Brooklyn’s cult favorite Radio Bakery is officially crossing the river. The bakery that has inspired around-the-block lines for its laminated croissants and sellout focaccia sandwiches is opening its first Manhattan shop on the Upper West Side in 2027, taking over the former Park West Pharmacy space on Columbus Avenue between West 82nd and 83rd Streets. The new spot is expected to offer the same seasonal pastries and bread-focused lunch menu that turned it into a viral destination, so neighbors should brace for serious breakfast and midday crowds once the doors open next year.
A spokesperson confirmed the expansion in a statement to Time Out, saying, "Next year, Radio Bakery officially enters Manhattan with its highly anticipated new shop on the Upper West Side." The spokesperson told Time Out that the bakery is aiming for a 2027 opening at 463 Columbus Avenue, although there is still no precise opening date.
Where It Is Going And What It Takes Over
According to West Side Rag, the new Upper West Side shop will occupy the former Park West Pharmacy storefront, with four floors of apartments stacked above. The Columbus Avenue location will be Radio Bakery’s third shop, joining its Greenpoint flagship and a Prospect Heights outpost, a slow and steady expansion that Eater New York has been tracking. The Prospect Heights location drew long lines in its first days, and the Greenpoint original built a devoted following soon after it opened in 2023.
Who Is Behind The Croissants
Co-owner and pastry chef Kelly Mencin runs the operation, bringing experience from Bouchon and Gramercy Tavern, according to StarChefs. Mencin was named a StarChefs Rising Star in 2025, and the bakery’s meteoric rise earned it a spot on The New York Times list of the best bakeries in America, a nod that helped push Radio Bakery into the national spotlight.
What To Expect
Upper West Siders can look forward to laminated, stuffed and seasonal croissants, cheesy pretzel bear claws and rotating focaccia sandwiches that tend to sell out by mid-afternoon, as detailed by Time Out. Bon Appétit has also highlighted Radio Bakery’s focaccia-making process, underscoring how central bread and sandwiches are to the menu.
How It Fits The Neighborhood
The stretch of Columbus Avenue that Radio Bakery is joining is already well stocked with notable carb purveyors. Modern Bread & Bagel, Billy’s Bakery and a nearby Orwashers are all in the mix, so Radio will be entering a competitive, very carb-forward corridor, according to I Love the Upper West Side. Whether Manhattan customers will tolerate Brooklyn-style lines on a weekday morning is an open question, but the crowds at past openings suggest patience will be part of the price of admission.
For now, Radio Bakery has not offered anything more specific than "sometime in 2027" for the Upper West Side debut, and publication reporting indicates there is still no firm timetable, according to West Side Rag. Fans can keep an eye on the bakery’s official site and social channels for updates, and if the Greenpoint and Prospect Heights rollouts are any indication, they should also be ready for a line and the occasional sold-out sign on Columbus Avenue.
