the great croissant hunt
I am embarking on a hunt for the best croissant in the boston area. Where should I go? I know about the big places, the cafe vanille's, and the flours but where else would you go. Is there a small out of the way place that you think should be on the list.
thanks
g
gutterman
Mar 09, 2006 10:51AM
I think Russo's in Watertown makes wonderful pastries and their chocolate croissants are absolutely divine.
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I know this sounds ignorant but I live on the N.Shore. Where exactly is Russo's? Anywhere near Sevan, Arax etc.?? TIA!
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Blue Frog Bakery in JP makes a plain croissant that asymptotically approaches the Platonic ideal. Its tasty too.
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Make that another thumbs up for Blue Frog; beautiful pastries.
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A. Russo and Sons is in Watertown on Pleasant St (near Bridge St.) as you almost enter Waltham -- see detailed link below.
It's worth the trip -- it's the best selection to price to value option I know of in the entire Boston area.
It's often very crowded on weekends, but still generally orderly, well-stocked, and a friendly, even fun shopping experience. Be patient in the parking lot and get your cart (wagon) before entering the store.
Don't miss Dave's Pasta, Dewar Applewood bacon, and lots of great Italian specialty foods, many of which are on the shelves UNDER the produce.
ENJOY!
PS -- BTW, I don't think their croisssant (or bakery, actually) is worth making it a destination, but it's fresh -- the toll house cookies are perfect comfort food.
Link: http://www.russos.com/home/map.html
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Thanks a ton RLH, I will have to check it out, I've read many posts on here (mostly good) regarding the store.
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Great idea and I look forward to hearing your results. If you could find an excellent Cafe Au Lait, that would be wonderful too! Although there has been some progress in french food here, we still seem to lack good basic pastry, omelette, and coffee places. Just a few years ago we had La Patisserie Francais in Harvard. And previously there were two other french breakfast type places at the central end of the square, one of them excellent too (it was more of a bistro). And Coffee Connection had great cafe au lait. (And Chez Henri was Chez Louis...)
I guess my choice today would be L'Alouette on 4/225 in Lexington. I come up with excuses to drive by there several times a year.
http://www.lalouettelexington.com/
The Beantown Cafe in Kendall until recently carried an excellent flakey american style croissant (more sourdough), but only seem to carry coffee cake and bagels now. If their baker is still open (this was after G Case closed that they still carried them), that might be one good place.
The boulangerie at Sel De La Terre had an excellent croissant a few years ago and Le Meridien hotel also.
Italian croissants tend to be more cakey and I don't know anybody who makes them fresh, but lots of places in the North End bake frozen croissants from Bindi which are tasty, especially the Apricot. Caffe Paradiso in the NE always has them hot and their Harvard Sq location has a pretty good ham and cheese if you get it hot.
Japonaise Bakery also does some very good Croissants and other variations, but when they were in Lexington it didn't compare to L'Alouette. I am pretty certain it closed, but there also was a coffee shop tucked into the Inn across the street from the Charles hotel that I remember as inconsistent, but sometimes having a good croissant. Lastly in the random ideas, I have had some excellent pasteries in the cafe in the Romance Language Department at Harvard (Boylston Hall), but would need someone who has been there more recently to comment if they have croissants and are still good. Unfortunately I don't think Finale has croissants, but its worth a visit for petit fours and you could check out Holyoke Center (near Au Bon Pain in Harvard) in general.
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Thanks so much for your rec of L'Alouette - my husband used to work in Lexington and would sometimes bring home his lunch leftovers from there. Didn't realize that they had croissants - but will make it a point to check them out.
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I will second that THANK YOU! I have to go to Lexington twice a week and have been here once but not for croissants. Today I picked up a bag of plain and in the freezer apple and a chocolate brioche. I spoke with one of the owners and he said they are made daily. I love the salads here, especially the artichoke variations, this time it was vinegarette, olives, red peppers, very good.
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The shop at the Harvard Square Hotel (across from the Charles Hotel) was C'est Bon, which has since moved.
I like the croissants at Pronto, the little Italian place in the courtyard of the Charles -- they are very fresh in the mornings and are big, buttery, and flaky. They also carry some filled croissants. I'm addicted to the spinach and cheese, which has a rich, creamy filling.
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the cafe in boylston has been closed for over a year now - v. sad.
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I miss La Patisserie Francaise! I haven't heard anyone mention it in years. Yum.
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I second Sel de la Terre. Really nice French croissants.
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The croissants and twice baked croissants filled with almonds at Bread and Butter Bakery on Washington Street in Jamaica Plain are excellent, as are the pine nut crostata and well, pretty much everything.
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Bread & Butter is now Canto 6, and their croissants are to die for. Sooooo light and buttery. Mmmmmm!
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It may be a predictable response from me, but I love the croissants at Cafe Arpeggio in South Boston.
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I like the croissant at Quebrada in Wellesley( with a branch in Cambridge, Arlington or Somerville- not sure). They are quite large and not as greasy as most. In addition to the usual- rasberry, plain, chocolate, almond etc. they have, especially early in the day, brocolli. mushroom, ham and cheese etc.
Also in Wellesley- lovely, more typical very buttery croissant(as well as good breads and pastrys) is Stephans French Bakery. They are off of Linden Street-down a driveway- there is a big flag on the street that says "OPEN"- a block before Roche Brothers.
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Another Quebrada fan. They are very good.
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I'm pretty sure Stephan's is gone-last time I drove by it was empty. But, what I prefer over Quebrada in Wellesley are the croissants from La Riviera Groumet on Washington St. Their pastry chef is French, and the chocolate and plain croissants are flaky and crunchy. The brioche is also great a La Riviera.
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I second Quebrada in Arlington (next to the Capitol Theatre on Mass Ave)-- a co-worker from Spain exclaimed "These are the best croissants I've had in the States." They also make them in a mini-size, which is great for brunch, etc.
I like the croissants at Iggy's (Fawcett St, Cambridge, behind Alewife): plain, chocolate, spinach and ham (I think...)
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I agree, Iggy's croissants are delicious, and they're widely distributed. But it looks like I have many croissants to try after this great thread!
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I third Quebrada - I've heard (second hand) similar comments from French visitors.
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Having just samples the Quebrada croissants based on the above recs, I must say I think Clear Flour has nothing to worry about. As for the comments from visitors, I'm not sure what to say except I have had a great number of pretty bad croissants in Paris.
-g
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Clear Flour on Thorndike St. in Brookline, very flakey and buttery.
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I second Clear Flour. And despite the fact that I am typically a croissant traditionalist, I also really enjoy their appricot version. Not too sweet. Just right.
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i know canto 6, in jp, has baguettes from clear flour. are their croissants from there as well, or are they proprietary?
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Another vote for Clear Flour, and my real weakness is for their cheese croissant.
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I'm not a croissant expert, but I had a very good almond croissant this morning from the Danish Pastry House in Medford (I believe there's also one in Watertown). They also have ham and cheese, chocolate, and plain butter, but I haven't tried any of those yet.
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Having consumed a great many Danish Pastry House (Watertown location) ham and cheese croissants over the past 18 months, I have to say they are quite erratic in the way they are composed, baked, and served. I'm glad to hear they're good in the Medford store.
I have pointed this out to the owner/manager who is really nice and responsive, and then seems to implement proper corrective actions by the next visit. They do care and it shows. They have great potential and eventually I think they'll nail it, but be careful.
When they're good, they're excellent, but they have never been warm as in fresh from the oven, the amount of ham has varied from overflowing to the size of a thin quarter, and the shop in Watertown now keeps them in cold storage due to some arcane local health regulation (for which they are applying for a variance).
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I'm a total croissant fanatic and I prefer Japonaise Bakery. They're really crispy, flaky and butterlicious. The doughnut's rock as well.
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What do folks think of the croissants at Savoy Bakery across the street? I found them to be quite nice, but not as good as the ones at Japonaise, but I've only had them once.
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Clear Flour is my favorite, followed by Iggy's and Quebrada. The gruyere cheese croissant at Clear Flour is worth a trip for.
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I agree wholeheartedly about Clearflour's croissants. They are consistently available on weekends but best to call ahead if you're going during the week. They used to have pain aux raisins on Mondays and Thursdays, but I believe that schedule may have changed.
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I like Savoys raspberry croissants (good texture, small size) and the occasional cherry turnovers they make. I have never had anything I didn't like from Clear Flour. I don't like oversize croissants and that lets out Athans though I do like many of their baked goods.
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The best I've had recently was at Athans in Brookline; very lovely, light, crispy, all the right things, and you can get a great cup of coffee there to go with it. I also like Japonaise for their ham and cheese croissants. I didn't find the ones at Savoy to be as good as either of those.
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Good news about the Savoy! There are new owners and things are definitely looking up. We went in Sunday morning at 8:30 and there was a big selection and a cheerful couple behind the counter. I had a ham and cheese croissant that was big and flaky. However the filling wasn't baked in it, instead they had sliced a plain croissant in half and added the ham and cheese. It was really delicious and had more ham and cheese than the usual concoction. My husband went for a danish pastry and he was really happy- the filling was not the usual gooey jammy stuff but real fruit. The baker had just put some baguettes in the oven. I have to go back today and will post more about this bakery, which is at St. Mary's T stop on the C line on the Brookline/Boston line..
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Good to know! I lived nearby when they first opened, and they were excellent back then, but the place has been kind of dispirited for a long time and the counter help often rather unfriendly.
(Although personally if I get a "ham and cheese croissant" I do expect the ham and cheese to be baked into the croissant, even if the amount isn't as much - I don't necessarily want a ham and cheese croissant sandwich.) However, a good plain croissant and great danish are very good things indeed. Hm - I may plan a morning to walk to work and stop there on my way...
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That woman was always very sweet to me or our lab when we used to order stuff for breakfast. Any idea if they run out of things as quickly as they used to? Sometimes I'd go at 9:45 and they'd be out of halfl the stuff.
And I too want the ham/cheese baked in.
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I went back after work and they were closed- too bad because we wanted to try the baguette. I think they are aiming for breakfast lunch crowd as they close at 3 weekdays, 2 on Saturday and noon on Sunday. We've only lived in this neighborhood for a few years and understand one of the partners died several years ago and it was very sad. So this new couple is a fresh beginning for the bakery and peeking in the window tonight I saw lots of goodies in the display cases. We'll be back there on the weekend and ask about the croissant assembly and check out the muffins and get that baguette.
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im also looking for the best croissants in boston. i was at CANTO6 on washington st in jamaica plains today, they have a GREAT flaky, buttery plain croissant. their almond croissant is really popular as well.
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YES! I love Canto 6's croissants. the almond-chocolate one is ridiculously sinful and worth every bit.
My other votes go to:
Clear Flour--Gruyere
Flour--Almond
Quebrada-plain
the best non--Parisian croissants I've ever had, oddly, were made in Lexington KY. That they were made by an Algerian makes it less odd, but still.
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The pastry chef who was at Sandrines in Cambridge is currently at the Buttery in the South End. She makes the best croissants, I would call to see if they are making them there...
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If you can go a little outside of boston to the northshore in salem there is A&J King Artisan Bakers, they make excellent handmade croissants and breads, among other things and are worth the trip. www.ajkingbakery.com
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The Buttery in the South End (314 Shawmut Ave) does make croissants! They are very flaky and crispy, without that soggy/doughy/popover-like center. I've only sampled the plain, but the chocolate looks tempting... The only thing you need to get over is the brusque counter service at the Buttery...
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Patisserie Francaise caught my eye, I did my apprenticeship there in 1970 until 1975, its long gone. I also opened Savoy in Brookline in 83 with Carol.
Sold it to Pat. she sold it to the current owner and its just been sold again.!
It just doesn't work to try selling iggy's croissant there.
I did offer to supply him but he's convinced Iggys is great, the customers aren't.
Over-processed, machine rolled, over-proofed = not flaky.
Heres the bad news , most of the places listed sell frozen proof n bake.
I was the pastry chef at the meridien, frozen again. I hate hotels.
There simply aren't that many people around who can bake period.
I got out of baking and started catering. Soo much easier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOTayu...
btw, if you happen to one of those customers I screamed at over the yrs,
you deserved it.
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Flour in the SouthEnd
or
Clear Flour in Brookline
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Hi,
So are you saying the big cottony croissant my husband picked up at Savoy last Sunday morning was from Iggy's? And the new couple from Natick have sold the business?
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Yep, big n cottony is correct. He was the former production manager at iggys' thats the connection and why he feels they are good.
Whilst it looks like theres a resurgence of bakeries, there really isn't.
I dropped into new paris bakery a few weeks ago, they tell the same story, its a losing battle to try and compete against the machines.
I would never open a bakery again but I do still make a decent amount of croissants for corp catering and my accounts.
Flour is going to open a restaurant, the bakery will probably go away if the restaurant works out. Sadly, theres simply no money in pastry.
I enjoyed baking, its fun work but when you hit 50 and don't have any retirement to speak of and are still stuck in an apt...
I know I made the right move.
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Yup, I left the business years ago for the same reasons. Back in the late 80s I worked at a tiny place next to the first Olives in Charlestown, called Sorelle. Maybe it was Sorelle's. Who remembers? Anyway, I used to make croissants and danish from scratch there; I loved working there for that reason, as I'd never gotten to do that before. Everywhere else I worked in Boston, including the Ritz etc., just used frozen proof-and-bake from La Vie de France or Au Bon Pain. There are far fewer unique croissants in the naked city than y'all think!
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The bread we love from Iggy's is the crusty baguette but the baguette we tried from Savoy was generic and cottony (I like this word) white bread shaped in a batard, not even close to super market French bread, let alone Iggy's.
I hear you about the uphill battle bakers face but when I go to a bakery like Canto6, owned by 2 Brookline High graduates, I wish someone with lots of youthful energy would buy the Savoy.
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I used to be addicted to Sel de la Terre's Ham and Cheese croissant. Now though, they make it with a with a ham that's made in house so it's less salty, probably a good thing, but less of a guilty pleasure. The rest of them are great too. Good tomato and goat cheese one.
B & R in Framingham (also at Formaggios) has great ones. I have to agree with the Danish Pastry House. I've only been to the one in Medford.
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i happen to be by japonaise bakery at porter square bldg. i picked up crossiant and was really delighted. it was buttery, very flaky and really tasty. I also picked up a donut twist, an azaki cream and some other goodies. after a long morning of errands, none of these lasted the few blocks to my house......and they were all fresh and tasty. i would definitely go back for the crossiants!
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where can i buy iggy's crossants? i dont see it when i go to whole foods.
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At Iggy's.
130 Fawcett St Cambridge MA
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They also serve them at City Feed in JP.
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And at Evergood market on Mass Ave between Harvard and Porter; at the Science Center on the Harvard campus; at Lily's French Bakery in Watertown; they seem to be everywhere.
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B & R Artisan Bread in Framingham still makes each and every one by hand fresh daily and they are phenomenal! Their bread is off the hook too.
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where are they located?
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B & R is in a small strip mall @ 151 Cochituate Road (Route 30) in Framingham right after Route 30 intersects with Route 126. The signage isn't very good but if you see the KFC/Taco Bell, turn in there. It's across the parking lot from them. If you're coming from Boston, take Exit 13 off the pike and go about 2 miles on Route 30. It's on the left. Their products are excellent.
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French Memories in Duxbury... worth the drive. the only place i've found that compares to real french bakeries. i'll drive there just for a good baguette
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French Memories in Duxbury also supplies(and I believe is involved in the ownership) of Cafe Vanille on Charles St in Boston as well as the one at the Chestnut Hill Mall. You can get their coissants and baked goods there. Very very good!
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I noticed a few people mentioning the Danish Pastry House in Watertown/Medford. FYI that ain't butter you're tasting, it's shortening. The owner discussed it candidly. My family is Scandinavian and was quite excited when it first opened, but they have since ditched it. Due to an illness, my father has trouble digesting trans fats, so we avoid any place that doesn't use real butter.
And most don't!
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I have had a couple of good experiences with La Riviera which replaced L'alouette in Lexington and has another location (Wellesley?). The croissants are a bit fancier than L'alouette, but very flaky with a pronounced taste of butter. Like L'alouette they tend to run out,