The 20 best pâtisseries in Paris
The thought of Paris conjures up visions of perfect pâtisserie windows filled with glistening tarts, colourful macarons and ornate cakes. But every shop and restaurant in Paris has its speciality, and so it's important to try the very best of each. Whether it’s a Paris-Brest or the city’s finest croissant, these are the pâtisseries that reign supreme – from perfectly layered pains au chocolat, millefeuille and pretty fruit tarts to boundary-pushing pastries.
Boulangerie Utopie
11th arrondissement
Go for: roulé
This petite corner spot is always buzzing with foodies, both local and visiting, who seek out the exotic flavors that Utopie is known for. The roulé sésame is an unexpected creamy-savoury concoction – the ideal antidote to overly sweet cakes. Try to stop by for a slice on Saturday, when the boulangerie highlights weekend-specific pastries and viennoiseries (it reveals the flavours weekly on its Instagram account). And don’t forget to grab the famous jet-black activated-charcoal baguette as well.Address: Boulangerie Utopie, 20 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud
Telephone: +33 9 82 50 74 48
Website: facebook.com/Boulangerie-UtopieBlé Sucré
12th arrondissement
Go for: madeleine
Fabrice Le Bourdat gave up his role as the pastry chef at the three-Michelin-star Le Bristol to open his own shop. Proust himself would admire the way the iced madeleines linger in the minds of all who visit this pâtisserie. Get a bag of the fresh, delicate (and surprisingly affordable) madeleines before perusing the stalls at the nearby Marché d’Aligre.Address: Blé Sucré, 7 rue Antoine Vollon
Telephone: +33 1 43 40 77 73
Website: facebook.com/blesucrepatisserie
Bontemps
3rd arrondissement
Go for: tarts
Take a break from shopping in the Marais for a rich-yet-light tarte au citron at this charmingly small shop (there is a larger tea room in the back for those looking for a fuller menu). Run by two sisters, Bontemps feels homier and quirkier than many of the sleek pâtisseries that are most sought after in Paris right now. Settle into one of the turquoise folding chairs outside the shop with a friend and share as many of the seasonal fruit tarts as you can.Address: Bontemps, 57 rue de Bretagne
Telephone: +33 1 42 74 10 68
Website: facebook.com/bontempspatisserieKaramel
7th arrondissement
Go for: caramels
After 10 years at Ladurée, Nicolas Haelewyn got the pastry world talking with the opening of his first pâtisserie dedicated to his love of all things caramel. You can either choose your sweet treats from the counter up front or settle in for a cosy afternoon in the tea room. Don’t miss the poached pear with a rich caramel centre, on a base of praline shortbread, and make sure to leave with some of the jewel-like flavoured caramels.Address: Karamel, 67 rue Saint-Dominique
Telephone: +33 1 71 93 02 94
Website: karamelparis.comKeep scrolling for more photos of pâtisseries in Paris
Studio ArtichauChambelland
11th arrondissement
Go for: gluten free
For a gluten-free bakery to survive in Paris, you know it has to be excellent. Located in the trendy Oberkampf neighbourhood, this sleek shop uses only naturally gluten-free grains that are all certified organic. Try one of the terrific tarts such as the pineapple rooibos or a light financier. You can even order a custom layer cake for a birthday party.Address: Chambelland, 14 rue Ternaux
Telephone: +33 1 43 55 07 30
Website: chambelland.com
Angelina
1st arrondissement
Go for: Mont-Blanc
Originally founded in 1903, Angelina’s tea room feels as if Proust or Coco Chanel could still pop by at any moment for the famous hot chocolate and the even more famous Mont-Blanc. The recipe remains unchanged from the original created by the Angelina pastry chefs at the turn of the 20th century – crispy meringue under a layer of whipped cream, topped with strands of chestnut cream meant to resemble the bob haircuts that were popular in Paris at the time.**Address:**Angelina, 226 rue de Rivoli
Telephone: +33 1 42 60 82 00
Website:angelina-paris.frOdette
5th arrondissement
Go for: choux à la crème
This place has become a bit of an internet phenomenon, due to its charming 17th-century façade and Art Deco logo. But what lies inside is equally well known for the consistency of the tricky choux à la crème cream puff. With multiple flavours ranging from vanilla and chocolate to lemon and salted caramel, these masterpieces almost look too beautiful to eat. Get a custom box to go but eat them quickly – they only last for 48 hours in the fridge.Address: Odette, 77 rue Galande
Telephone: + 33 1 43 26 13 06
Website: odette-paris.com
Geraldine MartensStohrer
2nd arrondissement
Go for: baba au rhum
Originally opened in 1730, Stohrer bills itself as the oldest pâtisserie in Paris – and as the birthplace of the baba au rhum. The store, still in its original location on the classic market street rue Montorgueil, offers three variations on the rum baba: the Ali Baba (filled with orange-scented pastry cream), the baba aux fruits (filled with candied fruit), and the baba chantilly (soaked with rum).Address: Stohrer, 51 rue Montorgueil
Telephone: +33 1 42 33 38 20
Website: stohrer.frLa Pâtisserie des Rêves
17th arrondissement
Go for: Paris-Brest
Correctly made, a Paris-Brest balances an intense praline flavour with an airiness pervading the choux pastry and a wonderful crunch defining the streusel. The Paris-Brest at La Pâtisserie des Rêves elevates all of those individual elements to a union that’s almost holy, with a deeply rich praline-flavoured filling in the centre. The glass domes suspended from the ceiling of the store add a whimsical touch to a very serious pastry experience.Address: La Pâtisserie des Rêves, 19 rue Poncelet
Telephone: +33 1 42 67 71 79
Website: lapatisseriedesreves.com
Julia PianettiLa Pâtisserie by Cyril Lignac
11th arrondissement
Go for: croissant
Chef Cyril Lignac is instantly recognisable in France, due to his TV shows and a series of more than 40 cookbooks. But it takes more than fame to gain fans for your croissants in a city that takes them so seriously. Lignac’s offer crunchy, flaky exteriors over warm, soft puff pastry filled with signature air holes. Can you get a good croissant at most corner bakeries in Paris? Yes, but there is a reason why La Pâtisserie by Cyril Lignac reportedly sells hundreds of breakfast pastries every day.**Address:**La Pâtisserie by Cyril Lignac, 24 rue Paul Bert
Telephone: +33 1 55 87 21 40
Website: gourmand-croquant.comDu Pain et Des Idées
10th arrondissement
Go for: escargot
This is a bit more boulangerie than pâtisserie, but the escargot or pain au raisin here is one of the most loved viennoiseries in Paris. The queue can easily snake out the door of this corner spot on the super-hip Canal Saint-Martin, but it’s worth the wait to get the pistachio and chocolate escargot (get a fruits rouges for good measure). Sit down at the communal table outside to eat the pastry while it’s still warm and practically melting in your hands. You might well want to go back in and queue for a third.Address: Du Pain et Des Idées, 34 rue Yves Toudic
Telephone: +33 1 42 40 44 52
Website: dupainetdesidees.com
Des Gâteaux et du Pain
7th arrondissement
Go for: chausson aux pommes
The French chausson aux pommes, or apple turnover, can be seen as a humble pastry – no layered textures, no tricky finishes. But in its simplicity, it becomes that much more challenging to perfect. The flaky pastry must hold its shape and yet be delicate and buttery. The apples must be firm enough to push back on a bite but melt like caramel in the mouth. Claire Damon’s take on this famous creation at Des Gâteaux et du Pain gets it all so right, with its leafy exterior baked to bien cuit. It’s the perfect Parisian breakfast – if you can manage to get it home without eating it.Address: Des Gâteaux et du Pain, 89 rue du Bac
Website: desgateauxetdupain.comPierre Hermé
6th arrondissement
Go for: macarons
The macaron can seem deceptively simple until you try the taste-bud-tickling flavours at Pierre Hermé. These ones are light as air – perfectly crunchy on the outside with a meltingly chewy centre, finished with a slick of jelly or cream. Favourites include the signature Ispahan (rose, lychee and raspberry) and a more unusual olive oil and lemon creation. Mogador (chocolate and passionfruit) and Mosaic (pistachio, Ceylon cinnamon and morello cherries) will transport you beyond the boundaries of France.**Address:**Pierre Hermé, 72 rue Bonaparte
Telephone: +33 1 43 54 47 77
Website: pierreherme.com
© pmonettaLa Pâtisserie du Meurice par Cédric Grolet
1st arrondissement
Go for: fruit sculpté
Cédric Grolet has gained Instagram fame with his trompe l'oeil creations that taste as delicious as they look realistic. Named the World’s Best Pastry Chef at age 32, Grolet has become internationally known for his exquisite ‘fruits’ – pastries that look like the real thing and are filled with matching layers of fruit. For example, his lemon version is filled with lemon curd, poached lemons and yuzu ganache and finished with a lemon spray to achieve the effect of the rough rind. This jewel box of a shop gives the impression of an art gallery, with miniature sculptures instead of pastries.Address: La Pâtisserie du Meurice par Cédric Grolet, 6 rue de Castiglione
Telephone: +33 1 44 58 69 19
Website: dorchestercollection.comL’Éclair de Génie Café
4th arrondissement
Go for: éclairs
For most pâtisseries, a pistachio éclair might be a walk on the wild side. But at L’Éclair de Génie, chef Christophe Adam is exploring exciting new flavour combinations such as rose lychee, lemon meringue and salted caramel. The finish is exquisite, with mini choux puffs, swirls of cream and shining mirror glazes.Address: L’Éclair de Génie Café, 14 rue Pavée
Telephone: +33 1 42 77 85 11
Website: leclairdegenie.com
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Carl Marletti
5th arrondissement
Go for: fraisier
Pastry chef Carl Marletti’s namesake pâtisserie has exquisite, delicious pastries all year round (the violet-tinged Lily Valley, a twist on the classic St Honoré, is a standout), but when summer comes, the crowds appear for his fraisier. The classic strawberry pudding is so popular that the chef creates more large versions than individual pastries so that they can be shared among friends or family. Composed of almond paste, mousseline cream, cut strawberries and kirsch-soaked joconde biscuits, this is a tried-and-true version of the beloved dessert.Address: Carl Marletti, 51 rue Censier
Telephone: +33 1 43 31 68 12
Website: carlmarletti.com
Jean Francois AimePoilâne
6th arrondissement
Go for: sablé
Poilâne has become a legend of French baking, with Alice Waters of Chez Panisse contributing the foreword to its latest cookbook. While the bread is the Platonic ideal and the croissants are brilliantly flaky, the smart customer knows to get a bag full of sablés (butter biscuits). The French counterpoint to shortbread, they manage to stay fresh for days and are made for pairing with a café au lait. Dip them in and let them soak for just a second for the perfect buttery, milky bite.Address: Poilâne, 8 rue du Cherche-Midi
Telephone: +33 1 45 48 42 59
Website: poilane.comCircus Bakery
5th arrondissement
Go for: cinnamon rolls
This place is tucked in the elbow of a crooked street behind Shakespeare and Company on the Left Bank, and you can smell the cinnamon wafting out as you walk up to the doors. The spartan space puts all the emphasis on the sourdough-based baking in the open kitchen. The cinnamon rolls bring in faithful crowds who stand anxiously waiting while the buns bake – because they sell out even before they emerge from the oven.
Address: Circus Bakery, 63 rue Galande
Telephone: N/A
Website: instagram.com/circusbakeryparis
Le Petit Grain
20th arrondissement
Go for: kouign-amann
After providing the photogenic bread display for It-brand Jacquemus’s second men's show, Le Petit Grain quickly established itself as a favourite of the fashionable crowd in Paris. kouign-amann is a Breton speciality, all rich dough redolent with salty butter and crunchy sugar. Le Petit Grain gives it a twist with the addition of sesame seeds, resulting in an earthier taste that cuts through the sweetness.Address: Le Petit Grain, 7 rue Denoyez
Telephone: +33 6 34 05 20 28
Website: instagram.com/lepetitgrainparisYann Couvreur
4th arrondissement
Go for: mille-feuille
Paying homage to his Breton roots, pastry chef Yann Couvreur shakes up the traditional millefeuille by adding buckwheat flour to the layers of cream to balance the Madagascar vanilla. Layered with sheets of pastry that look like shards of glass, this labour-intensive confection tends to sell out quickly – only 50 are made each day!Address: Yann Couvreur, 23 bis rue des Rosiers
Telephone: +33 6 05 97 63 01
Website: yanncouvreur.comLike this? Now read: