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Watchlist // SoHo
bakery · SoHo, Manhattan

Dominique Ansel Bakery

Where chef Dominique Ansel debuted the Cronut in 2013 — the croissant-doughnut hybrid that touched off a global pastry craze.

//Camera status
No camera yetdamnlines hasn't pointed a lens at this line — yet.
180 votes — top venues get cameras first
//The line

The line here is the Cronut's shadow. Chef Dominique Ansel introduced the croissant-doughnut hybrid at 189 Spring Street on May 10, 2013; by its third day a crowd of over 100 people had queued on the sidewalk, per Wikipedia. That queue became the shop's signature and never fully cleared — The Infatuation still lists the bakery in its ranking of NYC's longest restaurant lines, at #11.

The Infatuation's read is that the line's size 'depend[s] on how many tourists are hoping to film a taste test,' and that 'the weekends are a nightmare.' Its advice, repeated in both the line ranking and the bakery review, is to come on a weekday morning, when 'there probably won't be a wait.' The shop sells two separate viral items — the Cronut and the cookie shot — so not everyone in line is there for the same thing.

There is a documented way around the wait. Per the shop's own pre-order site, every Monday at 11am EST you can reserve 2 to 12 Cronuts per person for pickup the week two weeks out, then 'go straight to the cashier' instead of queuing; the bakery's FAQ also lists Cronuts on Caviar and DoorDash. damnlines does not run a camera at this venue, so everything here is reported by others, not measured by us.

//When the line peaks
  • Weekends: 'a nightmare,' driven by tourists 'hoping to film a taste test,' per The Infatuation's NYC longest-lines ranking (#11).
  • Weekday mornings: usually the off-peak window — 'there probably won't be a wait,' per The Infatuation's bakery review.
  • Historically worst at or before opening for the Cronut — 100+ people were queued by the pastry's third day in 2013, per Wikipedia.
  • Monthly Cronut flavor changes can spike interest; the Cronut flavor rotates each month, per The Infatuation.
Patterns as reported by press and regulars — not measured by damnlines. Sources below.
//Live lines nearby
//FAQ

How long is the line at Dominique Ansel Bakery?

There's no fixed number. The Infatuation ranks it #11 among NYC's longest restaurant lines and calls weekends 'a nightmare,' while noting a weekday morning usually has no wait. damnlines does not measure this line live.

What is the best time to go to Dominique Ansel Bakery?

The Infatuation advises a weekday morning, when 'there probably won't be a wait.' Weekends draw tourist crowds filming taste tests, per the same guide.

Do I have to wait in line for a Cronut?

Not necessarily. Per the shop's pre-order site, you can reserve 2 to 12 Cronuts per person every Monday at 11am EST for pickup two weeks out, and pre-order pickups skip the line straight to the cashier. Cronuts are also on Caviar and DoorDash, per the bakery's FAQ.

Where is Dominique Ansel Bakery and what are the hours?

189 Spring Street in SoHo, 10012, near the Spring St stop on the C/E. Per the shop's site, it opens at 8am daily and closes at 7pm Sunday through Thursday, 8pm Friday and Saturday.

Why is Dominique Ansel Bakery famous?

Per Wikipedia, chef Dominique Ansel launched the Cronut here on May 10, 2013 — the croissant-doughnut hybrid that set off a global craze and, by its third day, drew a line of over 100 people.

//Sources
Dominique Ansel Bakery Line — How Long Is the Wait? SoHo, NYC | damnlines