Astoria Bakery With 'Stellar' Pastries Lands Glowing Review

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Bench Flour Bakers on 25th Avenue in Astoria opened a few weeks ago, but it already has a line out the door and a host of glowing reviews — most recently including a write-up from Gothamist.

The bakery, located at 43-18 25th Avenue, was featured in the site's food column, and described as an "instant hit" by art and food writer Scott Lynch.

Lynch sampled the "accomplished baked goodies" and "monster breakfast sandwiches" made by the bakery's co-owners, and partners, Christine Yen and Joe DeMato.

The duo met in 2017, when Yen was serving pastries at local events — a break from her day job as head baker at Baked in Tribeca — and DeMato was running a breakfast sandwich-centered food truck.

They quickly became business partners, and then life partners, and signed a lease in 2018, hoping to open up Bench Flour Bakers in March of 2020.

Then, the pandemic hit, putting their plan on hold. Instead of opening a brick-and-mortar shop, the pair turned to Instagram deliveries, braving the city's traffic for hours at a time to deliver fresh loaves of bread and baked goods across the five boroughs.

After a trying year, opening the shop is a "dream come true," Yen told Gothamist. "We've been doing this for a long time and we've always wanted a shop of our own, and to have the response that we've had, people lining up... it's amazing. You can't help but cry happy tears," she said.

Lynch described the space as "cute and country feeling," noting that Yen and DeMato are working on getting a beer and liquor license, so they can offer drink and dessert pairings, and maybe a small food menu.

Their existing menu, though, is already "stellar," Lynch says. He especially recommends the cranberry, almond frangipane, chocolate danish for its "lovely flavor" and "nice textural balance," as well as the yuzu matcha morning bun, which is "pleasantly chewy.

For something savory, Lynch raves about DeMato's make-your-own breakfast sandwiches: he built one with sausage, runny fried eggs, spinach, and cheese on a milk bun, and says "it ruled."

Read the full Gothamist review, "Bench Flour Bakers Bring Stellar Pastries And Breakfast Sandwiches To Astoria" here.