CHEESECAKE REVIEW: S&S Cheesecake

My search for the best cheesecake in New York continues….

Picking up a cheesecake from S&S is a little like a scene from the Mission: Impossible series. Taking the subway all the way up to Kingsbridge in the Bronx is an adventure unto itself. But then making it inside the bakery is daunting.

I was eager to try this much-lauded cheesecake and I had called to confirm they would be open. You can’t reach an actual person; only an answering machine that says they are open for pick-up weekdays and Sundays until 3pm. I had arrived on a Thursday a little bit after 2pm. The gated door was not terribly welcoming. It almost looked like the business had shuttered. And the door itself was locked.

A little buzzer on the side beckoned, but nobody answered at first. I tried calling again, looking for another entrance, and then finally buzzing again. This would have been a very frustrating failed mission if I left the Bronx cheesecake-less.

Eventually, I was buzzed inside to what looked like a garage or storage space. Nothing about this screamed retail. But I asked the guy who greeted me if I could buy a cheesecake. The answer, thankfully, was yes.

After deciding on a flavor (I always stick with the classic) and forking over $15, I was back on the street and the interior of the commercial bakery was a memory. Now my only mission was to taste it.

When I got home, I popped the cake in the refrigerator and held off until a family get-together the following day. With some classic New York cheesecake in tow, I was the hit of the party.

This is one of the few remaining kosher cheesecakes in NYC and it was excellent. The all cream cheese-base was very smooth and clean with a delightful mouthfeel. Thanks to perfectly browned edges, the spongey crust had a nice crispness that felt like a soft continuation of the cake as opposed to a firm ending.

Flavorwise, it leans on the sweeter side, but a balanced tartness was present and made for a very happy family gathering. It was an excellent example of the classic New York cream cheese based cake. And it’s worth all the hoops you have to jump through and the missions you must accomplish to get your hands on this. Or you could just find a slice at one of the restaurants (like Peter Luger) that they supply to. Either way, you want to try this and cue the spy music now.

Does S&S Cheesecake have the best cheesecake in NY? Amazingly, it is the third place I’m awarding 10 out of 10 so it is certainly one of the best and a perfect example of the classic New York style.