A lack of direct subway access has preserved the character of the bakery’s Red Hook neighborhood in Brooklyn. “People actually know each other on the street—friends help out friends, neighbors give each other rides into the city,” Matt said. “That just doesn’t happen anywhere else in New York.” Matt and Renato think of Baked as many things: a neighborhood hangout, a lab for trying out new desserts, and a classic bakery that focuses on everything in the American baked-goods spectrum. And with regular customers, the Baked owners feel like they’ve gotten to know the area and have become a part of the neighborhood, as well.
