Charlotte Patisserie Brings Its Old-World Pastry Craft to Chelsea

Chelsea is about to welcome a familiar name with a devoted following. Charlotte Patisserie, the Greenpoint bakery café celebrated for its refined European desserts, opens its first Manhattan location on January 15, 2026, at 78 7th Avenue, at the corner of 15th Street. For New Yorkers who have made the trip to Brooklyn for its pastries, the move feels less like an expansion and more like a natural next chapter.

Founded in Greenpoint more than a decade ago, Charlotte Patisserie has earned its reputation through quiet consistency. Everything is crafted in-house, guided by classical technique and a restrained approach that favors balance over excess. That philosophy carries into the new Chelsea outpost, a 700 square foot space designed to feel intimate and neighborhood-focused rather than grand.

Charlotte Patisserie is helmed by sibling duo Michael Lechowicz, the pastry chef, and Magda Stefanske, the owner-operator. Together, they have built a bakery rooted in tradition, one that draws from French pastry foundations while honoring their Polish heritage. The Chelsea opening marks their first Manhattan presence, bringing the same attention to detail and hands-on production that defined the original Greenpoint café.

At the Chelsea location, the pastry case will feature a rotating selection of cakes that highlight both technical skill and layered flavor. Offerings include Duet, a composed combination of white chocolate, milk chocolate, and hazelnut crunch, alongside Black Currant Lemon and Bourbon Chocolate Pecan. These sit alongside staples that have become signatures over the years, including Opera Cake with almond sponge soaked in coffee syrup, chocolate ganache, and coffee buttercream.

Seasonal fruit and nut tarts anchor the menu throughout the year, joined by macarons, truffles, crème brûlée, and salted caramel. The selection reflects a commitment to classic European desserts rather than trend-driven creations, appealing to guests who value familiarity executed with precision.

The bakery’s defining specialty is pączki, traditional Polish doughnuts filled with jelly or cream. At Charlotte Patisserie, they are offered in flavors such as rose hip, plum butter, prune, raspberry, and vanilla bean custard. The Chelsea opening is timed just ahead of Pączki Day, a Polish-American tradition celebrated on Fat Tuesday, which takes place this year on February 17. For many longtime patrons, the holiday has become synonymous with Charlotte’s kitchen.

In addition to pastries and cakes, the Manhattan location introduces a café gourmand experience. Rooted in French dining culture, the ritual pairs espresso with a curated assortment of mignardises, or bite-sized sweets. The format allows guests to sample several petit fours in one sitting, offering a more leisurely way to experience the bakery’s range without committing to a single dessert.

Charlotte Patisserie’s Chelsea café opens at 78 7th Avenue, at the corner of 15th Street, with daily hours from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The expansion brings a well-established Brooklyn institution into Manhattan without altering what made it beloved in the first place.