Moeh Hayakawa
Sure, you can walk over to your neighborhood bakery and order the same generic sweets. The staple danish dessert made by some nameless, nondescript bakery in Manhattan, shipped to your neighborhood to be frozen for weeks. The usual five-layer cake soaked from the defrosted condensation that’s made the cake into a tasteless, insipid sponge. Then there’s Diane’s—the bakery that outshines all others in offering exceptional bakery products that can satisfy the most discerning sweet tooth. Just try anything sweet, and you’ll be coming back for more.
Hidden underneath the Northern Boulevard overpass in Roslyn, Diane’s Bakery Cafe is usually hard to locate. The exterior of the building is a two story, home-like superstructure. Not standing out much because of its presence and its location, one might say the bakery is a hidden treasure. Although the bakery’s dull appearance may cause a potential customer to walk right by, inside, delicious sweets await.
The moment you enter the bakery, you are greeted with the scent of fresh baked goods. The first thing you see is a display of all the delicately placed desserts: pies, tarts, squares, butter cookies, cakes, muffins, scones, and many more.
With only five tables on the first floor, the staircase located in the middle of the cafe leads to a second floor with more tables. Order before sitting down, though, because there is actually no service at this bakery. You simply have to bring everything to your table and clean up after yourself. The second floor provides a calming atmosphere with little noise, despite being near a busy road.
Opened in 1982, Diane’s Bakery Cafe has been making fresh sweets daily. All of their baked goods are made from scratch in small batches to provide the most crispy, warm, and ooey-gooey desserts.
After debating for a few minutes, I decided to buy their most popular sweet: cookies. Out of the huge spectrum of flavors, I chose the pecan sandy, chocolate chocolate chip, vanilla shortbread, and oatmeal coconut. Unlike store bought cookies, all of the ones I purchased had the same familiar, home-made flavor, just like the ones that were made in grandma’s oven. At the same time, each had its own flavor. While the oatmeal coconut had a delicate crisp, the pecan sandy crumbled and fell apart softly into my mouth. The chocolate chocolate chip cookie was not like any ordinary chocolate cookie; it had a rich, deep flavor that left a pleasant aftertaste in my mouth. A widely-known dessert, the vanilla shortbread, was different from the ones you would find on a shelf at Walmart. I could taste the individual ingredients—from the vanilla bean to the rich butter. This experience made me understand that the cookies were expensive for a reason.
Diane’s Bakery Cafe also consists of more than just desserts. A panini cafe is located behind the bakery (same building), which features an array of fresh salads, paninis, pastas and wraps. This way, you can decide whether you are craving a savory dish or a sweet dessert. A standard sweet or baked good can vary anywhere from about $25 per pound and up. Although the cost is quite pricy, it is well worth the flavor and the enjoyment.
While the Daily Bakery Menu is wonderful, the bakery also provides a Daily Cafe Menu, Passover Bakery Menu, and Passover Cafe Menu. The Daily Cafe Menu includes meals such as salads, paninis, and quiches. The Passover Menus are special and include luxury items such as macarons and au jus’ which can total up to $100. If you are just looking to stay for coffee and a few snacks, stick with the daily menus.
From indulgent, moist coffee cakes, to savory scones and salads, Diane’s is the perfect place to catch up on “me” time or to hang out with friends and family. Regardless of weather or time of day, this bakery creates a warm, casual, atmosphere where people can enjoy great food and time with others. Diane’s Bakery Cafe is like a breath of fresh air and a tasty one at that; it always satisfies and leaves you feeling content.
