Instagram cake star Clio Goodman opens pastry shop in Gowanus

By Scott Lynch

You may have come across Clio Goodman’s dessert magic before, about 10 years ago at Puddin’, her tiny East Village shop which specialized in, you guessed it, all different kinds of pudding. 

Puddin’ closed in 2014 (though her cookbook by the same name lives on), and Goodman spent a few years as a pastry chef-for-hire and a culinary consultant in Japan before resurfacing during the pandemic with a slew of spectacular, custom-made cakes on Instagram, which she sold under the name By Clio. 

Now Goodman has opened a spacious brick and mortar version of By Clio, in a former design studio on Third Avenue in Gowanus, where she and her team not only sell her signature flower-topped, imprecisely decorated cakes, whole or by the slice, but also a selection of fabulous cookies, brownies, and other delights. 

These are not your usual pastry suspects. On the morning we went, for example, the brownies came in either a slightly spicy mole flavor, or made as a thick and fudgy barfi, topped with a tangy frosting and a layer of pistachios for crunch. Delicious. 

Barfi brownie, $6; tandoori masala, $3.50; butterscotch and sumac cookies, $3 each (Scott Lynch)

The cookies, too, are very good and alive with unexpected ingredients. The pink sumac was sweet and pretty, the butterscotch had a black-and-white cookie feel and made good use of the headlining ingredient. The tandoori masala was a chewy, chocolatey treat. 

There were also iced rosemary rolls, slabs of coconut rose and vegan carrot cake, a Turkish coffee cookie, and a nutty soybean flour scone-looking thing. And Goodman hasn’t forgotten her pudding days, either, slinging single-serving cups in flavors like chocolate, butterscotch, coffee, and banana. 

The centerpiece of the By Clio pastry case, however, are Goodman’s ever-changing array of cakes, sold by the slice and decked out like you’re celebrating the biggest day of your life. These are often based on custom requests she’s received over the past couple of years, like the rosemary, olive oil and lychee beauty we devoured for breakfast. 

Rosemary, olive oil, and lychee cake; $11 a slice (Scott Lynch)

We also enjoyed our “lemon velvet” slice, which was so dense and chewy it ate almost like mochi. Goodman doesn’t skimp on the floral decor.

Lemon velvet berry cake; $11 a slice (Scott Lynch)

And while this stretch of Third Avenue is no one’s idea of a pleasant place to go for a stroll, By Clio is a welcoming oasis from the speeding cars, with comfortable seating, lots of sunlight, and a communal vibe.   

In fact, Goodman hopes to make By Clio more than just a great neighborhood bakery. “I’m very into the community idea,” she tells Brooklyn Magazine. “I don’t want anyone to feel left out of being able to enjoy a slice of cake, or coming in and sitting down. I’d love this to be a place where people bring their kids, or have their book club, or take decorating classes. That’s kind of my favorite part about having a business, that you can create a safe space for things like that.” 

By Clio is located at 400 Third Avenue, near Sixth Street, and is currently open on Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (516-636-6008)