Business Spotlight: Luna Bakery
Nancy, owner of Luna Bakery
Blog by Alice Yang, Photos by Donny Tsang
Their warm, custardy egg tarts made them popular — but their founding story is what brings us back time after time!
Luna Bakery
The location of Luna Bakery by Sheng Mary at 111 Bowery Street is no coincidence—when searching for a home for the bakery, they deliberately chose a spot that once housed a bakery. And while Luna Bakery has no affiliation with the former bakery, they were set on honoring the community’s familiarity with that address, and the space’s role within the neighborhood.
Nancy, the manager of Luna Bakery, gives us a deeper look into how this new business has quickly become a community favorite in less than a year.
Luna Bakery opened its doors in November 2024, serving classic Chinese beverages such as lemon honey tea, milk tea, and Hong Kong-style coffee. Along with their famous Portuguese style egg tarts, they have a wide variety of sweet and savory pastries and baked goods. The menu also features a variety of dim sum–style bites, the iconic xiā jiǎo or shrimp dumplings, Fèng zhǎo (chicken feet), and shāomài (shu mai).
The name “Luna Bakery by Sheng Mary” is taken from their original location in Flushing, Queens—Sheng Mary Bakery—which gained a following for its elaborate custom cakes. Nancy shared that customers from all over the city would travel to Flushing just to place an order. From that success, Nancy became the manager of Luna Bakery.
Nancy came to America in the 80s and studied nursing, but had previous roles in hospitality. Culinary arts was always Nancy’s passion –when she was younger her grandpa would teach her how to make tea and the ceremonial meaning behind it.
While working at a hotel, Nancy became captivated by the art of food presentation—the way each dish was prepared, how ingredients complemented one another, and the meticulous attention to detail.
That was when she decided to pursue a career in culinary arts.
One day when Nancy was taking a walk around her neighborhood in Queens, admiring and taking pictures of the clouds- she stumbled across a bakery that was under construction, in the midst of opening. The beautiful pictures of the pastries caught her attention so she decided to go in and ask more about the business- and the rest is history. She calls it “destiny.”
When I asked Nancy what her favorite part of running a small business was, she smiled and pointed to the space around us—we were sitting in a corner of the dining area—and said, “This is my favorite.” She explained to me how much joy she gets from the diverse crowd that visits the bakery. People of all ages and backgrounds come through the doors, and she enjoys chatting with them all.
Nancy told me that many elderly patrons spend hours there, sipping coffee and sharing conversations. The bakery has become a kind of third space for them—a warm and welcoming place.
One of Luna Bakery’s biggest challenges were renovation delays,which ultimately delayed their grand opening. When I asked her how she overcame all the challenges that come with running a small business, she said with a smile “you just have to keep going, because you have a dream for a reason.”
The question isn’t “what to get at Luna Bakery” but rather “what not to get.” You can taste the love and time they put into every creation. Nancy personally recommends the Portuguese egg tarts, the snow mochi (which she makes by hand!), the pudding and grass jelly combo drink, and the delicious portioned mini cakes made just for one.
When you visit Luna Bakery, be prepared to leave with a happy belly and heart – filled with tasty treats and inviting conversation. Be sure to try Nancy’s recommended menu items!
