
The West Village has been serving as the new testing ground for L'Appartement 4F, a favorite among Brooklyn's baked goods aficionados. Having already cultivated a following in Brooklyn Heights for their delicate hand-rolled croissants and the Instagram-ready croissant cereal, the bakery's owners, Ashley and Gautier Coiffard, have begun a soft launch of their Manhattan outpost, with the scent of fresh pastries wafting from their 119 W. 10th St. location, according to Crain's New York.
The bakery, which started as a pop-up in the couple's own apartment before permanently setting up shop in Brooklyn in 2022, is known for causing quite the stir, with long queues often snaking around blocks for a taste of their now-famous Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies and sway-worthy Cinnamon Rolls. This time, nestled within the historic walls of a building that once belonged to culinary legend James Beard, L'Appartement 4F is not just whispering hellos to its new neighbors but is already, perhaps a tad prematurely, drawing in crowds with sample bakes and surprise openings. Time Out New York mentions the cult-like devotion the bakery has earned, a fact that's hardly surprising given the level of confectionary craft on display.
The property's backstory adds to its allure; the West Village building, bought by Beard in 1959 and used for his cooking school until 1974, carries a culinary torch that has been passed to the Coiffards. Fast forward to the present, and we find Derby Copeland Capital, a private equity firm, as the current owner of the turn-of-the-20th-century brick rowhouse, who seems quiet on the topic, having not responded to requests for comment.
With no grand opening date set, the Coiffards are keeping specifics such as rent cost and renovation expenses under wraps. However, the new takeout-only location is expected to mirror the fan-favorite menu from the original shop in Brooklyn. "The cat's out of the bag a little bit," Ashley Coiffard told Crain's New York, emphasizing the informal nature of their current operations and their eagerness to become part of the local fabric.