Chef and owner Zachary Golper and his wife Kate Wheatcroft) opened up Bien Cuit in 2011. Golper had trained in bread and pastry at multiple locales from rural Oregon to France learning everything from the basic, and ancient techniques of bread making to pastry skills taught by a 3rd generation patissier. At Bien Cuit, the tradition of artisanal bread making lives on. In translation, bien cuit refers to the darkest, crunchiest loaves which are baked to the exact point of perfection. And perfection is certainly the goal at this bakery. If you’re out for a walk down the busy Smith Street in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill neighborhood (just a couple stops passed Brooklyn Heights on the F train) you’ll find a neighborhood filled with new artisan shops and local restaurants. Passing by, you would probably notice right away the simple glass store-front with the simple typing ‘Bien Cuit’ on the window. Stepping inside to join Brooklynites and young French families sipping from large mugs of coffee, you’ll be hit right away with the smell of freshly baked bread. A favorite on our Brooklyn Brownstone Eats Tour, this French bakery is so much more than your local bakery/coffee shop.
On their menu you’ll find a variety of breads from their “Miche” ( blended rye & wheat flour with a 68-hour fermentation) to the “Broa de Milho” (corn & wheat flours, fermented with milk), to more complex flavors such as their “Multi-Grain” (cracked rye with oats, spelt and sunflower) or the “Raisin Walnut “(sourdough with raisins, walnuts, and pink peppercorn). And then, of course, there are the pastries, sandwiches, quiche and tartines… We love the Almond Croissant (twice-baked with brandy) and the Fresh Fig Danish (made with Neufchatel cheese & fresh figs). Take your coffee break to the next gastronomic level, and have it with some deliciousness at Bien Cuit.