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Brainchild of long-time friends Stephen Elliot and Robert Wu, this petite West Village bakery and café expands on the cream puff craze that's overtaking the city and endeavors to create foods as all-natural as possible. The two completely unlike foodstuffs—sweet cream-filled French puff pastries and savory Brazilian cheese breads known as paolitos—are a stirring duo. The powdered sugar-dusted cream puffs have a thick, flaky, and crunchy shell and are filled to order with custard or flavored whipped cream (vanilla made with actual vanilla beans, Belgian chocolate made with real chocolate shavings). For the paolitos, Elliot has created a smaller and more spherical version of the traditional variety. The standard ones come with New York cheddar or a combination of aged English farmhouse cheese and Grana Padano; other cross-cuisine flavors span the globe, from Chinese sausage to shiitake, porcini, and truffle oil. Fillings change to reflect the season and the chef's whim. Besides the eponymous delicacies, Elliot and Wu offer cookies, macaroons, candy bar-flavored cupcakes, an almond flour French pastry called a Friand, and an international array of specialty sandwiches, salads, and soups. — Andrew Sessa

Puff & Pao's beverage selection is as remarkable as its food choices, with apple-pear cider, almond milk, specialty espressos, and lychee iced tea among the more unusual drinks. You can also find coffee from at least three artisanal roasters, including the Philadelphia-based La Colombe.

Breakfast pao, $3.25; puffs, $1.75; paolitos, $2.95 for five