NYC Restaurants

In the still industrial section of Gowanus (on the border with Brooklyn's Park Slope) you'll find Four & Twenty Blackbirds, a bake shop run by sisters Melissa and Emily Elsen. Inside has the feel of a farmhouse with the old tin ceiling now lining the wall, and a bulky wood sharing table to sip a cup of coffee and eat a slice of pie. It's already drawing a nice crowd.

Pies are made daily with seasonal ingredients. There's a bold "Strawberry Balsamic", fragrant "Apple, Pear and Rosewater and a "Farmer's Cheese" for Spring. Summer brings an assortment of fruit pies, including peach, cherry, apple and blueberry, followed by "Honeyed Pumpkin" in the Fall and "Chilied Chocolate" and "Shoo-Fly!" pie in Winter. Each is made with a wonderful flakey crust.

Pies are sold whole or by the slice. Whole pies must be ordered in advance. Cash only.