What makes RYE by Martin Auer’s sourdough rye bread distinctive?

The bakery uses only organic rye flour, water and salt. It ferments the dough for up to 24 hours with a sourdough starter that is more than 50 years old.

How have customers responded to RYE by Martin Auer’s $60 loaf?

The price has prompted criticism and jokes on social media, including questions about whether any bread is worth $60. At the same time, curious New Yorkers have lined up, and the bakery says the bread sells out regularly.

$60 for a loaf of bread? New York bakery has customers lining up

Q: Why does RYE by Martin Auer charge more for its bread in New York than in Austria?

The bakery attributes the higher New York price to the cost of importing ingredients from Austria, the labor involved in making the bread and Manhattan’s high operating expenses. A comparable loaf from the bakery sells for roughly $16 in Austria.

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Summary

RYE by Martin Auer opened in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood in September and has drawn crowds for its $60 sourdough rye loaf. The bakery says the New York price reflects imported ingredients, labor and Manhattan operating expenses, while a comparable loaf costs about $16 in Austria. The attention has brought curious customers to the bakery, where the bread regularly sells out.

Key Facts

The 1.5-kilogram loaf costs $60, with half loaves priced at $30 and quarter loaves at $15.
The bread is made with organic rye flour, water and salt, and its dough ferments for up to 24 hours using a sourdough starter more than 50 years old.
The bakery is on Lafayette Street and specializes in one type of bread.
The minimalist interior lets customers watch the bread-making process.

By Jane Han

Published Oct 31, 2026 3:00 am KST
Updated Oct 31, 2026 9:27 am KST

RYE, a popular new bakery in New York opened by Martin Auer, specializes in 100 percent rye sourdough bread. Captured from BuzzFeed Tasty's social media account

NEW YORK — Korea may have its bread pilgrimages, but Manhattan has taken the bakery craze to another level: $60 for a single loaf of rye bread.

RYE by Martin Auer, an Austrian bakery that opened in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood in September, has quickly become one of the city's most talked-about food destinations, drawing crowds and widespread media attention for its unusually expensive sourdough rye bread.

The 1.5 kilogram loaf costs $60, but customers can also purchase half a loaf for $30 or a quarter for $15.

Located on Lafayette Street, the bakery specializes in just one type of bread. Its minimalist interior looks more like a high-end retail showroom than a traditional bakery, with customers able to watch the bread-making process.

The bread contains just three ingredients: organic rye flour, water and salt. According to the bakery, the dough undergoes a fermentation process lasting up to 24 hours, using a sourdough starter more than 50 years old.

But the price has raised eyebrows, particularly because a comparable loaf from the same bakery sells for roughly $16 in Austria.

The bakery says the higher New York price reflects the cost of importing ingredients from Austria, the labor involved in making the bread and Manhattan's high operating expenses.

The hefty price tag has sparked criticism and jokes on social media, with some questioning whether any bread is worth $60.

The attention, however, has also brought customers through the door. The bakery reported that even though they are new to the scene, the bread sells out on a regular basis, as curious New Yorkers lined up to see what made the loaf so special.

The craze may sound familiar to Koreans, where “ppangji sullye,” or bread pilgrimages, have become popular among bakery enthusiasts willing to travel long distances and wait in line for famous baked goods.

At $60 a loaf, the New York bakery is testing just how much customers are willing to pay for bread.

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