Sarabeth’s is famous for transforming a small, family-run business into an internationally recognized brand celebrated for its outstanding breakfast, brunch, pastries, and award-winning preserves[1]. The journey began in 1981 when Sarabeth Levine started selling her family’s unique 200-year-old Orange Apricot Marmalade recipe from her apartment in New York City[2][4]. With her husband Bill, she opened a tiny bakery on the Upper West Side, which quickly attracted a devoted following for its quality and charm[1][2].
Over the years, Sarabeth’s expanded to multiple restaurant locations—including prominent New York City landmarks and international sites—serving renowned breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner. The brand’s reputation soared with national media coverage and glowing recommendations from travel guides, solidifying Sarabeth’s as the “undisputed Breakfast Queen of New York”[1][3]. Their fresh, wholesome recipes and signature pastries became sought-after by both New Yorkers and tourists from around the world[1][3].
Sarabeth Levine’s excellence has been recognized with numerous honors, most notably the prestigious James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year” award, an Honorary Doctorate from LIU-Post University, and induction into the Specialty Food Association’s Hall of Fame[3][4][6]. Her cookbooks and television appearances further reinforced the brand’s influence in the culinary world[4].
Additionally, Sarabeth’s now operates a substantial jam manufacturing facility and a flagship wholesale bakery and café in Manhattan’s Chelsea Market, producing artisan baked goods and preserves distributed to gourmet stores worldwide[2][3].