My FAVE Bakeries in Paris
For the BEST eclairs in the oldest bakery to still exist in Paris:
Stohrer is the oldest bakery still standing in Paris, and dates back to the 1700s 🤯 Located in the 2nd arrondissement on an old walking & open market street called Rue Montorgueil, this tiny bakery is worth visiting for both its history and its eclairs. I never really was a big fan of eclairs. Inside the boulangerie, I found many other sweet treats to excite me more. That was until a friend and I were having lunch on Rue Montorgueil one day years back, and instead of getting dessert there he told me we had to get eclairs from Stohrer. My first bite into the chocolate eclair felt like a scene from Ratatouille. How was it so good?! It's worth the 5€ price tag and the journey to see the historic spot, but I have a hot tip for you! The chocolate shops, A La Mere de Famille feature Stohrer bakery items, so if you have one of those near you, you can get your hands on one of these babies when the craving hits (because it will).
For the BEST custard flan:
The flan that changed the game for me is at Jeffrey Cagnes bakeries. The one noted here is in my neighborhood (dangerous to be that close) and chosen between the other 2 locations also for that reason. The part of the 17th arrondissement known as Batignolles is a very quaint, vibrant, boutique-y neighborhood full of young and wealthy families. Anyway, back to the flan! It's not a dessert I typically seek out anywhere, but here? OMG. Let me tell you.. The custard is perfectly sweet, not baked but put into an already baked, sugar coated crust. It's kind of like a mix between a creme broulée and a pie. You must try one! You can take a few things here and walk to your next location below.
For the BEST cookie:
If you've made it to Batignolles then you might as well get the best cookies at Scoop Me a Cookie. They have several locations across Paris, so you don't have to go to this one, however there are 2 locations in Batignolles and there is not another neighborhood with more than one Scoop Me a Cookie, so there must be a reason! I like this one because it's right by the park Square de Batignolles and Martin Luther King where you can enjoy them.
For the BEST praline roll:
We're still in my neighborhood for this one, but for good reason because I have not found this treat in any other bakery than my local one. It's a praline swirl/roll or "rouleau praliné". You've probably seen the raisin ones in many bakeries, but this one is pink inside the swirls and like nothing you've had before. I highly recommend you try it here. There are some excellent coffee shops just footsteps away too, or you can be Parisian af and just get the café from the bakery "en emporter" (takeaway).
For the BEST jewish treats:
If you find yourself wandering around the Marais (which most do since it's such a lively part of central Paris), make sure you peep the historic street Rue des Rosiers. You can get a jewish kebab here, but be sure to get some sweet treats from this little old-school bakery. Let your eyes order for you and don't be shy. Or just get a huge bag of little chocolate babkas which are my personal favorite.
For the BEST cream puffs:
If you're already in the Marais thanks to the last rec, then you must get your sweet tooth over to Dunes Blanches for their cream filled chouquettes. You read that right, I said "cream filled". What are chouquettes you may ask? They are tiny little puff pastry bites which have a crunchy white sugar on top. The puff pastry ends up being hollow, so they typically use larger ones to make profiteroles by cutting them in half and placing a scoop of ice cream on them before sandwiching them back together and pouring hot fudge over them. I digress... the chouquette is a mini version of the puff pastry, but without anything inside, they can make a good little afterschool snack, but lack the bang of some delicious "chantilly" or whipped cream. At Dunes Blanches it's all they make, so you know they are good.
For the BEST IG content and treat in one:
This naughty bakery serves up pancakes shaped like genitalia. La Quéquette is french slang for weenie.. you know which one I mean. It's not weird unless you make it weird! This place very often has a line out front, which deterred me at first. I thought ,who would wait in line for a penis shaped cake? Then one day I passed by and there was no line. So I let that be my opportunity to see what the hype was all about. They have tons of flavor combos to choose from, but for the most part these are just decoration preferences. Make sure you get a picture with your treat for the gram and then dig in. These are decadent and way too delicious to be so silly. Honestly, I want one right now.
For the BEST meringue:
Idk about you, but when I think of meringue I usually think of pavlova. I don't usually think of cakes, but at the wonders of Fred, they've made cakes based off of home-made meringue and whipped cream. If you've tasted whipped cream in France, you've probably figured it out by now that it is something special. The little cakes here come in different sizes which is great for sampling many or going big on your favorite. I love the one with chocolate shavings. They have many locations but I've chosen the one here because it has a huge hanging chandelier and are right by the Moulin Rouge and Montmartre. Another cool feature is that they have an open kitchen plan for their locations, so you can see them making the cakes once you're inside. How fun!
For the BEST donut:
For the BEST everything French
Notably one of the best bakeries in all of Paris. The selection here is out of this world and they supply so many of their pastries, bread, and desserts to many of the great restaurants nearby such as the famous brunch spot, Holy Belly. I suggest grabbing as much as you can/what they have available at the time you go and take it to the canal Saint Martin (if the weather is nice of course) to enjoy your baked goods while watching boats go by.
For the BEST croissants
This no-fuss no-frills bakery has the freshest and best croissants that you absolutely have to try. You'll know you've made it to the right place when you see the line. Don't worry it moves fast. As a general rule, if you see a line anywhere in Paris, that's the place you want to try.
For the BEST chocolate-pistachio roll
This is one of many locations across Paris, so you have no excuse not to try! I like this location the most because it's central and near a lot of other great places to try, so you can do your own little food tasting tour. They sell a lot of baked goods but their chocolate pistachio roll is the best and unique to them IMO.
For the BEST bakery in Montmartre
If you're up in Montmartre you need to know where the best bakery is. It's this one, La Bossue. Get all of your treats as a reward for the hike up the hill towards Sacré Coeur and enjoy them with a view over Paris.
For the BEST cinnamon roll
Believe me when I say that there is no other place in all of Paris that does a proper cinnamon roll. I found most of them in France to be a bit dry and lacking frosting and sweetness. The ones you'll find at many cafés are more like babkas, but not here! Roll in does just cinnamon rolls and coffee. Plus it's women owned, yay!
For the BEST cupcakes
When this place first opened up I thought it would be overhyped and not worth it. I was wrong. Their cupcakes make not only the perfect little gift to bring to a birthday or meetup, but they are also super good and worth treating yourself too! They also do big cakes if you have any kind of event. I did one for my birthday and it was not just good but it was also STUNNING.
For the BEST gluten free treats
You've probably heard of Noglu but I can tell you right now that it does not stack up to Chambelland. There is another location in my neighborhood but since I featured so much in my area already, I'm taking you to Oberkampf which is another local and vibrant part of Paris (in its own way).
For the BEST babka
Mamiche is a very popular (for good reason) bakery that serves up so much more than babka, but IMO they do the best babka I've had in Paris, so much credit to them.
For the BEST praline brioche
I can't remember who told me about this bakery some years ago, but I went immediately after he described it to me. They specialize in brioche and make a praline one that is literally to die for.
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