Claude Bakery, West Village

My neighbor Kate told me I had to visit Claude, a new bakery nearby, for their chocolate cake. I was confused. Patisserie Claude has been in the same spot at 187 W. 4th St. since 1982 (I've written about them in the past). It turns out we were both correct. New owners took over in 2024, shortened the name to simply "Claude," and revamped and expanded the menu, featuring farm-to-table and locally-sourced ingredients.

The menu includes sweet and savory flakey pastries with fillings and toppings like fresh pears, heirloom tomatoes, and corn from the Union Square Greenmarket. There are all manner of cakes, quiches, and an inventive roster of seasonal hot and cold coffee drinks.

They all sounded tempting, but I was there for the Manhattan Blackout Cake (above). The rich, fudgy devil's food layer cake cake is topped in chocolate ganache, covered in a layer of chocolate sprinkles. It was everything I hoped it would be. I also tried the Burnt Honey Cake, which is topped by a wonderful honey and orange blossom frosting and finished with shards of honeycomb.

Claude has a few seats and tables, but don't go expecting to be able to nab one. If worse comes to worse and the weather's nice, Washington Square Park is just a block away.

So Kate was right. The Blackout Cake alone is worth the trip, though I suspect I’ll be back to work my way through the rest of the menu!