Emily In France Exclusive 🇫🇷 The 14 Best Viennoiseries I Tried on My Search for Paris' Best Croissant

From the desk of an expat.

I recently embarked on the arduous, painstaking, awful task of attempting to suss out the very best of Paris’ croissants. (I swear, the things I do for you…) But while I was tasting my way through all those buttery, flaky layers, I also gave into the siren call of other viennoiseries – those breakfast pastries comprised of buttery, enriched or laminated dough, stuffed with everything from apple compote to chocolate chips. And friends, I found some that are real winners – including a pain au chocolat to convert even this choco-skeptic.

Look, there’s perhaps nothing as perfect as a pillowy croissant, and I identified 12 worth a stop, each tastier than the next. But if you're looking for a Parisian breakfast that’s a bit more creative than a croissant – and not quite as overwhelming as a crookie – I’ve got you more than covered.

Pavé au Chocolat, La Maison d’Isabelle

Maison d’Isabelle had already conquered my heart with its mahogany butter croissant. It was named Paris’ best in 2018 but, in my opinion (and that of many pros) still well deserving of the title, if a classic croissant with a caramelized exterior and a buttery interior is what you seek.

(I mean… just look at her.)

But the bakery’s chocolate pavé is just as worthy of praise – and this coming from someone who’s not really a fan of chocolate. A pavé – similar to a pain suisse or pépito – is a touch richer than a more classic pain au chocolat, with croissant dough sandwiching a pastry cream filling dotted with dark chocolate chips. It’s a touch sweeter and richer than a pain au chocolat, making it the perfect dessert or 4 o’clock snack.

La Maison d’Isabelle - 47ter Bd Saint-Germain, 75005

Cinnamon Roll, Mamiche

A panoply of cinnamon rolls have begun popping up in Parisian bakeries, and they always give me pause. Nearly every born-and-bred Frenchperson I’ve met finds cinnamon too spicy – unless they're from Alsace. As a result, I find most "cinnamon” rolls are not nearly heavy-handed enough with the spice.

The cinnamon roll at Mamiche hits different. It’s positively loaded with spice, and it does away with the cloying icing that can make most American versions of the viennoiserie a bit too sickly for breakfast. The enriched dough is buttery and barely sweet; the cinnamon here is truly the star, and I am here. For. It.

Mamiche - 45 Rue Condorcet, 75009

Sacristain, Du Pain et des Idées

Du Pain et des Idées is famous for the pistachio-chocolate escargot, and while I do enjoy this pastry swirl, I have to say that of all of the offerings at this beautiful bakery just off the Canal Saint-Martin, the sacristain is my go-to.

This twist of custard-filled croissant dough originally comes from the Vaucluse, as I explored in my guide to the regional viennoiseries taking root in the capital for France Today. In baker Christophe Vasseur’s capable hands, it becomes perfectly crisp on the outside and tender within.

Du Pain et des Idées - 34 Rue Yves Toudic, 75010