Where to find the best croissants in Paris

The croissant, like its close cousin, the pain au chocolat, is the quintessential Parisian breakfast. It's light, quick to eat, and a thing of beauty, but also a burst of buttery, flaky pleasure.

Unless you shop at the handful of luxurious, designer-lifestyle bakeries in the French capital, these crescent-shaped pastries are cheap yet delicious. Croissants in all their forms are a food of the people, like the pizzas of Naples.

The enthusiastic queues that spill out onto the street from good boulangeries (bakeries) are just something visitors have to get used to, but they are a testament to the fact that every croissant-buyer is, at least momentarily, at the same democratic level.

Each region of France has its own pastry specialties and preferences. I prefer not to open the Pandora’s box of whether we should say pain au chocolat or chocolatine, as they vehemently argue in the southwest of the country. But I don’t think it’s controversial to say that the best of the best – la crème de la crème, if you will – can be found in Paris.

An introduction to French pastries

The world of French baking can be a little confusing for newcomers, so I should clarify that I have opted to mainly focus on viennoiserie – the French term for classic pastries such as croissants, pains au chocolat and other baked goods generally consumed in the morning. The name is a reference to the fact that the croissant is believed to have originated in Vienna.

For the purposes of this guide, I have mostly overlooked French breads – which are a whole different universe – and pâtisserie, the umbrella term for cake and tart-style creations, which tend to be sweeter, more elaborate in design, and more expensive.

Why should you take my word on croissants?

Well, I'm a voracious pastry eater and have previously had the great honor of being a jury member judging the annual best croissant in Paris competition, so I have some experience in the field. However, it's a bit of a misconception to imagine you can walk into any bakery in Paris and automatically find world-class pastries.

Regrettably, many places bake industrially made, pre-frozen goods. However, Paris is still the best place on the planet to get your flaky pastry fix, from classics such as croissants aux amandes (almond croissants) to the indulgent pain suisse (a rectangular pastry filled with custard cream and chocolate). Also look out for exciting modern variations with Jewish, Japanese and North African influences.

Here are what I consider to be the most interesting and significant bakeries in Paris.

1. Boulangerie Utopie, 11th arrondissement

While Boulangerie Utopie was crowned champion of the best baguette in Paris competition in 2024 (and their baguettes are excellent, moreish creations), I tend to visit in search of the mouth-watering pastries behind the bakery's L-shaped counter.

The house chausson aux pommes (a puffy pastry filled with applesauce) is crispy and deliciously caramelized, a little like a McDonald’s apple pie in the best way possible. The black sesame eclair is another big-hitter – one of Erwan Blanche and Sébastien Bruno’s experiments blending Parisian pastries with East Asian flavors.

After a decade of doing business in the 11th arrondissement, Utopie’s popularity has rapidly grown, both among locals and tourists, so you will have to contend with a queue, even if it does move quickly.

Planning tip: To keep things fresh, Utopie produces a menu of special eye-catching pastries at the weekend, such as their recent tart with banana, dulce de leche (caramelized milk) and Chantilly mascarpone.

2. Shinya Pain, 18th Arrondissement

Surrounded by a sea of soulless international chains in the heavily-touristed neighborhood of lower Montmartre, this hole-in-the-wall store with a glass front and minimalist interior is a passion project from Japanese baker Shinya Inagaki.

For only three hours a day, four days a week, the mustachioed Inagaki sells his sourdough loaves, focaccia, cakes and cookies to a dedicated clientele, who queue without fail before the shop has even opened. The service is always friendly and Inagaki gives you change – it’s cash only – on a cute silver platter. 

Planning tip: Before opening each day, Inagaki posts a handwritten menu for the day on his Instagram page. If it's available on the day you visit, the dense and decadent sourdough chocolate cake is the chocolate cake of your dreams.

3. Manobaké, 11th arrondissement

Taking its name from the surname of founder Sandra Ferreira’s mother, Manobaké, which opened in 2023, is my favorite new arrival in Paris. The name is also a piece of multilingual wordplay, riffing on the Spanish meaning of mano ("hand") in reference to the bakery's old-school artisanal approach.

This is the kind of little-known local bakery that people dream of. It's all just right, from the charming blue-green mosaic interior to the understated, almost Nordic elegance of its baked goods, which are made using top-quality ingredients such as Charenton butter.

The airy cinnamon swirl and chunky carrot cake are both very good, but I prefer to go with their classic croissant au beurre or pain au chocolat. What’s more, despite being close to Cimetière du Père Lachaise, Manobaké is, for now, relatively unsung, so you won’t have to wait for long.

4. Mamiche, 9th & 10th arrondissements

Young female duo Cécile Khayat and Victoria Effantin are behind what may be the hippest bakery in Paris, with the likes of superstar singer Rosalía being enthusiastic customers. Mamiche – meaning “my loaf” – hits exactly the right spot between respect for tradition and willingness to experiment. 

The result is a selection of reliably good pastries that look, frankly, sexy. Crowdpleasers include their gooey chocolate babka, a braided Jewish bread, and the pain suisse – a brioche bun stuffed with custard and chocolate chips (it may well be my favorite in the city). Also worth trying are their distinctive cookies, donuts, and pains aux raisins (swirly pastries with raisins).

Planning tip: The Mamiche empire is slowly expanding, with a third, more meal-focused branch at 19 rue Bouchardon, complimenting their bakeries in the 9th and 10th arrondissements.

5. Cédric Grolet, 2nd arrondissement

With perhaps the most extravagant, bling-worthy pastries available in the city (and prices, which are about three times that of your standard bakery, to match), Cedric Grolet massively divides opinion. It’s easy, given those rates, to imagine Parisians rioting and calling for revolution if this was the only bakery that was available in the city.

But the influence of Grolet across the French baking world is undeniable and his croissants are glamorous, designer pastries made using fine baking techniques, like Chanel handbags or Art Basel paintings in dough form – Croiss-art, you could say.

Planning tip: Be prepared for very long queues and hordes of somewhat snooty lifestyle Instagrammers at his flagship branch in Opéra, in the 2nd arrondissement. We'll just say the pastries are worth the wait.

6. Pâtisserie de Choisy, 13th arrondissement

You won’t find croissants or baguettes at this bakery in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. That's because it’s right in the heart of the largest Chinatown in Europe. Instead, you’ll find all kinds of Cantonese specialties, from creamy and crumbly egg tarts to Swiss rolls filled with matcha, black sesame and durian cream – and even pastries with dried pork floss.

With red lanterns and Chinese characters adorning the storefront, this family-run affair has been open since 1983, and it's hard to miss. Their so-called “Wife Cake” – a Chinese pastry filled with winter melon and almond paste – can supposedly even help you find a partner.

Planning tip: Order a Hong Kong-style milk tea (available hot or iced) to accompany your pastry and consume both in one of the nearby parks.

7. Ritz Paris Le Comptoir, Ritz Paris, 1st arrondissement

The Ritz Paris, founded in 1898, is one of the most iconic hotels in Paris, with a firm sense of tradition. Former guests have included the likes of Coco Chanel, Marcel Proust and Ernest Hemingway, but in 2021, head pastry chef François Perret decided to break with the past, and reinvent the wheel, or should that be reinvent the croissant?

His theory was that eating a croissant was an unduly messy affair – and I agree, though part of the joy is the flakes flying everywhere. Accordingly, he developed a long, baton-like croissant for sale at the Ritz Paris Le Comptoir bakery. The shape, he claims, allows the pastry to retain its crispiness all the way through; it’s true, and it’s worth trying, even if croissants didn’t really need to be fixed.

Planning tip: I strongly recommend ordering a cup of Le Comptoir’s thick, velvety chocolat chaud (hot chocolate), so you can dunk the croissant like a churro. One cup is enough to share between two, and the bakery has space to sit and enjoy.

8. Le Petit Grain, 20th arrondissement

Partly because this is the best bakery in my neighborhood, I probably come here more than anywhere else, but it’s worth traveling to Le Petit Grain. This minimalist, vaguely Bauhaus-style bakery in the 20th arrondissement has large glass windows that offer a direct view of the bakers at work in the kitchen.

It’s a tiny spot, with only enough space for one or two customers at a time. But once you’re inside, a great line-up awaits – bulbous croissants, kouign amann (a Breton pastry that is essentially an explosion of butter), and cruffins, tarts and flans, with flavors that change regularly.

Planning tip: For a satisfying breakfast, get a glass of homemade kombucha or artisanal filter coffee to go with your pastry.

9. Boulangerie Vandermeersch, 12th arrondissement

There’s one reason to head over to the old-school Boulangerie Vandermeersch, on the leafy eastern edge of Paris – namely, the city’s best kouglof. These chimney-shaped brioche pastries – a specialty of the Alsace region and something of an underrated treat – are stuffed with candied fruit and soaked in rum, sugar syrup and orange blossom essence.

Said to be the predecessor to the rum baba, a good kouglof is super-soft, yet with a pleasing outer crunch. It certainly should not be consumed first thing in the morning unless you have a serious sweet tooth!

Planning tip: If you can, ask for a larger kouglof, as smaller varieties can sometimes be a bit dry

10. La Maison d'Isabelle, 5th arrondissement

In the 5th arrondissement, particularly in the heaving tourist zone near Notre Dame, it can be a mammoth task to find authentically good Parisian pastries, but La Maison d’Isabelle is one clear exception to the rule. And its bakers are well aware of that fact; after winning the "best croissant in Paris" competition in 2018, the owners printed a giant sign that’s even larger than the sign bearing the bakery’s name.

But we'll overlook this small piece of vanity, as these organic, old-school croissants live up to the billing. They are melt-in-your-mouth buttery, with both a chewiness and a flakiness.

Planning tip: This is the place to come in the Latin Quarter so it gets busy, but there's a separate, much faster stand if you just want to buy one of the French bakery trinity – ie a croissant, pain au chocolat or baguette.

11. Du Pain et des Idées, 10th arrondissement

Du Pain et des Idées has the most stunning interior of any bakery in Paris, dating back to 1875 and full of beveled mirrors, with an original painted glass ceiling featuring farmers at work. The artisanal produce is more of a mixed bag – the pain suisse is top-tier, a perfect mix of crunchy, soft, creamy and sweet, but their famed escargots (directly translating as "snails", but in reality a spiral-shaped pastry) can be dry.

A stone’s throw from the Canal Saint Martin, the bakery is no secret and it has established itself as a fixture on the pastry trail since businessman-turned-baker Christophe Vasseur opened the operation in 2002. Large groups of tourists come here so prices are high.

Planning tip: A rare plus is that there are a few tables outside where you can sit to eat your baked goods, but you may have to wait until one frees up.

12. Des Gâteaux et du Pain, 15th arrondissement

Perhaps due to its location in the little-visited, largely residential 15th arrondissement, Claire Damon's flagship bakery is usually overlooked by visitors and even by some Parisians. But locals and pastry fanatics recognize the finesse on show at this laboratory-like space, with its black façade and modernist countertops.

Damon regularly mixes up the flavors of her pastries depending on which fruits are in season, but her chausson citron (a tart but sweet lemon pastry) is unmissable when it's available. And it’s always a good idea to head over during strawberry season for some especially fragrant pâtisserie offerings.

Planning tip: Just around the corner from the bakery is the underrated Bourdelle Museum – the studio and former home of sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, a student of Rodin.

13. Boulangerie Miettes, 18th arrondissement

The baking scene in Paris is coming under the influence of global trends from as far away as America and Japan, so bakeries are increasingly lookalike. But Boulangerie Miettes has been trying to do something different since it opened in the 18th arrondissement in September 2022.

For example, their coffee croissant is infused with beans from local coffeemakers Belleville Brûlerie and 60% cacao chocolate, lending the pastry a darker hue and denser consistency. Then there’s their classic Danish pastry, with roasted apricots, rosemary and butter sourced from Montaigu in the west of France. A nice touch is that they display the names of the bakers who baked each pastry.