Vegan bakery in New York City: Fragile Flour delights with its vast array of sweets.

[Editor’s Note: Fragile Flour sadly closed its doors August 2023. However, Lady Ashton is still creating vegan baked goods. Reach out directly to her if you’d like to secure some vegan cake in NYC]

Updated: Sept. 27, 2023

Tucked into a sliver of a first floor in a pre-war East Village building is Fragile Flour. Created and owned by Overthrow Hospitality, the vegan juggernaut of restaurant groups, this cozy, brick-walled spot is a rarity in the plant-based world — it’s an entire vegan bakery. IMO, it’s the best vegan bakery in Manhattan. Or the country.

A few little pedestal tables make up the “dining room” and, beyond that lies what customers come for: Baker Lady Ashton‘s glass case filled with decadent sweets.

Here, vegan cupcakes filled with chocolate cream or gooey marshmallows or fruit jam are lined up. Black and white cookies overlap each other. Fruit tarts glimmer through the case as wide-eyed visitors take it all in.

Next to the massive display is a spinning cake stand with fresh, gorgeous cakes towering at least three layers high loll around, encased in glass. The chalkboard sign invites you to grab a slice, or hell, take home the entire, marvelous cake. (And yes, there are plenty of gluten-free options, including vegan and gluten-free cake.)

Behind the counter, wine bottles line the wall. Because, after all, what good is a vegan dessert shop without some vegan wine to wash it down? Should you find yourself with some time to give in to the utter indulgence of the space, devour a slice and sip.

“I guess I’ll take a little of everything to showcase,” I sigh, utterly overwhelmed and feeling like I’ve stumbled into this embarrassment of riches without a true game plan.

So, we get to work selecting the different desserts I will sample.

A slice of the raspberry iced cake.

A slice of the Funfetti cake.

A popcorn cookie (made with corn flour and sprinkled with salt. While the team assure me it tastes like popcorn, I don’t taste it. But, it’s still damn good.)

A S’mores cupcake.

A strawberry cream cookie.

And so much more.

As per usual, I set up my camera to document the lavish vegan treats now set up on the table in varying heights (because we’ve got to make it look good, ya know?).

I get to work, delicately forking the cake and letting it sit and soak into my tongue. It’s sweet. Moist. The icing is light, fluffy, and doesn’t leave a film of oil most vegan icings tend to leave on your lips. I smile, delighted by the treat.

Then, it’s on to the cupcake. Because content. I cut into it, slowly taking the knife and moving it into the center before guiding the pieces apart and splaying the middle so everyone can see the oozing marshmallow inside.

Finally, it’s the cookie break.

For some reason, social media loves a good break, and I split the cooking apart with my thumbs slowly, making sure every tiny crumb is captured on camera, before stacking the pieces together so the innards — a swirl of blonde cookie and light pink strawberry creme are on perfect display.

Is Fragile Flour worth a visit? Absolutely. It’s the best vegan dessert spot I’ve ever been to, even if I don’t get the popcorn cookie.

1227 E. 7th St., New York, NY 10009; Weds. – Fri.: 2 p.m. – 9 p.m., Sat.: noon – 9 p.m., Sun.: noon – 5 p.m.