Going abroad to Paris and Aix-en-Provence was the best decision I’ve ever made. I stayed away from the US for the whole year and developed a deeper relationship with the amazingness of food. Especially pastry, which France is renowned for! While not all of the treats on this list are ones I could afford every day, the ones that have made it to my top tier and special bites that are worth the splurge and ones that I keep recommending to everyone I know as my some of my favorite pastries in the world.
While these are obviously not the only options available in the city and these do not include every pastry I’ve ever eaten in France, this list includes the places I went back to as often as I could, the places I dream about revisiting, and the places recommend to people who are going to Paris. This is the short list (as short as I can make it):
Croissants from Poilâne
Right near the Bon Marché is the world-renowned boulangerie, famous for its country bread (pain de campagne) and old-style techniques in an ancient oven. While the croissant itself may look to be less yummy than some others that you might see in any patisserie on the street (such as Eric Kayser, for example), trust me, the minute you put a piece of this croissant (as close to the early morning as you can get one since it will be fresher) you won’t be able to eat another croissant without comparing to that of Poilâne. Since Poilâne is more of a boulangerie than a patisserie, I had figured their croissant would be bread-ier than most, but no! It’s buttery, flaky outside and fluffy, lush inside was enough to win me over, and there was not a single bad bite in the whole treat.
While you’re there, you might as well pick up a quarter (“quart” pronounced “car”) of the pain de campagne (those giant breads with a P carved into them) or a tiny rustic apple tartlette. Both of those are delicious as well. And another plus of this being a boulangerie: the costs are very low! The croissant is about 1 euro! It’s absolutely worth a stop to this world-renowned boulangerie, even if it’s just to take a peak in the window.
Éclair from Carl Marletti
This little hole-in-the-wall shop just off the end of Rue Mouffetard smells delicious as soon as you get close. While you may walk past it the first time, you will not be able to miss the aroma. There’s a kitchen working in the back of this little shop that keeps churning out such delicacies, but my clear favorite is the éclair caramel au beurre salé.
It’s absolutely decadent, and the extra sugar crunch on the outside of the pâte au chou makes it a cut above in the delicious department, and the cream inside is to die for. As you bite into it, the cream comes spilling out the other side, so watch out, because you don’t want to lose any of the perfect creaminess.
Pasteis from Comme à Lisbonne
While it may seem strange that I’m recommending a Portuguese delicacy as a necessary stop in Paris, I swear this is the best pasteis I have had outside of Lisbon. If you’re not planning on making it to Portugal anytime soon, pick up one of these warm custard filled pastries.
It’s only 2 euros, always warm, and dusted with cinnamon (always say “oui” to cannelle), and the pastry from this tiny store in the Marais never disappoints. It only sells pasteis and coffee, so you know you’re getting the best every time, and they make new batches all day, so if they’re running out, they’ll soon replace it with piping hot pasteis. Plus, this little store (and most of the Marais) is open on Sundays, meaning you can pick one up on the down days in Paris.
Tartelette au citron (Lemon tartlet) from Arnaud Delmontel
On the lively Rue des Martyrs, this fabulous patisserie has a display window with a line of these perfect yellow domes amidst the other pastries. While the pastry itself may look like it would be dense or rich, this citrusy pastry cream melts away with an airiness that leaves you satisfied but wanting more. It’s perfect. And it’s beautiful to boot.
This perfect dome is worth the splurge because you really have to taste it to believe that something that small can pack a powerful punch and melt into nothing. It’s really the perfect lemon tart.
Popelini from Popelini
This up-and-coming pastry seems to be heading toward taking over the macaron fad in Paris, so watch out for these little goodies. They’re like the best cream puff you’ve ever had.
They come in a bunch of flavors, and the packaging of these treats is really aesthetically pleasing. The place only sells Popelini (hence the name), so you know you’re getting the best. Now there are more locations springing up all over Paris, so you won’t have to go up to Rue des Martyrs to pick up one (or a few) of these treats.
Saint Honoré from La Patisserie des Rêves
This pastry is unreal, as if from a dream (see what I did there? relating the name of the place to the fantasticalness of the desserts it sells?). The flaky pastry topped with sweet cream and caramel covered cream puffs is decadent to say the least.
The crisp cookie bottom holds up the crunchy coated cream puffs on one side and a smooth, creamy chantilly on the other. It’s a little daunting to eat (and I recommend eating it while sitting down), but it’s definitely worth the effort!
Carrot Cake from Sugarplum Cake Shop
If you’ve been in France for a while (like I was) and are desperately craving some great American desserts, look no further than the great American bakery, Sugarplum Cake Shop. Everything they serve screams America, and they prepare each treat the way it should be, with great ingredients, picture perfect presentation, and love.
From rice krispie treats and cheese cake to muffins and peanut butter bars, almost any American dessert prepared the right way can be found here. You’re met with a friendly “Hello” when you walk in, and with the cake and coffee, you may never want to leave. Big pluses: free wifi on the weekdays, free refills for filtered coffee (although it is 4 euros to start), comfy couches and English speaking personnel, and, of course, Le Carrot Cake 🙂
Tarte au Citron Meringuée from Le Loir dans la Théière
While the mile-high meringue may seem insurmountable, the tarte is definitely an experience (even without being able to finish the pile of fluff on top of the lemon tart).
Le Loir dans la Théière is a great place to get brunch, lunch, or a snack in the Marais, selling great tartes both savory and sweet. The freshest of ingredients are used to create these fresh tartes, making them taste that much better. While this isn’t a place where you can easily come in and take something to go, it’s worth a break from a hard day of walking (and it’s delicious to boot)! This lemon tart, to compare it directly with the other lemon tart on this list, is much more of a novelty than a delicacy, and it’s hard to take away with you. But it’s definitely great to take pictures with and tell stories about, and the other, freshly made savory tarts and quiches are worth the trip.
Millefeuille à la Minute from Jacques Génin
This new craze about the millefeuille made to order is starting to circulate, but the only one that I have heard fabulous things about (and can corroborate) is the one from Jacques Génin. While this man is already a famous chocolatier, with delicate chocolates and caramels (pick up a bunch of those), his pastries are also incredible.
By filling the buttery, flaky, crunchy cookies with luscious pastry cream and a raspberry coulis (if you order the raspberry one as I did), Génin creates a fantastic dessert (or snack) that comes out slightly different every time. This treat is an expensive one, I’ll give you that, but the atmosphere of the room and the deliciousness of the treat might overpower the price.
Overall, the pastries in Paris are incredible, and this is not a complete list, but this is the start to a lifelong journey of finding the best of the best.
Addresses:
Poilâne
8, rue du Cherche-Midi (6ème)
Carl Marletti
51, rue Censier (5ème)
Comme à Lisbonne
37, rue du Roi de Sicile (4ème)
Arnaud Delmontel
39, rue des Martyrs (9ème)
Popelini
44, rue des Martyrs (9ème)
La Patisserie des Rêves
93, rue du Bac (7ème)
Sugarplum Cake Shop
68, rue Cardinal Lemoine (5ème)
Le Loir dans la Théière
3, rue des Rosiers (4ème)
Jacques Génin
133, rue de Turenne (3ème)
Instead I Had Cake 