Orwashers: 110 Years of New York Baking, with an Eye on What’s Next

As part of our ongoing visits with members of the Cercle V community, our team recently stopped by one of New York City’s most enduring bakery institutions: Orwashers, at its original Upper East Side location.

Founded in 1916, Orwashers has been part of the fabric of New York for more than a century. Originally established by the Orwasher family to serve the neighborhood’s Eastern European community, the bakery built its reputation on traditional rye, black, and grain breads that offered customers a taste of home. Today, that legacy still lives on, alongside a broader menu of breads, pastries, cookies, and viennoiseries that reflects both New York tradition and the evolving tastes of the city.

This year, Orwashers is celebrating 110 years of baking in New York. And under the leadership of owner Keith Cohen, the bakery continues to honor its roots while pushing forward with the same energy, care, and standards that made it iconic in the first place.

A New York Institution, Reimagined with Respect for its Roots

When Keith Cohen acquired Orwashers at the end of 2007, the bakery was already 92 years old and deeply rooted in the neighborhood. But like many heritage businesses, it needed both preservation and renewal. Keith, who is now celebrating 31 years in the bread business, saw the opportunity clearly.

Over the years, he has carefully restored and expanded the business while preserving the spirit of the original shop. Historic elements such as the ceilings and architectural details remain, grounding the bakery in its past even as the brand evolves. Today, Orwashers has grown beyond its Upper East Side beginnings, with multiple retail locations and a wholesale business serving top restaurants and specialty retailers.

Still, this original store remains something special.

“It’s definitely one of the oldest standing bakeries in New York City,” Keith says. “And one of the oldest in the country.”

What Sets Orwashers Apart

Ask Keith what defines Orwashers, and his answer is immediate: the product and the people. For him, the two are inseparable.

“The major things that make Orwashers successful are the product, the people, and the ingredients,” he explains. “You have to be demanding: of your staff, of your product, and of what ingredients you source.”

That philosophy is visible throughout the bakery. From the front-of-house team welcoming neighborhood regulars, to the bakers working behind the scenes, there is a clear sense of pride and consistency. Orwashers may be over a century old, but it is far from resting on its reputation.
“There’s always a way to make something better.” Keith says.

That mindset applies to every item on the menu. Rather than thinking only about the bakery as a whole, Keith focuses on each product individually, always asking how it can be improved, refined, or elevated.

A Bakery Built on Bread, & Much More

Orwashers remains best known for the breads that shaped its identity: rye bread, pumpernickel, sourdough, and other New York staples that continue to resonate with generations of customers.

But over the years, the bakery has also developed a broader pastry and viennoiserie offering that has become central to its success. Among the products currently drawing the most attention are the Chocolate Chip Cookie, Almond Lace Cookie, Za’atar Olive Stick, Sourdough Bread, and Pistachio Croissant.
Each reflects the same commitment to sourcing, balance, and flavor that defines the rest of the bakery.

Celebrating One Year of the Almond Lace Cookie

One product getting special attention this year is the Almond Lace Cookie, which is now celebrating its one-year anniversary. Delicate, crisp, and deeply satisfying, the cookie has quickly become one of Keith’s personal favorites, and a standout example of how premium ingredients can transform a familiar classic.

“One of the key parts of it is the chocolate dip,” he says. “It really changes the whole dynamic of the cookie.” For that finishing touch, Keith turned to Valrhona. “It gives a richness that I just don’t get from other chocolates,” he explains. “Quite honestly, I think our lace cookies are probably the best around.”

He credits not only the chocolate, but the overall sourcing philosophy behind the cookie’s success: high-quality butter, careful formulation, and a refusal to compromise on ingredients. “You get what you put into it,” he says. “If you don’t use great ingredients, you’re not going to get a great product.”

Why Valrhona

Keith first began working with Valrhona while developing what he hoped would become one of the bakery’s signature products: a truly exceptional chocolate chip cookie. When Orwashers expanded to the Upper West Side in 2015, he wanted to deepen the bakery’s pastry offering and started by looking for the best possible chocolate.

“I wanted to use the best chocolate,” he says. “I looked it up, asked industry professionals, and landed on Valrhona.”

Since then, Valrhona has become part of several key products at Orwashers, including the Chocolate Chip Cookie, Brownies, and the Almond Lace Cookie.

Keith is direct about why he continues to choose it.
“It’s so much better than everything else,” he says. “People have done taste tests for me over the years, and every single time I pick the one with Valrhona.”

For him, the d ifference is not theoretical: it is clearly reflected in the finished product.

“People say once you bake it, you can’t taste the difference. That’s not true. You absolutely can.”

That commitment is something he is proud to share openly with customers, which is why Valrhona appears on the menu. “It’s important for people to know when you’re using a premium ingredient,” he says. “A lot of people already know the brand, and they understand what that means.”

And he sees this as only the beginning. “I want to come out with more products using Valrhona,” he says. “I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Looking Ahead, Without Compromising

For all its history, Orwashers is not a bakery focused only on the past. Keith speaks about the future with the same intensity he brings to the present: continuing to improve, continuing to grow, and refusing to settle.

“This is never going to be a mid bakery,” he says with a laugh. “It’s just never going to happen here.”

That line says a lot about Orwashers. After 110 years, the bakery still carries the discipline, pride, and neighborhood spirit that made it matter in the first place, while continuing to evolve product by product, ingredient by ingredient. In a city where institutions come and go, that kind of longevity is rare. That kind of consistency is even rarer.

And at Orwashers, both are still baked in every day.

Follow our visit to Orwashers on Instagram @valrhonaUSA and take a closer look behind the scenes of one of New York City’s oldest standing bakeries.

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