Pastries to try next time you’re in paris
Author & Photographer: Katelyn Wang
Paris and pastries are synonymous. There’s a boulangerie or patisserie on every street corner, and there’s an entire culture built around them. With an ample amount of free time and a passionate love for French desserts, I made it my mission to try as many places as I could during my time there.
Here’s a list of my favorites!
Cream puffs from Odette 
Odette, a pastry shop specializing in cream puffs in a variety of flavors, is simply incredible. The bakery dedicated to choux a la creme certainly keeps visitors on their toes with their beautiful little pastries. It’s the only pastry they make there, but they’ve perfected the recipe and frankly don’t need to be doing anything else. You can mix and match to create the perfect box, but make sure to get extras, because they’ll be gone before you know it!
Saint Honoré from Laduree
While Laduree has expanded into a large chain with shops all around the world, the original Champs Elysees location is a classic--, somewhat iconic stop on any trip to Paris. There’s a ceremonial value attached to this palace-like store, and it’s one of those things that are a bit overrated but fun nonetheless. My personal favorite is their Saint Honoré, a tower of freshly whipped cream, puff pastry, and cream puffs. What’s not to love?
Pistachio Chocolate Croissant from Pierre Herme
I’ve always been a fan of chocolate croissants, known as pain au chocolat, and I was a little hesitant on my first visit to Pierre Herme to stray from the beloved original version. Little did I know, the pistachio chocolate croissant would become my go-to after that day. The flavors blend really nicely, and there’s a sweetness that comes from the pistachio coating that balances incredibly well with the chocolate. It feels more like a dessert than a breakfast viennoiserie, but I’m sure not complaining.
Croissant from Des Gateaux et du Pain
After going around the city and trying a bunch of different bakeries, Des gateaux et du pain ranks number one for my favorite croissant in Paris. It’s perfectly buttery and flaky, just the way I like it. I have to warn you though, one bite and you’ll never be able to go back to any other alternative you used to find acceptable. The store itself feels like a museum, with rows of beautiful tarts on one side and various types of bread on the other so perfect you might think they were fake if it weren’t for the sweet smell of freshly baked goods. You’re technically not supposed to take pictures either. It’s also located on Rue du Bac, a street filled with more pastry shops than anything else. Definitely my type of museum.
Millefeuille from Aux Pres by Cyril Lignac
When Cyril Lignac, both a renowned pastry and cuisine chef, opens up a swanky restaurant in the heart of Saint Germain, you know it’s going to be incredible. His many talents surely do not fall short in the making of this vanilla millefeuille. Millefeuille, translated to “one thousand layers,” is my mom’s favorite dessert, and this one is our personal favorite from around the city. It’s everything you want a millefeuille to be -- perfectly crispy, flaky, and buttery. In this case, the praline drizzle is a nice touch.
Carrot Cake from Fragments 
This cozy cafe in the Marais dishes up carrot cake that is truly in a league of its own. It’s much more decadent than the ones I’ve had in the U.S., and one slice is never enough. Fragments continues to be my favorite dessert in Paris and possibly the world, although I’m not the only one who seems to know how good their stuff is. The space is small and the lines can be long on weekends, but I’d wait a thousand years for a bite of this cake.
Pistachio Chocolate Escargot from Du pain et des idees
The bakery is located a bit far from where I was staying, but it was definitely worth the trip to try this unique, pastry resembling the shape of a snail. It’s sweeter than a lot of pastries you’ll find around France, but at the end of the day it’s everyone’s favorite for a reason.
Fou de Patisserie
Fou de Patisserie is not your everyday neighborhood pastry shop. It’s more of a concept store, featuring pastries from all the best patisseries, bakeries, and restaurants around the city. It’s essentially a big party, and luckily we’re all invited to the celebration of pastries! The menu is always changing and they often hold collaboration events with the biggest names in the pastry world, so keep a lookout and you just might meet someone famous.
Beige Tart from Mori Yoshida
Chef Mori Yoshida is known for his Japanese-French pastries that have taken over Paris by storm. If I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be the Beige tart -- a chocolate shortcrust pastry base with a light creamy mousse on top and flavors that resemble a fresh cup of milk tea. It’s simultaneously crunchy, light, and breathtakingly delicious.