I’m convinced that croissants are a miracle. They shouldn’t physically be able to exist. They’re both crispy and soft, crunchy and chewy, buttery and creamy at the same time. A croissant is a pastry paradox. There is a special place in my heart for croissants. My entire life’s purpose could very well be simplified to a constant search for the next tasty croissant. If there is one thing that makes the experience of eating a tasty croissant even tastier, it’s eating it by the Pacific Ocean. Earlier this year, I visited Vancouver. My consumption of croissants averaged about one per day. I bussed, walked, and biked my way across Vancity to eat the best croissants, and these are the best cafes I stumbled into and left croissant crumbs all over:
1. Nemesis Coffee at the Polygon
If you’re a classy b*tch looking for snazzy flavor profiles and a little pizazz with your croissant, Nemesis Coffee is the café for you! When I visited, I ordered the tiramisu croissant which is a crescent-shaped croissant generously filled with a luxurious mascarpone pastry cream and espresso Chantilly whipped cream, finished off with delicately sprinkled cocoa powder. I messily ate this creamy flaky delight just outside the café at a picnic table in the rare Vancouver sunshine, listening to the seagulls and watching the water sparkle and swell. Nemesis has locations across Vancity including Gastown, Emily Carr University, and Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver.
2. Little Café on Robson
While the café itself is little, Little Café’s croissants most certainly are not. They specialize in spiral croissants (also lovingly known as “The Supreme”), which are large cylindrical croissants stuffed with a variation of decadent pastry creams. These crispy croissants are not cheap, but if you’re in the mood for a little treat, they are worth the splurge! As many of my friends know, I am a matcha monster, so I opted for their matcha supreme, which was a perfect balance of sweet and earthy.
3. L’Atelier Patisserie
This bakery oozes Parisian charm and sophisticated simplicity. Located in Mount Pleasant, L’Atelier Patisserie has a serene, minimalistic feel, their menu boasting classic offerings baked to perfection. From pain au chocolat to classic croissants, these people know their pastry. As a true croissant connoisseur, I wanted to try one of their more unique offerings to see if it could stand against the tried-and-true classics. I ordered the Double Chocolate croissant, which had cocoa dough and a chocolate stick in the middle. Usually incorporating cocoa into dough can dry it out, but this choco croissant was scrumptiously soft and buttery. It had the perfect level of chocolate flavor. They also have amazing iced matcha lattes!
4. Bâtard Bakery
Another French bakery for you. What can I say, the French know their way around a laminated pastry dough! A cozy, vintage atmosphere is created by an eclectic art gallery wall complete with ornate frames, exposed brick, and bench seating underneath. My cousin brought me to Bâtard on my last morning in Van; we ate outside under the cherry blossoms shedding their petite petals, sitting on Parisian café cane-backed patio chairs (you know the ones) and enjoyed a pain au chocolat. As for their pastries, they’re daintily displayed on glistening trays and platters.
I only scratched the surface of croissants in Vancouver. Some honorable mentions of other cafes I visited are Liberty Bakery + Café, Wicked Café, and Coffee Central Roasting. There were so many cafés on my list, I couldn’t possibly try them all in one week! So do my favor: if you ever head out West to Vancity, especially for reading week, eat a croissant for me (or two, or five).