Special-ed teacher Esther Rubinov is behind a new kosher dairy bakery on Troy Ave in Crown Heights, offering a European-style café experience. Full Story, Photos

By COLlive reporter

A new kosher dairy bakery is now open at 399 Troy Ave in Crown Heights, offering a European-style café experience centered around fresh pastries, quality ingredients, and a relaxed atmosphere.

Crisp & Crumb Cafe Bakery is a Cholov Yisroel patisserie under CHK supervision, featuring scratch-made desserts prepared on site. The menu includes fruit tarts, cheesecakes, meringue roulades, tiramisu, and other European-inspired pastries, along with coffee, tea, matcha, and milkshakes.

“We bake everything from scratch and focus on high-quality ingredients,” said co-owner Esther Rubinov. “The goal was to bring a European bakery feel to Crown Heights with desserts that are fresh and not overly sweet.”

The café also offers seating both indoors and outdoors, with a small outdoor area and additional indoor tables for customers who want to sit, work, or meet up with friends. It is located next door to Izzy’s Smokehouse and was previously Patis’s location in Crown Heights.

Neither Rubinov nor her husband, Yakov Rubinov, comes from a traditional baking background. Esther is a special education teacher at NYC Public Schools, while Yakov works in construction. She told COLlive the idea grew out of a shared vision rather than industry experience.

“This started as a vision for something we felt was missing in the neighborhood,” Rubinov said. “We wanted to bring something different and more European in style to the area.”

The name Crisp & Crumb was chosen to reflect the concept behind the bakery. “Crisp represents freshness and texture, and crumb is what’s left after enjoying something baked and fresh,” she explained.

The menu also includes gluten-free options such as pistachio raspberry and passionfruit desserts, along with layered cheesecakes, tiramisu, and brownie-based creations. Fresh berries are used instead of jams or syrups, and the desserts are designed to be lighter and less sweet than typical bakery items.

“What makes us different is the focus on freshness and balance,” Rubinov said. “Everything is made with real ingredients and attention to detail.”

While already open, the café is still in its early stage and is gradually building awareness in the community. The owners say they are continuing to refine and expand the menu, including plans for additional tea options, smoothies, and eventually savory items like salads and sandwiches.

As the space settles into the neighborhood, the goal is for it to become a steady local spot for coffee, pastries, and casual meetings throughout the day.

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Crisp&Crumb Cafe Bakery
399 Troy Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11213
516-998-0425
https://crispandcrumbnyc.com