Mah-Ze-Dahr.

Mah-Ze-Dahr in the West Village is a small bakery on Greenwich Ave that punches way above its weight. Their chocolate cake is dense and fudgy with layers that practically melt the second they hit your tongue. Everything here is made with an almost obsessive attention to quality that you can taste in every bite.

She’s lovingly called a banker-turned-baker, and let me tell you, we are all the better for it; she’s incredibly talented. The bakery lives up to the name by offering years of world-travel experience that shines through in the various assortments of baked foods, and nowhere is this more evident than in the incredible assortment of cakes.

The chocolate cake, aptly called The Devil in Ganache, is known to induce dreams for months after. It’s rich, dense, and oh, so satisfying! There’s no denying that Mah-Ze-Dahr is one of the best bakeries for chocolate cake in New York City. But don’t just take my word for it; order a slice next time you’re in the West Village!

The owner, Umber Ahmad is a James Beard Award semi-finalist (a huge deal in the food world) who left the lofty confines of the financial world to pursue her dream of baking. She’s lovingly called a banker-turned-baker, and let me tell you, we are all better for it, she’s incredibly talented.

The cheesecake is incredibly light (which has fooled me into eating more than I should have) and has a tasty, lemon zest with every bite. It’s refreshing, which can’t be said of most rich cheesecakes in NYC.

The owner of Mah-Ze-Dahr, Umber Ahmad is a James Beard Award semi-finalist (a huge deal in the food world) who left the lofty confines of the financial world to purse her dream of baking. She’s lovingly called a banker-turned-baker, and let me tell you, we are all better for it, she’s incredibly talented.

The West Village bakery lives up to the name by offering years of world-travel experience that shines through in the various assortments of baked foods. And nowhere is this more evident than in the incredible brioche donut. The treat is large, fluffy and fried to perfection. You’ll find folks (at least the smart ones) ordering two or more donuts at a time since they know they’re some of the best in NYC.

Inspired by her world travels, the bakery’s name comes from the Urdu word that describes the “taste and essence of food, the flavor and magic that make it delicious.”