Made in NYC Company of the Month - January 2011

One is immersed into an ethnic enclave walking down Brighton Beach Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. While absorbing the Eastern European culture —viewing signs written in Russian, hearing bits and pieces of the language being exchanged—one will find a strip of three stores, located between Brighton 12th and 13th Street, that belong to Olivia Sobolevsky and her family. Olivia’s family emigrated from Ukraine to Toronto in 1976 and began producing chocolates similar to those found in Ukraine. Their chocolate and smetanik business expanded into a larger assortment of baked goods and pastries when they started selling their products nationwide in 1983; growing even further into a wholesale market. In 1990, after opening a produce business on Brighton Beach Avenue, the family started La Brioche Bakery.

A strong whiff of fresh pastry fills the store from the wall to wall presentation of baked goods upon entering La Brioche. There is a tremendous range of cakes, biscuits, and pastries made from old family recipes passed down through the family over generations. The ingredients used in the pastries are natural and fresh; the lack of artificial flavoring is evident as you bite into a piece of their famous smetanik cake. This multiple layered sour cream cake is a delicious assembly of hand rolled dough, layered with sour cream and crunchy walnuts, topped off with condensed milk and more walnuts. The rich flavor, enhanced by the high degree of freshness, lingers in your mouth—it is no wonder why La Brioche’s smetanik was featured on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” with Alex Guarnaschelli. La Brioche’s napoleon cakes and rugelach pastries are among their top signature foods as well.

In addition to preserving these old family recipes, Olivia said that her family is constantly experimenting with new ones; coming up with unique and tasty treats that utilize the freshness of foods. Whole baked apple wrapped in warm pie crust, for instance, is a recipe item La Brioche recently began making. La Brioche Bakery is certainly creative and their desire to try new things explains the success seen in their business as they naturally evolve and continue to expand upon the deep ties they have with their community. By distributing their fresh baked goods to stores across Brooklyn Olivia Sobolevsky is able to bring her family's products to a wide range of customers.

La Brioche Bakery

1079 Brighton Beach Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11235

347-831-0055; 718-934-0731