Bakery La Brioche Café

Very disappointed with their poppy seeds strudel. It was fresh, but such a poor filling. By the way bakery staff members are not friendly and don’t speak English. Not coming back. Good luck poppy seeds pastry lovers!

The entrance area was a bit narrow, with register to the right and shelves with lots of yummy looking items. I appreciate they put the labels in English, even though I still didn’t understand what everything was, since not all of them had labels. There were lots of «locals» (mostly Russians) shopping baked goods and sweets. After you passed the register counter, the store becomes much larger, with refrigerated items (mainly cakes) on the left, and all sorts of baked goods on the right, back, and in the middle. The selection was endless, I saw some bread, cookies, rainbow cake (?) and so much more.
They had huge plastic bags and containers, and you can fill them with the items of choice, as they are sold by pounds. Most of them were &6.99 per pound, and you get pretty good amount, since they are not heavy.
We bought some sweets and their famous sour cream cake, which was incredible! I really enjoyed the entire experience here at this bakery. Everyone was sweet, including local customers. Read my full review of this café and food on my food blog, foodlovergirl.

Easily my favorite stop during my Brighton Beach food crawl. I can’t be the only person who craves feeling like a fish out of water sometimes, right? And if I can do it without spending a fortune on travel costs, so much the better.
This café delivered just that. I couldn’t understand any of the signage (because despite my degree in linguistics, I never actually studied the Cyrillic alphabet), and just had to go by educated guesses, logical deductions and the kindness of the staff to figure out what was what. Which was just fine because delicious smells are a universal language that everyone understands.
We ended up getting a cheese (curd) pastry, chocolate rugelach and a cute pink cake with pineapple on top. Everything tasted as good as it smelled, particularly the rugelach. And after years of Manhattan-​$ 8-​a-​slice-​of-​cake prices, I’m still floored by how cheap everything here was.

Me: «What about getting your coffee here? This place looks okay. You go in, I’ll wait outside.»
Person: «Sure.» Disappears into La Brioche. Emerges 10 min later, empty handed. «Uhhh, lets just go somewhere else.»
Me: «What? Don’t be ridiculous». Enters La Brioche.
…
…
…
The next thing I remember is a tray of hot buns moving towards me, and 5 Russian grandmothers circling around it like a tornado… elbows and tongs flying. When the Cyrillic cleared, there was barely a crumb left, and I think I lost about half my dignity.
All that to say, this place is legit. I don’t know what the whole «La Brioche» is about, but this is straight up as Russian as Russian can be. There is no english in here… and if you aren’t quick, the old ladies will run you over. However keep your elbows up, and I’m sure you’ll be able to come away with some awesome pastries.
Good luck.

Such a mouthwatering display of delicious cakes, pastries and cookies, some styles we had never seen before. We bought a variety, walked over to the boardwalk and indulged while enjoying watching the ocean.

Wonderful assortments of cookies that looked and eventually tasted just like Grandma’s cookies as I powered down a full clear clamshell container with no regret.
Steps before entering, my senses were overcome with the aromas and once I thrust myself inside, the beauty of desserts of every conceivable kind hit me right between the eyes like neon light in a dark alley. Cups constructed of puff pastry holding brilliant colored fruits, less colorfully appointed Napoleons without the complex of smallness were lined up in rows like tiny, tasty soldiers.
Large bakers racks sat inside the front of the store in a makeshift line, backing up to a less desirable display I couldn’t completely identify. Six feet in heigh, the racks are kind you find in the back of bakeries to replenish front of the house stock. I guess their baking inventory apparently runith over, perhaps its routine as customers scurried about in every direction, eventually dashing for the register line. Not much eye shopping going on, if you are, consider a location off the beaten path.
I noticed that the rasins, orange peels, cinnamon and other sweet additives remained stuck to the parchment paper as customers plucked them off by hand, two at a time. Unlike the Sara Lee type that peels away as cleanly as a liberty stamp from its backing.

Baked goods were visually stimulating but it was missing the smell of freshly baked goods. Maybe because the temperature was 50 degrees. but nothing appeared hot from the oven. Had a sesame filled pastry and it was alittle tart. They had a butter cake. literally butter. not buttercream frosting. apparently a russian thing. But we had a chocolate cake ball. that was out of this world. This place is verry cool to look at. but ya gotta know what you want… or you have ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ chance. Good luck!

I went to visit NYC a while back and did a food tour of Hell’s Kitchen. The wife wanted to visit Coney Island after the tour. Our tour guide was from Brooklyn and recommended us to stop by this little gem in Brighton Beach.
First of all, everything in the neighborhood is in RUSSIAN. Written, spoken, advertised, etc…
We went into this place and it was like I was in Candy (cookie) Land — no lie. What a WONDERFUL place was this ???
So I started shoving cookies into the little brown bag they provide like I had 5 minutes left in Willy Wonka Land… The wife says, «You are going to pay a fortune for all that!»
I took it up to the clerk, who only spoke Russian. I could not understand a word from him, and just haded him a $ 20. He gave me $ 18 back! $ 2 for the BEST BAG of cookies I have EVER had in my life.
I wish now I had bought two…

What a hidden gem. The first time I came in I couldn’t believe how cheap it was. I thought I had jumped back in time 40 years. I got 4 decently sized pastries for a little over $ 2. Ridiculous.
Everything is self-​serve so it’s easy to go overboard and buy everything. Don’t fight it.

Whenever I got to Brighton Beach I always stop here to get all types of pastries, cookies, and coffee. Then I go over to the park across the street and just sit and enjoy. I always grab a cheese danish and some chocolate rugelach, among many other great little confections (many which I don’t know the names of, but all are great!)

We go out of our way to get pastries from this little gem. The «sweet» cheese pastries, which are square shaped parcels folded closed and topped with sugar crystals are AMAZING! They are the perfect balance between sweet and savory, and are unbelievably cheap. This time we also tried the savory version (looks the same, but no sugar on top) which was also good, but paled in comparison to the sweet ones.

GREAT selection for such a tiny little store. this place was featured on an episode of Best thing i ever ate on food network. since its int he neighborhood i HAD to try it, i cant remember which cake it was they mentioned on the food network… but so far whatever ive tried ive liked. last time i went, the guy working there was so helpful.

This was my first Unilocal experience and i loved it except for the mandatory c.c. purchase!

The Russians really had it in for Napoleon.
Not content simply with decimating his army and destroying his plans for world domination, they also decided to teach future French generations a lesson by adopting the Mille-​Feuille, and butchering his name all over the world at regular intervals, all in the guise of baking art.
I kid, of course, but I do find the popularity of the Napoleon cake among the Russians and the former Soviet republics as interesting. Be it Uzbek, Georgian, Ukrainian, or Tajik, let alone Russian, you can be sure of finding the Napoleon cake at a Brighton Beach restaurant. Unlike the French version where the top of the layer cake is covered by patterned icing, the budget Russian version is topped with crumbled pastry and is often, but not necessarily, made with condensed milk cream. I don’t think I’ve had a worse version of this cake than the one I bought at La Brioche, where nothing from the cream to the pastry worked. I stopped after two bites.
That said, La Brioche reminds you of the exotic bazaar that is one of the stops on the Orient Express. There are all kinds of baked goods: some familiar, some not; when your curiosity is piqued you can’t even get an answer to your questions because of the language barrier (no one speaks any English); you’re unsure of the quality as a glossy product is placed side-​by-​side with one that reflects amateur craftsmanship — yet you sense bargains all around you. Like a bazaar, it’s primarily a retail outlet — also featuring cakes, rugelach, babka, and breads from popular Russian bakeries.
Four dollars. For the price of a large incompetent macaron at FPB, you can buy a fairly competent torte here. There are quite a few options: Smettanik (sour cream cake), Prune, Walnut, Korolevsky (my favorite), Odessa, and Bird Milk are the versions I’ve tried… I’m still praying that bird milk was just the name! The background is that in Slavic fairy tales princesses used to send their suitors to bring them an amazing delicacy that no one had ever tasted before: the Bird’s milk. I’ve looked at the pictures of Ptichye Moloko cake, and this one looked nothing like that, but is still a competent marshmallow cake. All of these tortes have had a few welcome traits in common: simple, well executed, and light. I’ve come to respect those bakeries that resist the urge to be liberal in their use of sugar. For the $ 4 price, these are exceptional value. Also, one could easily attempt to pass off these cakes as credible, homemade versions at a Cookies and Booze UYE… shhh ;)
Ultimately it’s the unpolished gems that shine brightest, should one overlook form in favor of substance. My two favorites being the chocolate balls (would be a stretch to call these rum balls, given only the hint of rum), and a soft meringue pastry that’s literally falling apart as you lift it — but is addictive enough for you to keep nibbling at well beyond your daily calorie intake. There are 4 star experiences all over the shop, you just have to find them.

This wonderful little place warmed my cold Soviet heart. Yeah, there are tons of cookies, cakes, pastries, baked goods, everything by the pound.
You read that right — COOKIES AND CAKE SLICES BY THE POUND!
Oh, and as soon as I saw a pile of fresh oreshki, I went crazy! I hadn’t had them since I was a little mini evil one back in the old country. I know, I know, you amerikanski don’t know what they are. It’s ok, more for me.
Side note: no kartoshka, boo.

This is a dreamy bakery politely tucked into this block in Brighton Beach. The space is narrow and the plates are stacked with goodies — it makes you feel like Hansel And Gretel if only briefly. Everything I’ve had from here has been delicious and the prices are really cheap. A definite treat before hopping back on the train. I’m learning our Russian brethren know a thing or two about quality of life. Bring a shopping bag & load up on produce at the fruit stands toward the train. The prices (16 oz. of blueberries for $ 1?) are criminal.

This place is always super crowded and crazy when we go. It is a really narrow bakery, which makes it really squishy. But no place (M&I, Brighton Bazaar) matches the quality of baked good this place gives.
The coolest thing is that cakes are bought from the pound. Just get a container and cut a sliver of each cake to taste. The ones we had were all pretty good.
I haven’t seen babka there, but I will be on the look out next time I go.
My mom picked out tons of cookies, and there were some winners. There was an acorn shaped cookie with a filling (hazelnut, maybe?) in between. Best cookie in Brighton Beach I have ever had!
We picked out some strudels and other baked goods, but the cakes and cookies were better. I cannot even remember everything we got!
There is so much stuff crammed in this place, and it seems really fresh because they keep coming out with more cakes and delicious looking treats from their kitchen! Take your time, and try not to let the crowd intimidate you!
The grocery stores are awesome (Brighton Bazaar, M&I) but go to an actual bakery in Brighton Beach (this one!) to get your Russian sweets. You won’t regret it!

The whole apple wrapped in pie crust was only $ 1.50??? I couldn’t resist so I gabbled into the pie. Unfortunately it didn’t deliver. I think it was the crust. It didn’t have buttery flavor and need some more sugar sprinkles over the pie or something. Whole apple wrapped pie had good crust but the apple inside was too mild in flavor. I will not get that next time.
Apple strudel (they cut it for how much we want. I got about 3 inches cut) was good as any good place in the city minus price. The apple tasted sweet and tangy (good). The rolled poppy seeds pastry was good. A whole apple pie, apple strudel and poppy seeds pastry came to a total of $ 3.29.
I asked what those yummy looking things (see my images…) were but she only spoke Russian. This town makes me want to learn Russian.
This place was different and unique enough that I’m a fan (4 stars).

Ever been to a bakery and dream of trying everything? At La Brioche, you can do just that because they serve cake by the lb.
Torn between the delicious looking cheesecake and the delectable looking cherry torte? Get both! You can use the bread knife to cut slivers of their cake. That means if you have tons of self-​control (I don’t) and just want to try a little, you can cut off a sliver and prevent your butt from getting as big as the GDP. And if you’re like me, and know you’re going in there for cake, and really want to sample it all, you can cut off a sliver of EVERYTHING. Or you can cut off huge chunks. With cake by the lb, it’s really up to you.
In addition, they have different kinds of breads, other desserts such as rum balls, that are pay per piece, halvah, bready desserts and a variety of coffees. There’s a little area in back where you can chill out and eat but it doesn’t really feel very café-​like, so I’d suggest to take it on the go.
Also, if you walk in and look like a nice person, as this happened to a couple of my friends and I last time we were here, the old lady who runs the place may ask you to manage the place for her for 5 – 10 minutes (in Russian, of course). So be prepared to kindly suggest to people that you don’t really work there and that she’ll be right back. Or eat your way through the store. Either or.

So I came here with my friend (see first review) — I was told not to buy desserts along the way as we would be treated to cake by the pound.
And dude, they delivered. There was rugelach, braided brioche, babka (I got the last chocolate one, woohoo!), cheese cake, tarts, cream-​filled concoctions, various and sundry breads and of course the rum balls (which I have been finding less and less of in local bakeries).
The décor is old school, with lots of wooden shelving and a manual cash register — perfect for a place that sells cake by the lb.
So I bought several lbs of cake and left a happy camper.
I also helped manage the store for 10 – 15 minutes. I can’t speak Russian, but I could direct people to plastic bags and containers.