I've been around this corridor maybe a decade. Most nights after 9:30 or 10, walking from 74th toward Northern on 73rd, there's a warm bread/dough smell just hanging in the air. Not complaining, but I need to know where it vents from. It seems stronger near the middle of the block, around the apartment building with the loading dock. Is it a bakery? A distributor? Doesn't smell like cookies, definitely yeast, bread, dinner rolls. Anybody know the actual source?

I just moved to the area and thought I was imagining it. It hits right by the old brick walk-up with the green awning, right? I assumed someone was baking at home, but every night? No way. Is it from the place on Northern? Following because I want to know if I can buy whatever it is.

Could be the commercial bakery that supplies rolls to restaurant distributors, not a storefront. Their vent faces the courtyard, so the smell drops down into 73rd. I used to walk that way after late shift. Sometimes it's sweet, sometimes like rye. If you see steam near the vent on cold nights, that's the one.

That tracks. I looked up at the building with the loading dock and saw a vent with exhaust grease or flour dust around the louvers. So no direct retail? My whole apartment agrees we'd buy whatever they're making if we could. Is the actual door on Northern? I never noticed a storefront.

It's been like that for years. The bakery runs overnights so the morning restaurant deliveries are ready. They don't sell to the public, but if you're nice to the guy hosing the loading dock around 6 a.m. maybe you can find out. Last I heard they gave day-old to staff only. The smell is strongest when humidity is high, maybe why it's so noticeable right now.

Wait, so it's not a regular bakery I can just walk into? That's tragic. I almost door-knocked one night holding a canvas bag like a weirdo. Does anyone else on the block get the smell inside? I'm a few doors down and sometimes my stairwell smells like fresh rolls at midnight. Not mad.

Yeah @big_city_beth, if your stairwell window faces the air shaft, you get it. We used to call it the 73rd St bread alarm, meaning time to go home. Don't door knock; industrial kitchen with no retail, maybe that's why the mystery persists. If you want actual bread at that hour, go to the 24-hr place on Roosevelt and get the pan sobao. Not the same, but close.

Appreciate it. That explains why no retail sign. Still think someone could make a killing with a walk-up window. I'll keep sniffing from the outside. @JacksonHeightsJay I might swing by at 6 after a night shift just to see the steam. @big_city_beth if you find a public entrance, report back. Thanks all.