Photo: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar via Flickr
It’s a staple of display cases and dessert orders for many Upper West Siders — and now a panel of celebrated chefs has declared it one of the best of its kind anywhere in the country. After plenty of tasting and no shortage of spirited debate, this neighborhood favorite landed the very top spot.
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The treat in question is Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding, which landed the No. 1 spot in the Sweets category on the new ranking series Food Network’s Top 10. The honor was decided by a roster of acclaimed chefs including Esther Choi, Ayesha Nurdjaja, Owen Han, Kardea Brown and Rocco DiSpirito, who weighed in on the dishes they consider most crave-worthy in the country.
c/o Magnolia Bakery
For locals, the win hits close to home. Magnolia’s neighborhood shop sits at 200 Columbus Avenue, on the corner of 69th Street, where the banana pudding has long been a fixture of the display case alongside the bakery’s signature cupcakes. The chain recently expanded the dessert’s footprint even further, introducing a dedicated banana pudding bar about a year ago.
The recognition caps a milestone stretch for the brand. Magnolia first opened on Bleecker Street in 1996 and built its early fame partly through a cameo-driven cultural moment, when a scene in “Sex and the City” turned its cupcakes into a citywide obsession. The UWS location opened in 2008, and now, the bakery is marking its 30th anniversary — and a national No. 1 ranking is a fitting way to celebrate.
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Chief Brand and Baking Officer Bobbie Lloyd shared on Instagram that the team filmed with the network back in March without knowing where the pudding would ultimately land in the countdown, calling the top finish an honor.
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