Williamsburg already has enough coffee shops, bakeries and restaurants to make a person wonder if anyone in the neighborhood actually owns a kitchen. But now, Chad Robertson’s Altbau is arriving—and this one might actually be worth leaving the apartment for.
Robertson, the co-founder of San Francisco’s legendary Tartine Bakery, is bringing his first New York bakery to Williamsburg at 184 North Eighth Street. And calling Altbau simply a bakery feels a little like calling Tartine “a place that sells bread.” The sprawling 7,500-square-foot space is designed as an all-day bakery and café, with bread, pastries, sandwiches, coffee and plenty of room for Robertson to experiment.
The name Altbau is German for “old building,” a nod to the character of the former warehouse Robertson and his team transformed. Inside, expect natural light, reclaimed materials and the kind of design that makes you briefly consider whether your own apartment could use a serious sourdough-inspired renovation.
But the real star is downstairs—and upstairs. Altbau will feature climate-controlled bread and pastry rooms, while the upper level will house a grain mill and teaching space for visiting bakers. Robertson is also focusing on regional grains, including East Coast wheat, with flour milled on-site.
The menu is expected to evolve, with early offerings including jambon-beurre, focaccia, teacakes and freshly baked bread. Robertson has also brought baker and chef Pam Yung into the project, adding another serious food-world brain to the operation.
And perhaps most importantly, Robertson insists Altbau isn’t simply Tartine 2.0. He’s looking to create something new rather than recreate his San Francisco success.
So, yes, Williamsburg is getting another bakery. But when the guy who helped turn sourdough into a cultural phenomenon opens one, you may want to get in line before everyone else does.
