Astor Bake Shop

Grabbing a burger at a bakery may seem unusual to most, but at Astor Bake Shop, burgers, beers, wine, and a dinner menu accompany the macaroons, éclairs, and tarts that decorate the pastry counter. In fact, Astor Bake Shop may just as well be known for their burgers as their desserts, having graced reviews for their beef on Serious Eats and other blogs.

Located in a part of “Old Astoria” I had never quite ventured into, Astor Bake Shop is worlds away from the concentrated Astoria food scene dominating 30^th Ave and the surrounding avenues. Instead, the bakery is located in a quiet part of town, which adds to the charm of this quaint bake shop. The interior of the maroon paneled storefront reveals a fusion of bakery and coffee shop. Décor is minimal, letting the space speak for itself. A white tiled floor holds dark wooden tables, perfect for long hours of laptop work, or a meal amongst friends. The back of the bake shop houses all the bakery equipment and kitchen, while the front holds the pastry displays and coffee counter. Astor Bake Shop proudly serves Stone Street Coffee, which is a micro roaster based out of Brooklyn. Owner-chef George McKirdy brings with him impressive experience at NYC favorites Nobu, Butter NYC, and Café Boulud, to name a few.

interior

pastry counter

coffee bar

pastry selection

Having heard rave reviews of the infamous Astor burger, a group of friends and I decided to try Astor Bake Shop for dinner. The lunch and dinner menu at Astor Bake Shop is the same, and consists of burgers, sandwiches, mac and cheese, fries, and salads, with a few featured specials each day. Being a party of six, our group settled on four Astor Burgers, a Croque Monsieur, the Slow Baked Chicken Sandwich, and Garlic Herb French Fries.

The Astor Burger comes served with Astor Bake Shop’s coleslaw, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and the signature Astor Sauce, on a challah bun.  The burger lived up to its expectations, with rave reviews all around.  Suggestions for improvements were that the special sauce was too scarce and therefore, not very noticeable, and that the coleslaw on the burger was really cold, throwing off the temperature of the whole burger. The Garlic Herb Fries were a table hit, as everyone enjoyed the super crispy and  perfectly seasoned garlicky fries.

Astor Burger

Slow Cooked Chicken Sandwich

Astor Burger

My Croque Monsieur was filled with black forest ham and Swiss cheese, served on brioche bread. As a sandwich, it served its function, however as a Croque Monsieur, I thought it needed improvement. The sandwich to me was more a cheese sandwich than a genuine Croque Monsieur. I had the most amazing Croque Madame (which is a Croque Monsier served with an egg on top) once in a café in Paris, and have been desperately trying to find (or make) an equivalent here in the States without much success. When I saw the menu featured the Croques, I immediately knew I had to have it. Coupled with the fact that the chef-owner has a background in French cooking further sealed the deal. However the Croque Monsieur I had was more of a grilled cheese with ham, and one served limp and cold at that. The nature of the brioche bread itself doesn’t hold up as a bread that should be crispy and grilled, resulting in a soft, buttery sandwich. I thought it could have been served warmer, as it was cold when I received it, and it could also have been a bit hearty with more ham and cheese. Sandwich aside, my dish came with a side salad of shredded cabbage, almost like a cole slaw but without the mayonnaise. The dressing was tangy, and while at first it threw me off, I enjoyed it.

Croque Monsieur

While my friends and I were too full to order dessert, the pastries in the display case looked enticing. I would definitely go back to Astor Back Shop to try their popular brunch or stop by for some coffee and pastries. I loved the atmosphere of the establishment, and while its location is a ways off, it is worth the commute. Astor Bake Shop is the type of café where you can sit for hours undisturbed, enjoying your coffee and the calmness of the bake shop. It is definitely a refreshing change from the Euro-pop cafes lining 30^th Avenue that blast techno all day and night.