In the heart of the East Village, just off of Cooper Square, is Hani’s Bakery and Cafe, one of the neighborhood’s hottest new pastry spots. The bakery, whose name is pronounced “honey’s,” serves around 3,000 customers a week — a tall order for a small, 1,500-square-foot shop. Since it opened in November, the bakery has consistently drawn lines out the door and has garnered online buzz. But Hani’s is more than just a trendy spot — it’s a story 40 years in the making that traces back to former Yugoslavia, where a young boy raised on his mother’s home baking would eventually carry out her unfulfilled dream.

Hani’s is the brainchild of Miro Uskokovic, a former pastry chef of Gramercy Tavern, and his wife, Shilpa, a senior food editor at Bon Appétit magazine. Together, they’ve created not only a bakery, but a storied tribute to the heritage, resilience and flavors that have shaped their lives.

“We make our own halva, which is a sesame candy that is common in the Middle East, but in the Balkans as well,” Uskokovic said in an interview with WSN. “Pistachio is also a big part of Shilpa’s culture, so we created rice crispy treats with pistachio and sesame halva. This is how we smartly put in the touches that are reflecting our culture.” 

At Hani’s, American pastry items are reimagined with global influences, paying homage to the Uskokovics’ home flavors while pushing the boundaries of traditional baking. Items like the Pistachio Halva Rice Krispie Treat reflect both Uskokovic’s Serbian background and his wife’s Indian heritage by giving the American classic a nutty, slightly salty twist. The thick, buttery Smoked Salmon Flatbread is seasoned with everything bagel spice and topped with a generous spread of whipped chive cream cheese, smoky slices of salmon and bright, tangy slices of red pepper and pickled red onions. Like all of the baked goods at Hani’s, this flatbread conveys a story through flavor — in this case, one that emulates the flavors of a New York City bagel while still honoring the Uskokovics’ roots.

This level of attention to detail and balance of tradition and innovation, while products of Uskokovic’s extensive pastry chef background, are a testament to the thoughtful craftsmanship that defined the baking of Uskokovic’s mother, Vojka, who he called Hani. She once had aspirations to open her own bakery, but when the Yugoslav Wars broke out in 1991, those plans came to a sudden halt.

“It was not the most glamorous life,” Uskokovic, who was born and spent his childhood in Yugoslavia, said. “But despite everything that was happening, my family did their best to make sure we had as comfortable a life as we could.”

Still, Uskokovic looks past the war and chooses to remember his childhood in a positive light, cherishing the time spent with his parents and siblings. He fondly recalls the farm he grew up on, where his family raised cows and harvested local produce. Eating organic, homegrown food wasn’t a health trend — it was simply a way of life. At the heart of these memories is his mother, a natural talent in the kitchen, who hoped that a bakery of her own would serve as an extension of her home.

“It took around 10 years for the dust to settle before she could even think about opening her own bakery again,” Uskokovic said. “But then, she got diagnosed with ovarian cancer and unfortunately passed away a few years later. She never got to realize her dream.”

Now, nearly 40 years after his mother first imagined her bakery, Uskokovic has brought her dream to life through Hani’s, carrying on her legacy. Uskokovic first came to the United States to finish high school in Greentown, Indiana. Homesick for his Serbian roots, he found solace in the kitchen, recreating the dishes that reminded him of home. He eventually decided to attend the Culinary Institute of America and, after graduating, set his sights on New York City, determined to absorb everything the restaurant industry had to offer.

He paved his way through the ranks of the culinary world, working at Michelin-starred restaurants like Jean-Georges and the now-closed Aldea. He was the pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern for nearly a decade and in 2020 was nominated for outstanding pastry chef by the James Beard Foundation, one of the most prestigious organizations in the industry.

Yet, despite his success, Uskokovic felt a deeper calling. His family was still in Serbia, and while his resume boasted some of New York’s most upscale restaurants, he wanted something more personal. He wanted to create a space that wasn’t just a reflection of his skill, but a tribute to where he comes from — and for Uskokovic, the pandemic was a now-or-never turning point.

He began drafting plans for the bakery and reached out to collaborators to bring his vision to life. After about two and a half years of planning and preparation, Hani’s opened its doors in November 2024, when he and his wife hosted an intimate opening for close friends and industry colleagues.

“We call it a friends and family event in the restaurant business,” Uskokovic said. “We had 400 people show up.” 

The bakery’s soft opening was so successful that the Uskokovics had to temporarily close Hani’s for a few days just to restock. Since then, their success hasn’t slowed down as they turn Hani’s dream into a new staple of New York City’s bakery scene.

“I think she would’ve been proud seeing this space in her name,” Uskokovic said. “I think it’s beautiful.”

Contact Constantine Moore at [email protected].