Another sweet (and savory) spot is coming to the Upper East Side, with Angelina Bakery preparing to open its newest shop at 1649 Third Avenue, between 92nd and 93rd streets – formerly home to Fetch Bar & Grill.
Advertisement
The chef behind the Asian-Italian fusion bake shop is Antonio “Tony” Park, a food entrepreneur who, according to Forbes, has had a stake in both Essen and Paris Baguette as a real estate manager. Park’s hospitality group, QB Hospitality, is behind Angelina’s three Midtown locations, as well as several other restaurants in the city. This will mark Park’s first foray to the Upper East Side.
Get East Side Feed In Your Inbox
Angelina opened its first location at 575 Eighth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen in 2019 and, after closing a Central Park outpost during the pandemic, opened store number two at 1675 Broadway in 2021. Additional locations are opening near Grand Central and in Koreatown (this appears to have previously been an Angelina “Gelateria”).
Park says the bakery, which is named for his daughter, is inspired by his own background. He is of Korean descent but was born in Palermo, Italy and, according to Angelina’s website, was “raised from a young age by an Italian family.” He went on and “studied pastry” in Italy before moving to the United States in his 20s. Park told amNY in 2021 that he “wanted to make something that had an Italian basis with an Asian twist.”
Angelina serves a bomboloni inspired by Korean donuts, resulting in a lighter twist on the Italian classic. This particular item was featured in Eater’s “Doughnuts Done Right in NYC” roundup, published in August 2023. In November, it was highlighted again in the publication’s list “9 Sugary, Custard-Filled Bomboloni To Try.”
View this post on Instagram
Angelina’s bomboloni comes in several flavors like cannoli, tarts, mousse and pistachio, which seems to be the favorite. When they opened in 2019, The New York Times called out their four cheese focaccia as especially tasty. They also have a pasta menu, sandwiches and more. Prices are not listed on their website, but you can find them on DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Advertisement
Angelina also gained attention with their viral “burn cakes” last year. These cakes feature a top layer of rice paper which can be burned away to reveal a second design underneath. While Delish says these can first be attributed to a Canadian bakery, Angelina jumped on the bandwagon quickly once they started popping up on TikTok.
East Side Feed reached out to Angelina Bakery for more information on the opening, but has not yet heard back. You can follow them at @angelinabakerynyc on Instagram for developments.
Maybe some healthful breads to go with the tide of sweet treats on the UES?