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Leske's Bakery
A historical Scandinavian Bakery in Bay Ridge, BrooklynAbout
Leske's Bakery opened in 1961 in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn—at the time, an enclave of the Scandinavian community in New York City. Leske's appealed to the broad demographic of Brooklyn by offering the old-world favorites that reflected the tastes of the bakery’s Italian, Irish and Norwegian neighbors: Irish soda bread, hot cross buns, Napoleons, limpa bread, Danishes, éclairs, tarts, and more. In addition, Leske's became known for its iconically Brooklyn fare—black & white cookies, Brooklyn blackout cake, and New York style cheesecake, to name a few.
The bakery quickly became the gold standard in the neighborhood, and found fame as a “must-see” in New York City guidebooks on culinary tours. It was a household name, the cake at every birthday party and the business that gave back to the community it served. In 1987, the original owners sold the shop, and its new owners took over while keeping the core values of the bakery the same. In 2011, after 50 years and to the devastation of the neighborhood, Leske's closed.
On the last day that it was to be open, a line snaked around the block as loyal customers lined 5th avenue and hoped for one last taste of Leske's famous treats.
In May of 2012, a rumor started to circulate throughout Bay Ridge—Leske's was opening again. Not only that, the grapevine said, but the same bakers would be there, baking the same classic treats. The story spread like wildfire throughout Bay Ridge, unconfirmed, as those who dreamed about one more taste of kringler held out hope. Finally, a sign appeared in the old shop window:
“Coming soon—same recipes, same bakers, same Leskes.” New owners and childhood friends Steven DeSimone and Steven Howe, along with Kenny Grande, relaunched Leske's on August 8, 2012 with everything that was beloved about the bakery, and more. Expanded offerings and catering capabilities modernized the classic shop, and additions like the Leskes loyalty club, The Kringler Klub, gave customers yet another reason to indulge. A beloved Brooklyn bakery, Leskes is the best of both worlds, old and new.
The bakery quickly became the gold standard in the neighborhood, and found fame as a “must-see” in New York City guidebooks on culinary tours. It was a household name, the cake at every birthday party and the business that gave back to the community it served. In 1987, the original owners sold the shop, and its new owners took over while keeping the core values of the bakery the same. In 2011, after 50 years and to the devastation of the neighborhood, Leske's closed.
On the last day that it was to be open, a line snaked around the block as loyal customers lined 5th avenue and hoped for one last taste of Leske's famous treats.
In May of 2012, a rumor started to circulate throughout Bay Ridge—Leske's was opening again. Not only that, the grapevine said, but the same bakers would be there, baking the same classic treats. The story spread like wildfire throughout Bay Ridge, unconfirmed, as those who dreamed about one more taste of kringler held out hope. Finally, a sign appeared in the old shop window:
“Coming soon—same recipes, same bakers, same Leskes.” New owners and childhood friends Steven DeSimone and Steven Howe, along with Kenny Grande, relaunched Leske's on August 8, 2012 with everything that was beloved about the bakery, and more. Expanded offerings and catering capabilities modernized the classic shop, and additions like the Leskes loyalty club, The Kringler Klub, gave customers yet another reason to indulge. A beloved Brooklyn bakery, Leskes is the best of both worlds, old and new.
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