There are the well-kept secrets, the obligatory stops and those that are worth the detour. There are above all essentials of all kinds that are good to share. For the pleasure of your palates, The duty therefore imagined an appointment in the form of a gourmet notebook, one theme at a time. Essential for brunches, ideal snacks at any time and delicious sandwiches; a good artisan croissant is like a little black dress: classic and timeless. Even elegant and accessible to all. Here are 10 that are worth tasting.
MONTREAL
Fall Bakery
The words of many readers have reached the ears of the author of these lines. Sky ! What sacrilege not to have put the bakery of Julien Roy and Seth Gabrielse in the list of the best baguettes! True, they are worth the detour, just like the croissants, to which we reserved a place in this list. The quality ingredients and the long fermentation of the dough are some of the attentions that the bakers give to their creations and which can be seen in the delicate puff pastry and the well relaxed and deliciously buttery crumb. Speaking of butter, they are currently working with Laiterie Chagnon to develop one with the perfect consistency for pastries and made in Quebec. Good news ! Psst! Do you like croissants at BarBara, at the Constance café or at the Hamel cheese shops? Know that they come from Autumn Bakery.
6500, avenue Christophe-Colomb
At Potter’s
A novelty in Old Montreal since last year, Chez Potier is a cherished address for those who want good and beautiful things to eat. Pastry chef Olivier Potier offers a delicious all-butter croissant, airy on the palate and crunchy with its fine puff pastry in a thousand layers that makes us love every bite. Gorgeous. Like canelés by the way. Oh ! And you can order frozen croissants to bake at home — great option!
630 Wellington Street
The Paltoquet
In the register of classics, Le Paltoquet is at the top of the list. A venerable institution that has played the role of teacher for many neophyte palates in French pleasures, it can pride itself on offering a croissant as delicious as on the first day, 32 years ago. The irregular structure of the crust contrasts well with the delicacy of the crumb and the very present aromas of butter. A pleasure to enjoy with a cappuccino, especially on the terrace. With the old-fashioned and bobo chic charm of the place, it’s as if you find an old friend there every time.
1464 Van Horne Avenue
Ascending Ascending
With a name like that, you have no choice but to try — and convert to the puff pastries of the place! And for good reason, we offer it in several versions. In addition to the elegantly rolled butter classic and its vegan variant, we offer the marvel with caramel and fleur de sel, maple butter, chestnut cream, garnished with cheese, in a carrot cake or even lemon and basil version. . Special mention to the very good coffee served there.
2270 Mont-Royal Avenue East
Helicopter
An essential destination in the Hochelaga district for the past three years, the Hélico café-pâtisserie puts a lot of love and passion into its croissants. Stéphanie Gagnon, the pastry chef, and her team of touriers make them with attention and meticulousness. Like Automne Boulangerie, they also use flour from the Moulin des Soulanges, from sustainable agriculture, as well as a long fermentation of the dough which gives the croissant a crunchiness on the outside and a silky crumb on the inside. stuffy. The addition of sourdough is undoubtedly the central and (almost!) secret element that makes puff pastry decadent! Moreover, if the croissants are missing from the display, rejoice with the Danishes of the moment! Made with the same dough as the croissants, they feature ingredients inspired by the moment and the seasons.
2009, avenue de la Salle
QUEBEC
The bread box
Gourmand. This is the word that best describes the croissant from La Boîte à pain. Well fleshed, it imposes both by its size and by its very soft and buttery crumb. Not the most visually refined, its aesthetics make it all the more endearing because you can see the handmade side to it. And its gourmet side is matched only by its consistency: the croissant at La Boîte à pain is always good, no matter what day you choose to go there.
Four addresses, including the most recent at the Grand Marché, 250, boulevard Wilfrid-Hamel
Chez Boulay – Comptoir boreal
If there are two things that make us push the door of Chez Boulay – Comptoir boréal, they are the croissant and the croissant chômeur. Delights to die for or that leave us speechless, it depends! The former is memorable for its rich, buttery — Canadian — taste and crunchy exterior that borders on perfection. The second is one of the most beautiful discoveries of recent months. Superbly flaky croissant dough cooked in an organic maple syrup caramel from the Thetford Mines region. It is divine. Don’t even think about saving it for the next day…
42 Palace Hill
Paillard
Who would have thought that one of the best croissants in the capital would come from a chain? That of Paillard has everything to conquer our taste buds: a melting crumb and a well-structured and golden puff pastry. The multiple cells in the heart prove that the push was done according to the rules of the art and that despite the vast infrastructures and the formatted brand image, the mission of offering good quality bread is still an integral part of the batches. daily.
Three addresses, including the first at 1097, rue Saint-Jean
THREE-RIVERS
Oli’s Treats
The croissant is one of the flagship products of this artisanal bakery. Since 2013, Olivier Roux has made it a point to manually laminate, shape and roll each croissant that is baked in the den he operates with his partner, Élodie Duarte. Their secret? The artisanal side, of course, the respect of waiting and rising times and the absence of preservatives for maximum pleasure, a crunchy crust to bite into and a tasty crumb to savor.
7061 Forges Blvd.
MADELEINE ISLANDS
The breadfruit tree
Beautiful story than that of L’Arbre à pains! That of Anne-Marie Cérat and Guillaume Brochu, two Neo-Madelinots who first opened their bakery right in their house, in 2014. Their success in delivering weekly “baskets of bread” led them to move the factory by the sea, in Cap-aux-Meules, four years later, this is now an essential address, both for locals and holidaymakers. When the weather is mild, do not hesitate to sit down on the esplanade of the Place des gens de mer to taste, with all the respect and the time that its production requires, one of the best croissants in Quebec. Crispy on the outside and melting to perfection, its puff pastry is delicate, full of texture. Always grab two before it’s too late!
317-1 Quay Road