Dominique Ansel’s 10 Favorite Bakeries in Paris

By Claire Stern
Updated Nov 16, 2016 @ 7:00 am
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Dominique Ansel’s famed Cronut has become the stuff of legend in the food world, so it’s safe to say that the French pastry chef knows a thing or two about mind-blowing desserts. For the uninitiated, his Willy Wonka-esque creations range from the croissant and donut hybrid to frozen s’mores, both of which he happily serves at his locations in New York City, Tokyo, and the just-opened London shop (that is, until they inevitably sell out). Considering that his hometown is known for its patisseries, we solicited his recommendations for the best spots in Paris.

Scroll through below to see his picks. 

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1 of 10

PATRICK ROGER

Credit: patrick_roger_officiel/Instagram

“Patrick is an amazing artist and his chocolates are little pieces of art themselves. I remember years ago in France, he made a life-sized elephant out of chocolate. As far as his chocolate bonbons, it’s the ganache-filled inside that really impresses me—they’re potent, vivid, and bright in taste. You know exactly what the flavor is the moment you bite into it, without even having to look at the box.”

Multiple locations; patrickroger.com

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2 of 10

Pierre Hermé

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“His pastries are creative and classic at the same time. I love his Ispahan macaron—it’s a flavor profile of rose, lychee, and raspberry, and the combination is just perfect.” 

Multiple locations; pierreherme.com

3 of 10

Éclair de Genie

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“Christophe Adam, who helms this spot, is a great friend and mentor of mine. I worked underneath him for years when I was at Fauchon, and Éclair de Genie really paved the way for high-end éclairs. They’re beautiful and the flavors change with the seasons. I particularly like to try the specialty ones that he makes during different holidays.” 

Multiple locations; leclairdegenie.com

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4 of 10

Sadaharu Aoki

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“A beautiful shop with Japanese-style French pastries. Sadaharu’s attention to detail shows in all of his desserts, which incorporate authentic ingredients and flavors from Japan but are made with a classic French pastry technique.” 

35 Rue de Vaugirard, 331-4544-4890; sadaharuaoki.com

5 of 10

Michalak

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“Christophe [Michalak] and I have known each other for years, back when he was the Chef Patissier at The Plaza Athénée. He has a unique style that’s really refreshing, and he’s always coming up with something new. His religieuse is one of my favorites.” 

Multiple locations; christophemichalak.com

6 of 10

Yann Couvreur

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“A young talented pastry chef who recently opened his own shop. It’s a fresh new style of bakery with beautiful pastries and made-to-order desserts.” 

137 Avenue Parmentier, 331-4245-7135; yanncouvreur.com

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7 of 10

Le Meurice

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“Cedric Grolet represents the next generation of pastry chefs who has new ideas and is really pushing the boundaries of desserts. I actually hired him at Fauchon years ago. He makes these beautiful pastries that resemble real fresh fruits both on the outside and inside that are just really striking.” 

228 Rue de Rivoli, 331-4458-1010; dorchestercollection.com

8 of 10

Un Dimanche à Paris

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“This is one of those rare patisseries where you can lounge for a little breakfast. There’s a cooking school upstairs as well. I recommend getting an omelet there—it’s always perfect—and then bringing one of their beautiful loaf cakes home with you.” 

4-6-8 Cours du Commerce Saint-André, 331-5681-1818; un-dimanche-a-paris.com

9 of 10

Gontran Cherrier

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“A really authentic neighborhood bakery with rustic, buttery croissants and excellent kouign-amann.” 

Multiple locations; gontrancherrierboulanger.com

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10 of 10

Arnaud Larher

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“I remember visiting Arnaud when he first opened his shop with his wife 20 years ago. Now, he has three locations in Paris, and he’s making gorgeous pastries that are modern in concept but with traditional techniques. There’s always something new to try.” 

Multiple locations; arnaudlarher.com

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By Claire Stern