Vegan chef sensation Chloe Coscarelli would seem to already have more than enough going on in her life these days, what with her always-mobbed flagship by CHLOE in the Village, a newish outpost in the Flatiron and one coming to Soho, plus a West Coast branch in LA and two opening soon in Boston.
But no! Coscarelli, along with partner Samantha Wasser, are not even close to being done with their scheme for vegan world domination, and so yesterday unveiled their first stand-alone bakery, Sweets by CHLOE. Located right next door to the CHLOE that started it all on Bleecker Street, Sweets serves as a showcase for Coscarelli's considerable pastry prowess (she did win TV's Cupcake Wars in 2010, after all) with mountains of vegan baked goodies.
Sweets by CHLOE has some of Coscarelli's greatest hits (the frisbee-sized Cinnamon Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookie, for example), but most of the menu here is totally new. You can buy whole three-layer cakes in varieties like Birthday, Carrot, Mocha Almond Fudge, and Hummingbird, which is "almond-scented" with pineapple, coconut, and walnuts, and is delicious. Most of these are also available as ridiculously hefty slices.
Caramel Banana Bread ice cream (Scott Lynch /Gothamist)
There are cupcakes galore, of course (we hear the Peanut Butter and Jelly is a big winner), as well as a selection of heavenly-looking, individual-sized pies. Breakfasty treats such as Cinnamon Rolls and Matcha Blueberry Muffins go well with Sweets's expansive coffee (hot and cold-brewed) and Bellocq Atelier tea programs. Raspberry Goji Bars, Black-and-White Cookies, cute little bottles of flavored almond milk, hunks of Matcha Chocolate Babka, Grapefruit Poppyseed Muffins... there is a staggering array of 100% vegan, 100% kosher treats here.
And Coscarelli and Wasser recently acquired Alchemy Creamery, the outfit that's been delighting vegans (and non-vegans) with their ice "cream" for a few years now at festivals and Fleas. At Sweets you can get scoops of the stuff in new collab flavors—the Caramel Banana Bread is superb—in cups or cones, with (presumably environmentally-friendly) push-pops coming soon.
There are only a couple of tables inside the bakery, and then just a few more out on the sidewalk (most of which will inevitably be snagged by CHLOE spillover diners), so you might have to get your goodies to go.
Sweets by CHLOE is located at 185 Bleecker Street just east of Macdougal, and is open on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and on weekends from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (bychefchloe.com/sweets)
