The History of Traditional Bakeries in Brooklyn

Hey everyone, welcome back to *Brooklyn Echoes*, the podcast that keeps the borough’s legends and memories alive. I’m your host, Robert Henriksen.

### The History of Traditional Bakeries in Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn’s bakery tradition is deeply intertwined with the borough’s immigrant history, reflecting waves of European arrivals in the 19th and early 20th centuries who brought Old World baking techniques to America’s melting pot. From German bread makers to Italian pastry artisans and Eastern European Jewish bakers, these establishments often started as small family-run shops, serving local communities with fresh loaves, cakes, and pastries. By the late 1800s, Brooklyn had become a hub for commercial baking, fueled by its dense population and proximity to Manhattan. Many bakeries specialized in ethnic staples—think crusty rye breads, cannoli, or babka—while adapting to American tastes. The mid-20th century saw expansions, supermarket shifts, and some closures due to urbanization and competition, but a resilient few persist today, preserving nostalgia amid gentrification.

#### Early Foundations (Mid-19th to Early 20th Century)

The roots of Brooklyn’s bakery scene trace back to the 1840s–1890s, when industrial baking began to scale up from home kitchens. One of the earliest major players was the Ward Bakery Company, founded in 1849 by James Ward in a small Manhattan shop on Broome Street. By 1911, it had expanded to Brooklyn with a massive factory on Pacific Street in Prospect Heights, producing Tip Top bread on a grand scale. Under the Ward family’s leadership—including grandsons Robert and George—the company grew into America’s largest commercial bakery by the 1920s, with automated production lines serving the East Coast. It faced union strikes and antitrust issues, leading to a 1926 split into entities like Continental Baking (which popularized Wonder Bread). The Brooklyn factory closed in 1995 and was demolished in the 2000s for development, marking the end of an era for industrial-scale baking in the borough.

Around the same time, German immigrants shaped the sweet side of Brooklyn’s offerings. Entenmann’s Bakery, opened in 1898 by William Entenmann on Broadway in Bushwick, began with door-to-door deliveries of cakes and breads via horse-drawn wagon. After relocating to Bay Shore, Long Island, in 1900 for health reasons, it expanded under William Jr., supplying elite families like the Vanderbilts. By the 1950s, it shifted to supermarket distribution, building a massive plant in 1961 and celebrating 125 years in 2023. Today, as part of Bimbo Bakeries USA, it remains famous for crumb cakes and donuts, though its Brooklyn roots are foundational.

Similarly, Ebinger’s Bakery, founded in 1898 by George and Catherine Ebinger on Flatbush Avenue near Cortelyou Road in Flatbush, specialized in German pastries and breads. It grew to over 50 locations across Brooklyn and Queens by the mid-20th century, becoming legendary for its Blackout Cake—a rich chocolate creation inspired by WWII blackout drills. Despite its popularity, financial woes led to bankruptcy and closure in 1972, leaving a void filled only by nostalgic recreations.

Jewish immigration from Eastern Europe in the early 1900s introduced kosher bakeries, particularly in neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Borough Park. These shops focused on challah, rugelach, babka, and bagels— the latter becoming a New York icon. Bagel production in Brooklyn involved labor-intensive hand-rolling by unionized workers, with “bagel famines” from strikes in the 1950s–60s highlighting their cultural importance. Establishments like those run by Rabbi Arthur Schick in the mid-20th century exemplified success, with family recipes enduring for generations.

Italian immigrants added their flair, with bakeries in Bensonhurst and Carroll Gardens producing prosciutto bread and sfogliatelle. Memories from the 1950s recall neighborhood bread bakeries churning out simple loaves in various sizes, distinct from cake-focused spots.

#### Mid-20th Century Boom and Challenges

The 1940s–1970s were a golden age, with bakeries like Ebinger’s and Ward at their peak amid post-war prosperity. However, rising costs, suburban flight, and supermarket competition led to closures. The 1970s saw newer but traditional-leaning spots emerge, such as Fortunato Brothers (1976) in Williamsburg, known for Italian ices and ricotta-filled pastries, and Villabate Alba (late 1970s) in Bensonhurst, famed for cannoli and marzipan fruits.

#### Surviving Icons Today

Several bakeries have endured by clinging to authenticity:

| Bakery | Founded | Location | Specialties | Survival Factors |

|——–|———|———-|————-|——————|

| Mazzola Bakery | Early 1900s | Carroll Gardens | Lard bread, prosciutto bread | Brick ovens, no-frills approach; sells out daily without advertising. |

| Caputo’s Fine Foods & Bakery | 1973 | Carroll Gardens | Crusty loaves, semolina bread, fresh mozzarella | Combined deli-bakery model; family feel with cooking tips. |

| Rimini Pastry Shop | 1973 | Bensonhurst | Lobster tails, biscotti, seasonal cakes | Nostalgic holiday specialties; multi-generational loyalty. |

| Brooklyn Bred (Damascus lineage) | 1930s roots | East Williamsburg | Flatbreads, pizza crusts | Blends tradition with modern supply to restaurants. |

| Pasticceria Monteleone BK | 2011 (generational recipes) | Carroll Gardens | Cannoli, pignoli cookies | Fresh-fried shells; holiday crowds. |

More recent additions like Alf Bakery in the East Village nod to Brooklyn’s influence with traditional loaves, but the borough’s essence lies in its faded giants and persistent family operations. Today, Brooklyn’s bakeries continue to evolve, blending heritage with innovation in a city that still craves a taste of the past.

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