Buttercooky Bakery in Manhasset expands into café

Things are looking up for Manhasset, long a gastronomically challenged village. There’s the recent opening of the new gastropub Publicans, and a branch of Umberto’s Pizzeria is coming soon.

None of this has me more excited than the expansion of 12-year-old Buttercooky Bakery into the neighboring space on Plandome Road. The extra room has allowed owner Ben Borgognon to set up a light-filled, 40-seat café serving breakfast and lunch.

For breakfast: egg sandwiches on a homemade roll or bagel ($3.25 to $5.45) and oatmeal with such variations as Nutella and bananas or chai, raisins and walnuts ($4.95.) For lunch: soup ($3.95), quiche ($5.95), salads ($8.95) and panini ($9.95.) Anytime of day is good for a crepe ($8.95) or made-to-order waffle ($4.95 plus toppings).

Of course you can also have your choice among the scores of pastries in Buttercooky’s refrigerated cases. The bakery sells individual slices of its commendable seven-layer, carrot and tiramisu cakes, but I won’t rest until the chocolate fudge flower cake is also available by the slice.

A big slab of that classic cake — rich, moist chocolate layers separated by dark, not-too-sweet chocolate pudding and frosted with fudge — accompanied by a tall glass of milk is a treat not easily bested anywhere on Long Island.

Buttercooky Bakery & Café has its grand opening Friday, Feb. 17, and Town of North Hempstead supervisor Judi Bosworth will officially cut the ribbon at 10 a.m.

140 Plandome Rd., Manhasset, 516-627-1600, buttercookybakery.com

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