About Eileen’s Special Cheesecake

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From Mom, With Love

With a passion for baking and serving others, Eileen first started testing her signature family recipe for cheesecake out of her apartment. Soon enough, people caught on to her exceptional cheesecakes, which became so in-demand that she expanded her business into a successful bakery in downtown Manhattan in 1975. Being so close to Little Italy helped her retail business blossom, and her warm personality made her an instant hit in the neighborhood. She referred to the bakery’s location at 17 Cleveland Place as “our lucky corner”. Once a sleepy block in SoHo, it is now a bustling location in one of the most popular neighborhoods in New York City.

In 2000, Eileen’s opened a kiosk between the two towers of the World Trade Center to sell her acclaimed cheesecakes to tourists and office workers every afternoon. On September 11th the kiosk was destroyed, but Eileen’s carried on in the bakery baking for the rescue workers.

Eileen was an entrepreneurial visionary who created a thriving business out of her natural talent and kind heart. Her two daughters, Holly Maloney and Bonnie Ponte, grew up during the early years of the business, spending their summers at the store. It became a part of who they are, and eventually they began to run the business with their mother. Today, the two daughters carry on the tradition of this women-run family business, and continue the legacy. “It’s all about family and tradition”, Holly says. 

From locals to visitors from around the world, Eileen’s Special Cheesecake is a cult favorite, with a constant line out the door of eager cheesecake lovers ready to savor their favorite flavor. Each cheesecake is handmade at the original downtown bakery, with some employees who have been there for over 40 years. Eileen often said what set her cakes apart was the quality of ingredients, which can easily be tasted once you sink your teeth into one! Light and creamy texture with the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, hand-pressed graham cracker crusts, flavorful fruit compotes, and top-notch ingredients make Eileen’s cheesecakes special and a premium product.

Eileen’s Cheesecakes are the quintessential NYC dessert. Every Eileen’s Cheesecake is made with love and captures the heart and soul of this family’s passion for cheesecake in every bite.