There's nothing like a weekend stroll to your favorite bakery for a cup of coffee and a breakfast treat. From the most traditional, long-standing pasticcerias to the hottest new gluten-free vegan spots, there are plenty of establishments at which New Yorkers of all stripes can savor the aromas of fresh confections and indulge in a well-earned snack.
But sometimes you finds yourself in a situation where extra motivation to get out of bed is needed. In moments like those, it's nice to be able to check one's Instagram feed for a sneak peek of what lies in wait at a favorite bakery.
Here are some of the city's most beautiful bakery Instagram accounts for your viewing pleasure!
Cake Thieves Bakery at 116 Suffolk St. on the Lower East Side
Based out of the newly established Spreadhouse Coffee at 166 Suffolk on the Lower East Side, Cake Thieves Bakery is an all-vegan operation making donuts, fritters, brownies, savories and custom cakes. The company's tagline is "We make vegan things that don't taste vegan... 'Cause that would be gross." Every confection that appears on their Instagram is drool-worthy, particularly these apple fritters:
Robicelli's Bakery at 9009 5th Ave. in Bay Ridge
Allison Robicelli and her incredible creations are a Brooklyn Institution — and the Robicelli's Instagram showcases her handiwork while offering sweet peeks of her life outside the bakery.
Brooklyn Kolache at 520 Dekalb Ave. in Bed-Stuy
The winner of the Best Dessert category in our Brooklyn Brackets competition not only makes a mean Texas-style Czech pastry — they photograph well, too.
Arcade Bakery at 220 Church St. in TriBeCa
Perfect viennoiseries are a true art form, and bakeries that consistently produce them are few and far between. Arcade Bakery in TriBeCa is one of those places. And they also produce the gorgeous photo documentation to prove it.
Alfonso's Pastry Shoppe at 1899 Victory Blvd. in Castleton Corners on Staten Island
Alfonso's is a true Italian pasticceria as is evidenced by the dizzying arrangement of cookies below:
Dough Doughnuts at 448 Lafayette Ave. in Bed-Stuy and at 14 W. 19th St. in Flatiron
These days it seems like Dough is everywhere. Its Instagram feed, which features plenty of photos of doughnuts in transit with New York City bustling in the background, promotes that impression.
Four & Twenty Blackbirds at 439 3rd Ave. in Gowanus
Four & Twenty Blackbirds will bring out your inner Special Agent Dale Cooper with their casual (yet magazine-ready!) pie photography.
Ovenly at 31 Greenpoint Ave. in Greenpoint
You know a bakery has made it on Instagram when Marnie the Dog is one of its patrons. It also certainly doesn't hurt that the bakery happens to make the borough's premier salted chocolate chip cookie.
Black Seed Bagels at 170 Elizabeth St. in Nolita
While some New Yorkers consider it blasphemous that a shop in the bagel capital of the world would serve Montreal-style fare, there's no denying that Black Seed has a knack for taking photos that will inspire New York-style bagel pride in the hearts of even the most unmoving New Yorkers.