If you've ever had the pleasure of traveling across Europe, you might find one of the continent's pleasantries the daily availability of fresh baked goods. Bakeries are about as bountiful as bodegas.
Well, one Italian bakery, Ciao, Gloria in Prospect Heights, brings that experience to Brooklyn residents. And apparently its baked goods are so delicious, it is a finalist for "Bakery of the Year," in the 2019 Eater Awards, beating out hundreds of other contenders across the five boroughs! They were selected by a month-long nomination period amongst Eater's readers.
What's even more impressive is that Ciao, Gloria, located on Vanderbilt Avenue, is a newbie in Brooklyn: It just opened this summer! It will face off against Win Son Bakery in Williamsburg, Farine Baking Company in Jackson Heights; and Ole & Steen and Fabrique Bakery in Manhattan.
Renato Poliafito, the former co-owner and co-founder of the popular eatery Baked in Red Hook, Brooklyn, reunited with the former head baker at Baked, Ginger Fisher Baldwin to bring an Italian-spired menu of sweet treats, ranging from croissants filled with fresh pistachio crema, Neapolitan tri-color bars, ciambellone, olive oil citrus bundt cakes, amaretti cookies, biscotti and more.
On the savory side you might find crispy prosciutto atop a fluffy frittata square and scamorza cheese and a dollop of Calabrian Chile-spiked aioli on homemade brioche, to Italian hero sandwiches to grain bowls and more.
"All of these finalists have either opened or come into their own in a new way since we declared the winners last year, and all of them were key contributors to making 2019 a great year of eating in New York," Eater wrote. "Winners will be crowned, with much fanfare, on December 10, 2019."
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