Almondine Bakery

Almondine has been a DUMBO institution at 85 Water Street for years — a French bakery whose almond croissant is a benchmark for the form across all of Brooklyn. The exterior is unassuming, the interior is small and snug, and the seating is limited enough that it operates primarily as a grab-and-go destination for residents and tourists alike. The bread program (signature Almondine Baguette, multi-grain options, hand-shaped country breads) is taken as seriously as the pastry case. The coffee program plays a supporting role rather than a starring one — espresso drinks pulled competently and pour drip coffee that pairs naturally with the buttery, flaky output of the bakery. This isn't where you go for a single-origin pour-over, but it is where you go when you want a properly-made cappuccino alongside one of the best almond croissants in NYC. A reliable, time-tested neighborhood anchor that has outlasted most of the DUMBO openings around it.