but not overwhelming heat. “Told you,” my dad said. “Maybe they have the recipe in their book” [Speaking Tunisian: A Love Story with Recipes, by Biba Naouai, which is sold at the bakery as well as in bookstores].

Epices Bakery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is closed on Mondays. Follow them on Instagram for daily specials and seasonal and savory offerings, such as their viral plum tart and highly advertised quiches. Call them (646-692-3226) for pickup.

The Dish: Pastries ($7-11), croissant ($4.50), and harissa ($8).
The Restaurant: Epices Bakery, 104 West 70th Street (between Broadway and Columbus Avenue)

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