A bit flaky, but buttery in all of the right ways, and perhaps filled with chocolate? Not only does this absolutely not fit the metaphor I had planned about my last relationship, but it ruins my joke, too. So without further attempts at professional levity, here are the crème de la crème of croissants from ~the~ choicest Parisian boulangeries. These croissants will make you want to put a ring on it—they’re true keepers if I’ve ever seen one.
Sain Boulangerie
Sain in French means healthy or wholesome, specifically when referring to food. Resist the urge to pronounce is as « sane, » which is in no way a commentary on your mental health, I swear (maybe it is on ours, though).
Anyway, this definition seems a bit out of place when referencing a bakery or a croissant, which literally has layers upon layers of butter that’s integral to its existence. The baker behind Sain Boulangerie, however, has a mission to provide baked goods using less processed ingredients and methods that are (technically) more healthy. The resulting croissants (and breads) are pretty damn incredible, even by French standards (and if someone claims that they’re “good for you,” you don’t ask too many questions). Sain Boulangerie is tucked around the corner from the Canal St. Martin, a scenic and idyllic waterway with a bit of Amsterdam energy that provides an almost too perfect setting for a promenade while munching on some world-class baked goods.
ADDRESS: 13 Rue Alibert (10th arr.)
MÉTRO: Goncourt (line 11) or Jaques Bonsergent (line 5)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Canal St. Martin
NUMBER: +33 7 61 23 49 44
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris, no seating
INSTAGRAM: @sain_boulangerie
La Maison d’Isabelle
La Maison d’Isabelle is one of the few and proud bakeries that can prove the claim “best croissant in Paris” beyond testimonials. They won an official award, the “2018 First Prize of Paris and Île-de-France Region Butter Croissant,” if you want to be specific (and yes, they do. It’s printed word-for-word on their awning. French literature may be subtle, but their worship of the laurel leaves in the window is not. Subtlety is overrated anyway).
The butter croissants in question, which are actually not crescent shaped at all, are made with organic ingredients including high quality, fancy-shmancy butter, and look sooooo flaky and golden brown. At an outrageous one euro a pop (it’s one of the cheapest croissants in Paris or even in the entirety of France), these melt-in-your-mouth, layers-for-days delights are certainly worth the hype, and they fit perfectly into the airs, accolades and affordability vibe of their Latin Quarter home (no matter how much the latter may be changing). Crunchy where they should be and chewy where you want them to be, Isabelle knows her way around flour and butter.
ADDRESS: 47ter Boulevard Saint-Germain (5th arr.)
HOURS: closed Mondays
MÉTRO: Maubert-Mutualité (line 10)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Latin Quarter
NUMBER: +33 1 43 54 04 14
DEETS: bakery, more style than money, old-school cool, no seating, awards for days
INSTAGRAM: @maison_isabelle
Stohrer
Founded in 1730 by King Louis XV’s pastry chef, Stohrer is the oldest pastry shop in Paris. Yes, you read that right. These pre-French revolution croissants are the most historically significant croissants you will ever eat. There are a few Stohrer pastry shop locations, but the original, still in its 1730 founding building, featuring a painted and gilded ceiling, is located along the Rue Montorgueil, a bustling pedestrian shopping street. Besides croissants, Stohrer is notorious for their fancy, detailed and well-crafted pastries that make it well worth the trip. And if you notice that they are more expensive than usual, well, someone has to pay for that gilded ceiling.
ADDRESS: 51 Rue Montorgueil (2nd arr.)
MÉTRO: Étienne Marcel (line 4) or Sentier (line 3)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Les Halles
NUMBER: +33 1 42 33 38 20
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris, no seating, vintage, posh, touristy but still
INSTAGRAM: @stohrer
Yann Couvreur
Yann Couvreur’s main location (there’s four all around Paris, and a few in London) is on a charming, winding cobblestone lane called Rue des Rosiers. It has such a good reputation, that every food reviewer has sworn by a different pastry (éclairs, lemon tartlets, their luxury cakes…), including of course, the croissant. The pastry chef responsible for all of this goodness worked at fancy hotels before opening his own shop— all while earning a few awards along the way. It may be hard to resist sticking solely by your croissant here, and we recommend giving in to the temptation. Get whatever you want to accompany your croissant, but get there early. Some of their most popular pastries (like their famous vanilla mille-feuille) are made in limited quantities and sell out… well, like hot cakes.
ADDRESS: 23bis Rue des Rosiers (4th arr.) / 35 Bd Haussmann (9th arr.) / 137 Ave Parmentier (10th arr.) / 149 Rue St. Charles (15th arr.) / 25 Rue Legendre (17th arr.)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Canal St. Martin
NUMBER: tbd
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris, awards for days
INSTAGRAM: @yanncouvreur
O/HP/E
No, that’s not a typo. O/HP/E’s name, like its commercial genre, is conceptual. O/HP/E, located on the up-and-coming street Château d’Eau, is an acronym for objets (objects), homemade pâtisserie, épicerie (fine foods store). The store/café sells everything from freshly made pastries and coffee, to jam jars and tchotchkes you would not have realized you needed until now (art deco millennial-pink-type candles and such, j’adore). Though the shopping can be an enticing reason to visit, O/HP/E’s real draw is its pastries. Their curiously fat and angular croissants are handmade every morning and serve as the perfect companion to wander around the peaceful, delightful Instagram-trap of a store.
ADDRESS: 27 Rue du Château d’Eau (10th arr.)
HOURS: closed Mondays
MÉTRO: Jaques Bonsergent (line 5)
NEIGHBORHOOD: République
NUMBER: +33 1 42 41 58 16
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris, no seating
INSTAGRAM: @ohpeparis10
Boulangerie Utopie
Boulangerie Utopie (Utopia), as the name might suggest, was founded as a haven of sorts for traditional bread and pastry making methods that have fallen by the wayside in recent years in favor of more industrial processes. Boulangerie Utopie is particularly known for their striking black baguettes made with activated charcoal, their sesame loaves, matcha tea bread with puffed rice and an additionally impressive array of colorful pastries made by hand and with organic ingredients. Like a lot of parisian pâtisseries, they also have weekend specials, and of course, a lovely selection of croissants.
ADDRESS: 20 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud (11th arr.)
HOURS: closed Mondays
MÉTRO: Oberkampf (line 3)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Folie-Méricourt
NUMBER: +33 9 82 50 74 48
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris
INSTAGRAM: @boulangerieutopie
Du Pain et Des Idées
Du Pain et Des Idées, located steps from the Canal St.-Martin and housed in an old and remarkably preserved 19th century bakery, has something you don’t see every day: trademarked bread. Their well-known and loved “Pain des Amis,” is a registered trademark in addition to the winner a bunch of awards. Du Pain et Des Idées has been repeatedly praised as one of the best bakeries in Paris, and its limited but splendid collection of apple tarts, orange blossom brioche and, yes, croissants, are worth crossing town for. Just don’t show up in the evening as they’ll be sold out, or the weekend—because who needs to work weekends when you are a famous baker?
ADDRESS: 34 Rue Yves Toudic (10th arr.)
HOURS: closed on weekends
MÉTRO: Jaques Bonsergent (line 5)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Canal St. Martin
NUMBER: +33 1 42 40 44 52
DEETS: worth the trip across town, bakery, best croissants in Paris, limited outdoor seating
INSTAGRAM: @dupainetdesidees
The French Bastards
If the name “The French Bastards” printed in bold orange cursive on their door doesn’t immediately make you do a double-take, their proud proclamation “Fondé Hier” (founded yesterday) might. Named in part from a nickname acquired abroad, and from the type of bread they specialize in (called the bâtard, a loaf without a distinct shape), The French Bastards pride themselves on their newcomer energy and innovation. They offer breads and pastries made with healthier whole grains, new twists on classics (like an activated charcoal pavlova) and cross-culture treats like babka (Ashkenazi Jews represent) and cruffins (Australian). If you do venture out to try their croissants and other various offerings, worry not, they’re so good, they are on this list too.
ADDRESS: 181 Rue Saint-Denis (2nd arr.) / 61 Rue Oberkampf (11th arr.) / 35 Place Saint-Ferdinand (17th arr.)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Folie-Méricourt
NUMBER: tbd
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris
INSTAGRAM: @the_french_bastards
La Pâtisserie Cyril Lignac
Despite the glitz of being created by a famous celebrity chef, and the swank of being one of five specialty locations in a city-wide franchise, La Pâtisserie Cyril Lignac has the vibe of a friendly, if a bit chic, neighborhood bakery. And they do a good job of playing this, « Oh, look, I’m just a striving neighborhood bakery with reaaaaaally good croissants, » thing. Seriously, don’t be fooled by the fancy-looking cookies and cakes. The croissants are where it’s at. However, if you have room to spare, try their lemon tart or their signature cake, The Equinoxe.
ADDRESS: 133 Rue de Sèvres (6th arr.) / 24 Rue Paul Bert (11th arr.) / 55 Boulevard Pasteur (15th arr.) / 2 Rue de Chaillot (16th arr.) / 9 Rue Bayen (17th arr.)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Faidherbe / Charonne / Aligre
NUMBER: +33 1 55 87 21 40
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris, no seating
Des Gâteaux et du Pain
Des Gâteaux et du Pain (cake and bread) seems like a no-brainer name for an average bakery. Yet, the chic, inventive venue not only takes its theme to heart, but actually exceeds even the highest of expectations. The shop is split down the middle, housing delicious savory breads on one side and jaw-dropping, beautiful cakes and pastries on the other. Des Gâteaux et du Pain, founded by a female pastry chef, has rotating dessert offerings that rely on seasonal fruit. Somewhere in between the fruity and delicately decorated cakes, and the hearty breads, she also has time to produce some croissants that are so worth it. They may be a bit pricier than your average viennoiserie, but it’s still perfectly reasonable and worth the few extra euros. So don’t let the sleek, expensive looking exterior fool (or intimidate) you. Maybe it scratched the little inner snob in you… ? No judgement here, we all like nice things.
ADDRESS: 63 Boulevard Pasteur (15th arr.)
HOURS: closed Tuesdays
MÉTRO: Pasteur (lines 6, 12), Monparnasse (lines 4, 6, 12, 13) or Vaugirard (line 12)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Montparnasse
NUMBER: tbd
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris, no seating
INSTAGRAM: @desgateauxetdupain.clairedamon
Maison Landemaine
With more than a dozen locations across Paris, Maison Landemaine (not to be confused with the French word lendemain meaning, « the next day ») offers possibly the most convenient croissant in Paris. The enormity of the endeavor, at least for a French bakery, may suggest a standardized, sub-par kind of product, but Maison Landemaine manages to deliver house-made, high-quality, wonderful baked goods daily. Like a lot of bakeries, its roots stem from chef Pierre Hermé (French like secularism except when it comes to pastry), yet this maison in particular offers more simple, bread-focused and elegant offerings pretty much anywhere you are.
ADDRESS: 28 Boulevard Beaumarchais (11th arr.) / 180 Rue du Temple (3rd arr.) / 123 Rue Monge (5th arr.) / 56 Rue de Clichy (9th arr.) / 41 Rue Oberkampf (11th arr.) / 136 Rue de la Roquette (11th arr.) / 130 Rue de la Roquette (11th arr.) / 121 Rue de Charonne (11th arr.) / 2 Rue Crozatier (12th arr.) / 66 Bd de Picpus (12th arr.) / 7 Pl. Cambronne (15th arr.) / 110 Rue Lecourbe (15th arr.) / 197 Ave de Versailles (16th arr.) / 4 Rue du Poteau (18th arr.) / 210 Rue des Pyrénées (20th arr.)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Bastille
NUMBER: +33 1 48 06 22 43
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris, some seating available
INSTAGRAM: @maisonlandemaine
Poilâne
Poilâne is the best kind of old school: a must visit institution of parisian bread making and pastries that manages to stay home‑y and humble (perhaps « faux-humble, » but we’ll play along). A family-run operation for multiple generations (they will not let you forget this), Poilâne is considered the literal gold standard for sourdough bread (Anthony Courteille at Sain is nipping at their heels, or maybe he’s already lapped them?).
With a massive wood-fire oven in the basement of the original Rue du Cherche-Midi location, Poilâne churns out hearty and inexpensive country-style bread that lasts up to a week, and tastes incredible and earthy. Poilâne doesn’t let their world-renowned bread reputation overshadow their excellent pastries either. They offer goodies such as butter cookies, Paris-brest, apple tarts and, of course, croissants. Each of the multiple locations across Paris have a friendly, familial vibe (at least what passes for that in Paris), and there’s even a few cafes sprinkled around that serve tartines (the more posh cousin of the sandwich with toppings spread at the base) exclusively with their sourdough.
ADDRESS: 38 Rue Debelleyme (3rd arr.) / 8 Rue du Cherche-Midi (6th arr.) / 49 Bd de Grenelle (15th arr.) / 87 Rue Brancion (15th arr.) / 39 Rue de Lévis (17th arr.) / 83 Rue de Crimée (19th arr.)
HOURS: closed Sundays
NEIGHBORHOOD: Saint-Germain-des-Prés
NUMBER: +33 1 45 48 42 59
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris, seating, old-school cool
INSTAGRAM: @poilane
Bo & Mie
Bo & Mie (Bo et Mie) is an artisanal bakery with now four locations across the tourist-heavy part of Paris, and an exceptionally defined aesthetic that translates well towards delicious baked goods. Beyond the Instagram-bait look of the interior (stark white walls and hanging vintage bulbs), the pastry offerings at Bo & Mie have a striking spiral theme, evident from the artfully swirled activated charcoal and white bread, pain de Nöel and the infinite coils on the thin, flaky layers of their gorgeous croissants. The raspberry croissants, a staple and a particularly coveted item, also feature a beautiful pink twist running throughout and are just one example of several colorful treats. Fortunately, it all tastes as good as it looks.
ADDRESS: 91 Rue de Rivoli (1st arr.) / 18 Rue de Turbigo (2nd arr.) / 359 Rue Saint Martin (3rd arr.) / 5 Bd Saint-Michel (5th arr.)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Les Halles
NUMBER: +33 9 80 53 79 53
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris, lots of seating
INSTAGRAM: @boetmie
Dalloyau
Dalloyau has a very posh history. Founded in 1682 by Charles Dalloyau, who not only had the highest gastronomy position in the French court (the company has occupied its Faubourg location since the early 1800s), but also invented the concept of takeout (Oui/LOL). The House of Dalloyau also claims to have invented the Opera cake (you know, that classy coffee-chocolate thing all over Paris pastry shops). There’s more than one claim to the origin of the Opera cake, but Dalloyau’s cakes apparently taste the best, so Voilà.
Today Dalloyau operates as a rather posh restaurant, gourmet gift service, reception hall and bakery with several locations in addition to their Opera cake protection duties, all of which can make a reader lose sight of the objective here; the croissants. They’re great and the fancy royal vibes certainly don’t hurt the appeal. There’s a rumor that, for the oral portion of your French Citizenship exam, if you can pronounce « Dalloyau » correctly five times fast with a Parisian-level of confidence, you are basically IN. Oh, and get some macarons while you are there.
ADDRESS: 9 Rue de la Monnaie (1st arr.) / 101 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré (8th arr.) / 35 boulevard Haussmann (9th arr.)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Champs-Élysées
NUMBER: +33 1 42 99 09 08
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris, posh, vintage
INSTAGRAM: @dalloyauparis
Ladurée
You don’t think of croissants when you think of Ladurée. Why would you? Somewhat like an early influencer who owned the space by existing with a iPhone camera, Ladurée deftly insinuated their name in the Holy Book right next to macaron. They’re a pretty old institution and have vehemently established themselves as the international supplier for those adorable sandwich cookies us Francophiles love so much. But their posh pastel storefronts have a lot more to offer than just macarons, and if they’re great at making possibly the most difficult cookie to bake in the world, it stands to reason that they’re pretty good at making everything else. So try a croissant along with your crate of macarons, you won’t be sorry. Can one ever truly be sorry in a Parisian bakery?
ADDRESS: 16 Rue Royale (8th arr.) / 99 Rue de Rivoli Emplacement M11 (1st arr.) / 14 Rue de Bretagne (3rd arr.) / 21 Rue Bonaparte (6th arr.) / 47 Rue Cler (7th arr.) / 75 Ave des Champs-Élysées (8th arr.) / 62 Bd Haussmann (9th arr.) / Gare de Lyon (12th arr.) / 15 Rue Linois (15th arr.)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Concorde
NUMBER: +33 1 42 60 21 79
DEETS: worth the flight, bakery, best croissants in Paris, posh, vintage, institution
INSTAGRAM: @maisonladuree
L’Autre Boulange
L’Autre Boulange (the other baker) is a simplistic, high quality bakery offering several interesting varieties of breads with Nordic roots in addition to their delicious croissants. Multiple locations.
ADDRESS: 43 Rue de Montreuil (11th arr.) / 12 Place de la Nation (12th arr.)
HOURS: closed Mondays
NEIGHBORHOOD:Faidherbe / Charonne / Aligre
NUMBER: +33 1 43 72 86 04
DEETS: bakery, best croissants in Paris
INSTAGRAM: @lautreboulangerie
Terroirs d’Avenir
Terroirs d’Avenir (Lands of the Future) started as an ambitious project to bring together small French agriculturists and the best Parisian restaurants. That dream not only came true, but turned into a mini-empire of high-quality products. They occupy few concentrated spots around the city, making their signature shops a small consulates for organic food. Their bakeries are no different — traditional bread, rustic viennoiseries, sandwiches and brioches made with seasonal products; all of them so appealing that may may forget for a moment that you only came here for a simple croissant. Do yourself a favor and buy something for later — or you risk ending up searching for their another location, instead of exploring the city itself.
ADDRESS: 3 rue du Nil (2nd arr.) / 17 boulevard Morland (4th arr.) / 8 rue Paul Bert (11th arr.) / 90 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud (11th arr.)
HOURS: closed Mondays
NEIGHBORHOOD: Faidherbe / Charonne / Aligre
NUMBER: +33 1 84 79 88 19
DEETS: organic, best croissants in Paris, institution, bobo
INSTAGRAM: @terroirsdavenir
Les Copains du Faubourg
In the bio of this artisan boulangerie we read their products are « cool, tasty and homemade ». Honestly, what else do you need? From simple croissants to elaborated cakes, everything the Friends from Faubourg touch, turn into gold(en pieces of deliciousness).
ADDRESS: 237 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine (12th arr.)
HOURS: closed on weekends
NEIGHBORHOOD: Bastille / Arsenal
DEETS: best croissants in Paris, cakes, friendly staff
INSTAGRAM: @lescopainsdufaubourg
