THE SPOT: If you’ve ever taken a train or a bus in or out of New York, you’ve encountered Zaro’s Family Bakery. These take-out spots are an iconic local bakery that started in the Bronx in 1927 and are now mostly found at Grand Central, Penn Station, and Port Authority Bus Terminal. They were once heralded for their black and white cookies and challah bread, but now are mostly thought of by locals as a place to grab a mediocre bagel when heading out of town.
THE BLACK: The black had the color but absolutely no chocolate flavor. It was sadly the most bland chocolate I’ve ever tried and honestly, I’m not sure any actual chocolate made its way into the frosting.
THE WHITE: Wish I could say the white side fared betted but it also had no flavor aside from sugar and chemicals.
THE COOKIE: I sense a trend here with all parts of the cookie. The soft cookie was more like a crumbling biscuit with absolutely zero browned flavor and way too much butter.
It’s these kind of industrial recipes that really give the black and white cookie a reputation for being unappetizing. Lots of New Yorkers don’t like the actual cookie and it’s probably because they’ve been stopping at Zaro’s to bring it to their families in New Jersey.
THE RATING: 4 out of 10, which, is one of the lowest ratings I’ve given anything in a long time. Either Zaro’s has fallen hard or we have come much further as a food society and expect greater things. Sam is much less discerning and gave it a 7.
| ZARO’S FAMILY BAKERY |
| 625 Eighth Avenue (between West 41st and West 42nd Street), Inside Port Authority Bus Terminal (718) 993-5600 ext. 165 |
| 1 Pennsylvania Plaza (between West 33rd and West 34th Street), Inside Penn Station (718) 993-5600 ext. 158 |
| 89 East 42nd Street (between Vanderbilt and Park Avenue), Inside Grand Central Terminal (718) 993-5600 ext. 159 |
| order.zaro.com |
