In Pursuit of the Perfect Flake: Croissant Tasting in Paris
- kflynn80
- Jan 12
- 8 min read
My first memory of eating a croissant in Paris was when I was very young, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Buttery, soft folds of flaky honeycomb like layers with a shatteringly crisp, golden exterior. I remember it having the taste of butter, without being greasy. This long ago memory continues to inform my opinion about what makes a croissant good or bad, but it is very much a case of texture and taste working in perfect harmony, which is not always easy to achieve.
On a recent trip to Paris with my family, we challenged ourselves to try what many experts believe are the top croissants in the city. This required us to get up early every day (not easy given the lack of sleep some mornings) and walk to various boulangeries. For this assignment, our Airbnb was in the perfect location in the 2nd arrondissement near Strasbourg-St. Denis and Réaumur–Sébastopol. My sister and my son Luke were completely on board and willingly got up and walked with me through some very cold temperatures of 25 F (we were bundled to the hilt) and despite the darkness which lasted up until 8:45 am – much later than we are used to in the states in the Mid Atlantic. I honestly adored every second and would do it many times over if I could!
After days of meticulous tasting across Paris, the results of our efforts are revealed below. All that tasting led to one question: how do they stack up? Our rankings genuinely surprised me, but were unanimous:
Number 1: La Maison d’Isabelle:
This croissant was named the best in Paris in 2018, and honestly, it remains the best of the ones we tasted. The second we each had it in our hands we knew. It was that good. The exterior was mahogany and each bite melted in the mouth. The crispy exterior shattered into a snowfall of flakes from the outset. Even more magical, the croissants we obtained were fresh out of the oven and still warm. There was a line, but it moved very quickly. The price was also quite reasonable. Each croissant was 1.20 euros ($1.40 in U.S. dollars). Extremely reasonable for such excellence. I bought several and I swear they were all gone within minutes.
The boulangerie had many other offerings including an array of baguettes and even fougasse, which is traditional to Provence. It overlooks the large Place Maubert where I once stayed with my friend Rachel on a trip during college. I love that it is next to a fromagerie and a thriving market area close to the Sorbonne.
The people working in the bakery were not the friendliest, but that is to be expected when pummeled with so many tourists on a regular basis. I also didn’t think the other offerings of the bakery were as fantastic as their plain croissant.
Bakery Experience Rating 1/10: 7 - Although this is a very solid establishment with lines to prove it, service was very perfunctory. They were quick and serve a wonderful product though, so points lost are points gained!
Croissant Rating 1/10: 10 – no question at all. The best by a long shot.
Number 2: Utopie: This was overall my favorite bakery of the places we visited in Paris. Its reputation is clearly well earned. The variety was stunning and it is one of those places where you want to try many things, but you feel like you can’t possibly as you might explode. It was that good. They had several varieties of baguettes including the only charcoal version I saw on the trip. I also enjoyed a black sesame escargot shaped pastry that was lovely and subtle. The croissant was excellent as you might imagine. I was tantalized by the black sesame éclair but chose instead to get other items as I was overwhelmed by the products. This is an establishment that should be sought out and it’s very special.
Bakery Experience 1/10: 10 – my idea of perfection. I wanted to spend much more time there and return, but alas, we ran out of time.
Croissant Rating 1/10: 9 – they make their croissants out of sourdough and with a particular variety of butter that gives it a slightly tangy taste. I wanted more. It was fantastic.
Number 3: French Bastards: We visited this bakery on our very first morning and I adored it. The team was my favorite. They were receptive to our sheer joy in being there and we had a lot of fun chatting with Parisians who informed us about what to get. I wish I would have bought some merchandise like a shirt! This was the only spot where we could see someone making the croissants, which we really enjoyed. The smell that greets you when you walk in was fabulous. I know it has a number of locations, but quality was very high and they clearly know what they are doing.
Bakery Rating 1/10: 9 – the fun atmosphere and joy of the people working there was wonderful. They didn’t mind one bit that we changed our minds and encouraged us on what to get. High marks for being so delightful and patient. Out of all of the bakeries, this was the most memorable for the team working there and I got the feeling that they go out of their way to be nice and kind. Plus, the products were top notch! I loved their pain aux raisin and pain au chocolat – delicious!
Croissant Rating 1/10: 8 – very solid with good air pockets and a nice overall color. Tasted of butter but was not greasy. Very enjoyable.
Number 4: Mamiche: I loved this bakery which had an amazing sandwich that I did not foresee liking. My husband wanted to try the sandwich, and I only had one bite, and it stuck with me all day. The bread which was similar to focaccia was light as air and the ham and cheese complimented it perfectly. The staff warmed it and it was heavenly. The croissant was flaky and buttery perfection as well. The offerings were similar to other bakeries in Paris, but do not sleep on that sandwich. Although we were there for croissants, I would go miles for that, and it explains the fact that they have a separate establishment just for sandwiches right down the street.
Bakery Experience 1/10: 6 – Mamiche is turning out some wonderful items in a city full of amazing bakeries and rightly deserves high praise for their bread and sandwiches.
Croissant Rating 1/10: 7 – The croissant was light and flaky, but not the star of the show.
Number 5: Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Terroirs d'Avenir: We happened upon the Rue du Nils on an outing to try Frenchie Bar à Vin but decided to return after seeing the other establishments on this very short street in the Sentier neighborhood. It is a warren of food establishments with products all from France including a fromagerie with cheese and the yogurt of my dreams; coffee, a poissonnier (selling wonderful seafood); a produce store, and a boucherie or butcher selling meats and other products raised in the country. The bakery uses flour from farmers of rare ancient wheat.
We enjoyed this bakery much more than we anticipated. My sister stated that she really liked everything we had. The croissant was excellent, but not the best of the ones we had. It was light, flaky, and had a good color overall and wasn’t too large.
Bakery Experience Rating 1/10: 7 – the people on staff were lovely and all of the products were well presented and delicious. The experience of being able to buy butter next door and delicious yogurt from a farm with honey produced locally was an added bonus. I would return and spend more time on Rue du Nils in the future.
Croissant Rating 1/10: 7 – excellent, but not the best we had.
Number 6: Du Pain des Idees: This famous bakery close to the Canal St. Martin, is a delightful trek on a cold morning. I visited back in 2023 and was excited to return. It’s a gorgeous space, basically, what I might dream that a Parisian boulangerie should look like with a stunning baroque exterior and beautiful embellishments inside. They are famous for their escargot pastry, which is a round twirl of pistachio and chocolate. What looked more intriguing to me was a folded pastry of apples and raisins, but when you are eating enough to feed a horse, you tend to make strange decisions, so I didn’t try it to my great regret. What we did try was excellent, but not as perfect as I remembered. It was also one of the more expensive bakeries we visited. Each plain croissant was 3.50 euros in comparison to the average of 1.40 euros elsewhere.
As to the croissant, it was a bit of a disappointment. The color was a bit pale, and this was one of driest croissants we tried. All in all, I still recommend visiting the bakery, but it is clear others are doing better work and they are doing it more reasonably.
Bakery Experience Rating 1/10: 8 – I visited this bakery back in 2023 and truly enjoyed it, but upon reflection after these recent visits, it was more expensive than the others and not as good as I recalled. I adored the actual setting and the beauty of the traditional bakery setting, but the offerings were not as fabulous as the others we visited. Is it worth a visit? Absolutely. Bourdain visited this business in the Layover. If it was good for Bourdain, well, it is good for me!
Croissant Rating 1/10: 5 – not as sublime as others we tried, but better than the ones in the states.
Number 7: Stohrer: One of the joys of staying in the 2nd arrondissement not far from Sentier, is that we were very close to the Rue de Montorgueil, which we seemingly visited every day we were in Paris. This is the storied home of oysters, where Marie Antoinette’s coveted oysters arrived for her master chefs not far from Les Halles. In this mix, you will find the historic Stohrer, which is the oldest patisserie shop in the city. The story goes that King Stanislas I of Poland’s pastry chef, Nicholas Stohrer, came to France after the marriage of the King’s daughter to King Louis XV of France. The store is exquisite with a painted ceiling and gorgeous chandeliers. It was truly a pleasure to make this our first stop on our croissant tour. The croissant itself was not memorable. It seemed as if it was frozen and had been thawed, although I may be wrong on that point. Either way, it wasn’t anything to write home about. What did look amazing were the tarts and quiches which I would return to try on my next trip!
Bakery Experience Rating 1/10: 7 – A beautiful and historic locale that is important for the city of Paris.
Croissant Rating 1/10: 4 – nothing memorable.
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