Flaky, buttery, and layered to perfection, a properly-made croissant can turn a bad day into a slice of heaven.
While the French pastry is popular at most coffee shops, only the best French pastry shops and bakeries can provide you with the impossibly thin-layered croissant of your dreams. The arduous process of kneading and rolling multiple layers of dough and cold butter can sometimes take days before a croissant is ready to bake and enjoy fresh, but the result is always the perfect match for your daily coffee.
Stores across New York have added their own spins to the french staple. From plain and pain-au-chocolates to raspberry and Ferrero Rocher croissants, these bakeries make the perfect croissant every time, sure to please both adventurous and classic palates.
See also: The 10 Most Spectacular Steak Frites In NYC
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14 Delancey St. / 212.274.9179 / Website
Ceci Cela is consistently hailed as one of the top croissants in New York City for a reason. Their vast french pastry menu welcomes those looking for a taste of Paris, but their cozy atmosphere and buttery croissants keep you hanging around after the last bite. Past the plain and chocolate-flavored croissant specials, Ceci Cela boasts multiple flavors and sandwich specials. From mozzarella, prosciutto and tomato croissant sandwiches, to ham and brie and almond chocolate croissants, there is something here for sweet and savory cravings. Their menu is open for both delivery and take-out.
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380 Lafayette St. / 212.533.3000 / Website
Unless you are fully off of social media, chances are you’ve heard of this NoHo hotspot, which went viral for its Suprême, an insanely delicious cream-filled croissant. Despite the pastry’s cult following, it is truly worth the hype, though you’ll likely have to wait in line to enjoy it. The pistachio Suprême gives a welcome hint of nuttiness to the sweet treat, while the chocolate version is, in a word, perfection.
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Multiple locations / Website
Opened by famed French pastry chef Daniel Boulud, Épicerie Boulud serves all your French pastry needs. With incredibly thin and buttery layers, Boulud’s croissants are a must when stopping by the casual café. With three NYC locations to choose from, these delicious croissants are always at your fingertips. Specialty croissant flavors vary by season, but you can never go wrong with a plain, almond or chocolate croissant.
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Multiple locations / Website
French chef Olivier Dessyn opened Mille-Feuille with the hopes of providing French and American fine pastries made from all organic ingredients. Since opening in 2011, this delicious French bakery has lived up to the dream. Apart from the plain and chocolate croissant classics, the blueberry croissant at Mille-Feuille is a jam lover’s dream. A layer of house-made blueberry preserves is swirled onto the croissant dough, resulting in a beautifully-coordinated swirl on alternating layers. The blueberries' tang perfectly complements the rich dough of the croissant. Savory options include a ham and swiss croissant (with a dash of béchamel for a creamier and cheesier punch), and a New York-style everything salmon sandwich, a crusty everything roll filled with smoked salmon, cucumbers, lemon dill cream cheese spread and red onion.
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Multiple locations / Website
Sweet and savory, big and small, Bien Cuit has it all. Mainly known for its large selection of artisan bread, Bien Cuit’s croissants consistently make top croissants in NYC lists. Their plain croissant is as buttery and flaky as they come. Sweet staples like pain-au-chocolat, almond croissants, and chocolate and almond croissants are perfect for a mid-afternoon coffee break. If you’re in the mood for something savory, try the ham and brie croissant. Our favorite? The cinnamon sugar roule, a traditional croissant baked in a fluted mold and tossed in cinnamon sugar.
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Multiple locations / Website
What started as an independent café and bakery in Soho is now a national lifestyle brand. With locations across the United States and Canada, Maman serves as an event space for luxury brands and special workshops. Offering classics like plain and almond croissants, Maman sticks to fan favorites. Their pistachio chocolate croissant brings a refreshing breath to the chocolate staple. The green, toasted pistachios layered on top of the classic pain-au-chocolate squared shape bring a pop of color you’ll inevitably want to share.
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115 Montague St., Brooklyn / 347.599.0006 / Website
What began as an in-home bakery in a small Brooklyn apartment has grown into a cult favorite, as L'Appartement 4F’s pastries and breads are now legendary in Brooklyn Heights. The bakery offers many varieties of croissants, including an almond croissant with Nutella baked into the layers and drizzled on top; melted cheese and ham on a traditional croissant; and an everything seasoning croissant. The shop’s interiors are also beautiful, so feel free to hang out for a while.
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189 Spring St. / 212.219.2773 / Website
Cronuts. What more do we need to say? Dominique Ansel is the famed bakery that started the viral cronut, a mix between a donut and a croissant. While this is their best seller, Dominique Ansel also has the croissant staples – plain and chocolate – among other layered baked treats. The NYC bakery offers both delivery and takeout. Don’t feel like venturing downtown? Dominique Ansel Workshop, located inside the brand’s commercial kitchens in NoMad, serves up delicious pastries and croissants as well.
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120 Rivington St. / Website
Known for its unique croissants in the Lower East Side, Supermoon Bakehouse specializes in custard-filled croissants for every taste. Made in-house, these layered treats take three days to make, ensuring maximum flakes and rise. Serving plain and almond croissants, Supermoon experiments past classic flavors. The menu changes every two weeks, with current offerings including a Cannoli Cruffin, which is the signature Cruffin filled with a ricotta, cherry, pistachio crème pâtissière; topped with chantilly cream, raspberry glaze, pistachios, dried cherries; and finally dusted with sugar. Another can’t miss? The Ferrero Rocher Cruffin, which is the signature Cruffin dual-filled with a silky smooth hazelnut praline and hazelnut crème pâtissière; topped with cream; and then dipped in chocolate and crushed hazelnuts.
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Multiple Locations / Website
This deliciously authentic French bakery specializes in pastries and sandwiches. While their spotlight shines on their whole-baguette sandwiches, don’t skip out on their classic croissants. Buttery, flaky, and warm, they make the perfect side to a good cup of coffee or a snack for the go. If you’re feeling something sweet, their pain-au-chocolat and almond croissants bring the same buttery goodness with the perfect amount of sweetness.
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152 2nd Ave. / Website
Nestled into the East Village sits La Cabra, a Danish bakery relatively new to NYC. This neighborhood favorite keeps it simple. Think perfectly flaky and buttery croissants, impeccable cardamom buns and a few seasonal specialty pastries. La Cabra doesn’t fix what isn’t broken, and these croissants are everything that they should be, down to a caramelized flaky thin crust.
There is truly nothing quite like the buttery, flaky perfection of a well-executed croissant. These NYC bakeries hit the mark each and every time, so enjoy, and let us know which is your favorite!
Photography by: Nilufer / Getty Images
