Free Upper West Side News, Delivered To Your Inbox
A collaboration that’s been in the works for months has made its Upper West Side debut.
When Silver Moon Bakery shuttered back in March, co-owner and lead baker Judith Norell—who helped make the cherished shop what it was—was left without a place to call her own after 24 years. Enter Hazem Elgohary, who was already planning to open a new outpost of Buttercup Bake Shop at 2664 Broadway, between West 101st and 102nd streets. This space was previously home to Broadway Restaurant, which closed in 2023.
Advertisement
ILTUWS visited the new spot, currently operating under the moniker “No Name Bakery,” for its soft opening on Friday.
Inviting aromas filled the air as one employee dusted dough with flour in the window while we waited in a line that stretched out the door—but moved quickly. The space is certainly larger than the previous Silver Moon Bakery, and that extra room includes a downstairs area equipped with a dumbwaiter to quickly send baked goods up to several glass display cases. In fact, upon entry, the tall glass case to the left feels reminiscent of the old Silver Moon location—made of wood, with similar dimensions—housing options such as sourdough boule ($10.50), seeded ficelle ($5.50), and fig and pepper baguettes ($6.95), among others.
Advertisement
ILTUWS got to catch up for a few minutes amidst the hubbub with owner Hazem Elgohary, who bought the Buttercup Bake Shop business from two investors in 2017. During our visit, we picked up on their intention to mimic the familiar Silver Moon aesthetic.
“That was intentional, because we wanted to keep the flow the same,” said Elgohary. “In the original Silver Moon space, bakers were on the left, rolling the dough on the table. You’d see him to the left as you walk in—we tried to keep that essence going.” He added that they wanted to offer indoor seating for patrons but decided to dedicate the space to the bakers. You can sit outside, though, with room for eight currently. Elgohary also plans to install an awning soon.
Croissants of all kinds were sold out during our visit. Granola bars with raisins and nuts were by the register, along with chocolate chip cookies and premade sandwiches—mozzarella with pesto and tomato on a long roll, or smoked mozzarella, sun-dried tomato, lettuce, and pesto on a round bun. Several items did not have prices listed, including a case of cakes. One staffer told us they plan to rotate the menu depending on the day. We got a look at several price cards not yet posted, including ciabatta bread ($6.75), apricot brioche ($5.50), and a chocolate almond croissant ($6.50).
Advertisement
Silver Moon Bakery is printed on the cards currently displayed in the cases. We saw no cupcakes or any signage for Buttercup Bake Shop. During a visit earlier this month, we caught a glimpse of “Buttercup Bake Shop” on a digital display screen, but all screens were turned off today.
We did spot a coffee machine, which we were told is a new addition to the location. Elgohary confirmed to ILTUWS that they purchased the former Silver Moon equipment and brought on many of the previous employees from the former bakery.
Have a news tip? Send it to us here!
