121 Baxter St · Chinatown, NYC

Fresh-baked, paper-wrapped, family-run.

Hong Kong–style sponge cakes, baked every morning by the same family that's welcomed Baxter Street since 2020. Simple ingredients, honest prices, a little cake in a paper cup.

6am – 7pmOpen daily
$1.00+Per spongie
Baked freshEvery morning
Original spongie cake held up in front of the Spongies Cafe neon sign
fresh daily
paper-wrapped
Our Story

A mom-and-pop shop, in the truest sense.

🧡 Family owned & run since November 2020

Spongies started with one thing: the Hong Kong–style sponge cake we grew up with — light, a little chewy at the edge, faintly sweet, baked fresh every morning and handed to you still warm in its paper cup. No fuss, no frills, just the recipe our family has always trusted.

We're a small operation on Baxter Street — the kind of place where the same hands that mix the batter are the ones ringing you up. We started as a Mom and Pop shop in Chinatown, and that's still exactly what we are.

"Come support your local mom & pop shop — we appreciate it."

A spongie cake served on a glass cake stand alongside coffee
On the counter today

Flavors worth the trip

Baked fresh every morning in small batches — once they're gone, they're gone until tomorrow.

Original spongie cakes on a plate surrounded by garden plants

Original

$1.00The classic Hong Kong style sponge cake made with eggs, sugar, milk, and love.
Red Velvet spongie cakes, sliced open showing reddish crumb

Red Velvet

$2.00Rich cocoa batter with that classic red velvet tint.
Strawberry spongie cake surrounded by fresh strawberries

Strawberry

$2.00Made with real strawberries — bright, sweet, and fruity.
Pandan Coconut spongie cake sliced open showing green pandan crumb

Pandan Coconut

$2.00A vanilla-like flavor with grassy notes and shredded coconut — our most popular flavor.

Purple Yam

$2.00Also known as ube, hailing from the Philippines, comes a sweet and nutty flavor.
Matcha spongie cakes with an iced matcha latte

Matcha

$2.00Real ceremonial-grade bitterness, not too sweet.
Banana Chocolate Chip spongie cakes wrapped in paper

Banana Chocolate Chip

$2.00Ripe banana batter, studded with chips.
Black sesame spongie cake, sliced open showing speckled grey crumb

Black Sesame

$2.00Rich in flavor with notes of smokiness, bitter sweetness, and earthiness.
Pistachio spongie cakes on a bed of shelled pistachios

Pistachio

$2.00Rich and nutty, topped with real crushed pistachios.
Holiday Sprinkles spongie cakes covered in rainbow sprinkles

Holiday Sprinkles

$2.00Our original with a colorful addition of sprinkles. Most popular with children.
Cappuccino spongie cakes, close-up of the crumb

Cappuccino

$2.00A shot of espresso swirled right into the batter.
Triple Chocolate spongie cakes on a blue plate

Triple Chocolate

$2.00As the name implies, we use three different types of chocolate to create a brownie like sponge cake (cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and white chocolate).
Butterscotch spongie cake, whole and sliced open

Butterscotch

$2.00Creamy and sweet using real pieces of butterscotch candy scattered within the cake.
Thai Tea spongie cake, sliced open showing crumb

Thai Tea

$2.00Using real brewed Thai tea to infuse into the batter, the Thai tea brings a creamy and bold flavor with notes of the spices used to create the blend.
Blueberry spongie cake in a bowl surrounded by fresh blueberries

Blueberry

$2.00Made with real blueberries — juicy, tart, and naturally sweet.
Fig spongie cake surrounded by fresh figs

Fig

$2.00Rich and jammy with a deep, earthy sweetness.
Holy Chocolate spongie cakes covered in rainbow sprinkles

Holy Chocolate

$2.00The Holy Chocolate is the love child between Holiday and Triple Chocolate, blending the texture and richness of our chocolate.
Mango spongie cake on a plate with fresh mango

Mango

$2.00Made with real mango — tropical, sunny, and bright.
Menu Board

Drinks Menu

Straight off our counter board — Hong Kong–style teas, coffees, and lemonades, hot or over ice.

Cold Beverages

SmLg
Iced Coffee
$3.50$4.50
Iced Tea with Milk
$3.50$4.50
Iced Tea with Lemon
$3.75$4.75
Thai Iced TeaTraditional Thai tea, evaporated milk & condensed milk
$5.50$6.50
Vietnamese CoffeeVietnamese coffee with condensed milk
$5.50$6.50
Thai Iced CoffeeThai coffee, evaporated milk & condensed milk
$5.50$6.50
Iced Matcha LatteCeremonial-grade matcha whisked with milk, served over ice
$6.00$7.00
Iced ChocolateMexican iced chocolate
$5.50$6.50
Hibiscus PunchHibiscus flower punch with lemon & sugar
$4.75$5.25
Butterfly LemonadeButterfly pea tea, lemon juice & sugar
$4.75$5.25
Bangkok TeaThai tea with lemon & sugar
$4.75$5.25
Chrysanthemum TeaChrysanthemum tea with sugar
$4.75$5.25
Iced Signature TeaHoney, lemon, ginger, cinnamon & hibiscus
$5.00$5.50
Hong Kong LemonadeSummer Exclusive — homemade lemon puree lemonade
$6.00$7.00
Basil LemonadeSummer Exclusive — muddled basil, sugar & lemon
$6.00$7.00
Hong Kong Lemonade — flavor add-ons
Yuzu Peach Passion Fruit Strawberry Blueberry
♥   S: $6.75  ·  L: $7.75

Hot Beverages

SmLg
Hot Coffee
$1.50$3.75
Hot Tea + Milk
$1.50$3.75
Hot Tea + Lemon
$1.75$4.00
Matcha Latte
$3.75$6.00
Hot ChocolateMexican hot chocolate
$3.50$5.00
Hot Signature TeaHoney, lemon, ginger, cinnamon & hibiscus
$3.50$4.00

Ice Amount

Less Ice+$0.25
Half Ice+$0.50
Minimal Ice+$0.75
No Ice+$1.00

Substitutions

Sub Oat Milk+$0.25
Sub Almond Milk+$0.25
Sub Honey+$0.50
What the neighborhood says

Word travels fast on Baxter Street

★★★★★

"One of the most delicious ways you can spend a dollar in New York City."

— The Infatuation, NYC Review
★★★★★

"Such a nice vibe to it — an equally interesting crowd of customers."

— Local food blogger, Dining on a Shoestring
★★★★★

Reviewers consistently highlight the pandan and coconut flavors as standouts — light, moist, and never too sweet.

— Summarized from customer reviews
4.8★Yelp · 370 reviews
4.8★Google reviews
5.0★Tripadvisor
5.0★Facebook
Come say hi

Visit us on Baxter Street

121 Baxter St, New York, NY 10013Chinatown, between Hester & Canal · Get directions
(646) 666-0036Call ahead for large orders
Leave us a review We'd love to hear from you

Hours

Monday – Sunday6:00 AM – 7:00 PM
On the map

See exactly where we are

121 Baxter St, New York, NY 10013 Open in Maps app