The Best Croissants in Los Angeles

I spent over 2 weeks eating croissants. Every day I had (at least) one “specialty” croissant from some of LA’s most beloved bakeries. The topic of the best simple butter croissant has already been tackled time and time again. So I decided to embark on a mission to find some of the most exciting options for those who like to be a little nontraditional. While some choices are simple pain au chocolat, others include matcha or cream filling. My mission isn’t to tell you that these are unequivocally THE BEST. To give you an idea of where to find something a little out of the ordinary. While croissants are one of my favorite pastries, I will take a long break from them after this roundup. Needless to say, I’m happy to be done. But please take some comfort in knowing that I have a reasonable frame of reference to draw from in these reviews. Remember, this is all subjective…but some of these were insanely good, and it’s going to be hard for me to not use words like “the best” or compare to lesser contenders. Also, please note; there are A LOT of croissants in LA. I researched these bakeries before making my hit list and narrowed in on the ones I felt had the most exciting options. If I missed yours, I’m so sorry. Please let me know. I’m willing to take that bullet of eating another for research and science. Okay. Enjoy!

Just a Reminder! All photo sections are slideshows depicting the pastry and its interior structure. Also each establishment name is hyperlinked to take you to their website!

Clark Street is legendary. If I missed this one, I know my 4 readers would be super upset. Though their primary focus is on bread (go figure), they also offer various pastries and laminated goods. My suggested specialty choice is the chocolate croissant. They offer several varieties of croissants, including matcha, raisin, and almond. But the abovementioned pain looked more substantial than others I had seen and frankly too good to pass up. Now…on to the assessment.
Clark Street is a bread-centric bakery. This was apparent when I tried the croissant. I believe they use wheat flour, which creates a more substantial bite for the interior of the pastry. It has fantastic flavor and chew but is slightly more toothy than traditional. The butter flavor was there in spades. But it was hard to discern whether the bread or strong shortening flavor was dominant. It was so unique. The exterior was crunchy but not annoyingly flaky. I hate when there is an excess of croissant dandruff after each bite. This yielded the right flake and softness with a good texture for satisfying chew and experience. Frankly, I would have loved more chocolate. That’s always going to be my rub, though. More than two sticks are needed. Overall? This was a great kick-off to the hunt. They know their way around bread at Clark Street. You’d be a fool to not realize that.

Lodge Bread

Lodge is a hop, skip, and jump away from my house. So I woke up early one morning to meet a friend for coffee at their Washington Blvd location. They have three outposts, all serving breakfast options, and two have limited seating. I went to Lodge for a special croissant that involved guava. But I arrived at a display of more traditional pastries with the stunt bun clearly missing. I ended up choosing another chocolate croissant. That was about as exotic as they had. But I was ready to be wowed and wowed I was. Don’t judge a bread by its… okay anyway. The layers of this pain were enviable. They twisted and turned in a beautiful pattern to show technique and ample use of quality butter. The top was golden brown and crispy. The crust was breaking off a bit, but it was due to the beautifully liberal amount of shortening used. Biting into this croissant was an experience. The perfect balance of crunch and spongy bread. The flavors were terrific. The chocolate was dark and a little intense. The butter was front and center with a fantastic aroma, leaving a small amount of grease on my fingers. But the interior bread was raised ideally to show a tremendous balance of all aspects. Early in the game, this was a favorite. All other chocolate croissants moving forward from this one were compared. It was an easy 9.5 out of 10. The .5 is docked because I wanted the guava.

The small selection of croissants at Coffee Memes in Silverlake is lovely. I don’t know who does their baking, but the technique involved in creating their mini pastries is second to none. My spotlight is on the mini chocolate and mini almond croissants. They come at a hefty price ($5 per), but a deal of 2 for $8 is offered. As a baker myself, the price is justified. It takes talent and time to make croissants in any form. But the remote replication of old favorites must be an endeavor. These choices are perfect for a small snack or indulgence. The chocolate was my favorite. I liked the almond, but it was very crunchy. I assume it was twice baked but less appealing in a small pastry format. Layering was minimal, but again this is due to the size. The judgment of that is not fair. Overall, it’s a great choice and perfect for a quick snack with the beautiful brew made at Coffee Memes. Definitely worth a visit.

Here’s where we get controversial. Because I consider the almond danish at Bread Lounge a specialty croissant. The appearance is a perfect hybrid of a traditional danish and an almond croissant. It displays layers and lamination but lays flat without a rolled appearance. It looks like a beautiful seashell. For this reason, I’m calling it a croissant. Case closed. Bread lounge supplies a lot of local cafes with pastries. They are obviously very dialed in with their process. So unsurprisingly, their pastries look beautiful. But they have less of a homemade feel. The croissant itself was very nice. The layers were beautiful, and there was great flavor in the bread. I only got a little almond filling. My favorite part of an almond croissant is that decadent marzipan in the middle. This needed to be improved. But it was still delicious. Overall, this is your move if you’re looking for something different than plain butter or a chocolate croissant. It’s light and airy, and I assume it’ll make you happy.

Baker’s Bench is legendary. Jen Yee’s operation is run in a kiosk/pop-up format. But it’s fantastic to see the quality of her pastries, given the venue they’re sold from. On top of that… they’re all vegan! So this is a specialty category all on its own. I chose the chocolate croissant and a plain to get the full effect. Due to the nature of these baked goods, I didn’t think a specialty element was all that important (i.e., filling, etc. The fact that they’re vegan IS the specialty. The layers of the pain au chocolat were magnificent. The perfect spiral you’d expect from butter lamination. There was no oily residue or distinct flavor of any substitute shortening. It was “buttery” without being buttery. But there was a mild cakey texture to the bread. It was reminiscent of a raised donut on the inside. Significant portion and also a really healthy amount of chocolate inside. I enjoyed it so much. The flake was really minimal, and the structure was perfect. Good crumb. Overall, I don’t know how Bakers Bench makes these croissants. I would have never guessed it was vegan if I didn’t know before.

First of all, Maison Matho is so cool. The walk-up window looks like an oasis of gastronomy in east Hollywood. Seeing an accomplished pastry chef score baguettes for fresh sandwiches on the side of Melrose is pretty cool. But I was there for the goodies. I was presented with a basket of freshly baked morning pastries. I went with the almond croissant. This one was very different from the others. I’d liken it to a brioche bun rather than a classic croissant. It was pillowy and soft and had a small amount of marzipan clumped in the middle. My favorite aspect was that it was the chef’s unique take on a classic. As he is already doing things in a very untraditional manner, it seemed appropriate to do the same with his pastries. This is a specialty in a lot of ways. You won’t find another almond croissant like this, and you won’t find another Maison Matho. Go visit and grab a sandwich as well.

This one is special. Pitchoun has many pastries that many other bakeries simply do not carry. The most obvious is my choice for specialty croissant; the Nutella croissant roll. Croissant rolls (or suprêmes) are a testament to flawless technique. They involve beautiful layering to execute a pastry that is not only picture-perfect but also delicious. I’ve had rolls that are one or the other, but very few can pull off both. Pitchoun is a lovely morning hang. It’s in the middle of downtown, but I went right when they opened and experienced no rush or crowding. Each pastry they sell is gorgeous. But the roll is really impressive. Excellent layers and a magnificent ganache topper. The dough is a little dense. There was less crisp outside than I wanted, but it was still there. It was nice and buttery, with great flavor. At the top, I ran into two great globs of Nutella. It was enough to make the pastry exciting but not too much, so it overwhelmed me. Great balance. It was also a nice portion. There’s a time and a place for a humongous pastry. I think this toed the line between indulgent and demure. I loved it, and you need to go get it.

Okay, this was a hard one. I naturally shy away from things with the hype around them. It’s a stupid flaw because I’ve realized it’s made me miss out on many good food, events, etc. That said, I knew it would be a crime for this list if I omitted the Almighty Republique. When I visited, I was growing incredibly wary of croissants in general. I gazed upon the magnificent pastry case and wanted a beautiful scone, a slice of pie, or a cookie. But my dedication to a task no one asked me to fulfill prevailed. I zeroed in on the most exotic croissant option; almond chocolate. It was gorgeous. The pastry was elongated with an excellent “z” shape. It held beautiful layering, and the chef had finished it with a flourish of chocolate ganache and decorating sugar. The bite was great. It was airy and light with nice soft bread. The filling was minimal but it was definitely present. I expected smooth chocolate in the middle, but it was marzipan and ganache. I’d go back to Republique any day. It is worth the hype and has earned every award, fair and square. But I also just want a piece of the pie. If you wish for a croissant that goes above and beyond and you are willing to wait for it, this is the one.

Roji is a Japanese-inspired bakery and coffee shop specializing in some fantastic twists on traditional croissants. It was hard to zero in on a single choice because there were a few that I wanted. But the matcha ended up being the one that caught my eye. It is insanely beautiful. But it is also super unique and technical. The portion is excellent at about the size of a medium apple. But it also has some beautiful layering and a nice dusting of the powder over the top to finish. I’m in love with matcha, so I was already very excited. The bite was satisfying. It had a good crunch, but the bread in the middle was soft and sweet. I would have loved more matcha taste, but it is challenging to hone in pastry. I expected a custard. But I was met with a friendly, humble amount of white chocolate instead. Regardless it was still enjoyable and had great structure. They offer a lot of specialty pastries, too, so I recommend you to head in for a visit.

Proof Bakery is legendary. Any pastry lover will tell you that theirs is among LA’s most excellent in LA. Walking into the small Atwater bakery is mesmerizing. As both a baker and admirer of food, it is among my favorite cafes worldwide. I could stare at their pastry case for hours. But I visited for one thing: the hazelnut chocolate croissant. The pastry is compact and double-baked. It is crispy but not dry, with a healthy layer of chocolate coating the outside with a beautiful crushed hazelnut top. It was fantastic. The crunch from the pastry was excellent. Inside was soft, but this croissant had its own identity. Proof has created something all its own. It was well-portioned, enjoyable, and overall delicious. Another contender for a top pick and a great experience overall.

Beverly Hills is hell. But among the soulless beings wandering its streets are some outstanding businesses. Chaumont is one of them. Chaumont is a traditional French bakery, and it has a separate facility next door for vegan pastries called Chaumont Vegan. I visited the former on a sleepy Thursday morning to try their almond croissant. The staff was amiable, and the coffee was strong. The pallet fatigue from consecutive croissants had set in at this point. I liked this one a lot. It is essential for pastry lovers. The pastry is really dense, but it’s still excellent. A large chunk of marzipan awaits the eater inside of beautifully soft bread and crispy crust. It was flatter than I’d hoped, and the structure could have been better. It fell apart as I ate it, which was not ideal. But a solid option for the area and one of the only reasons to visit Beverly Hills.

Chaumont Vegan was a revelation. I desperately needed a change up from the monotony of traditional pastry. I pretend I’m sophisticated with my pallet, but I’m not. All I wanted was a croissant filled with a ridiculous amount of custard throughout this entire study. Chaumont Vegan fulfilled this for me. I ordered a matcha croissant. It was small but gorgeous and unique. The whole composition was impressive for any pastry, let alone a vegan one. It was well-layered and had a beautiful green glaze on the outside. I admired it briefly before sinking my teeth in and delighting in the ooze of matcha-flavored custard that followed. It was perfect. The pastry was nice, but the custard took it over the top and made the experience an event. This was a specialty croissant. It was the perfect hybrid between a filled donut and laminated pastry. If you’re after something fancy but kind of slutty, this is the move.

Artelice specializes in desserts that look almost too pretty to eat. Each is gorgeous, and it’s evident that their bakers have years of experience in creating such pieces of art. I don’t generally flock to places like these for desserts. A high-end patisserie is typically either beautiful or delicious and rarely both. But Artelice doesn’t miss in either category. I ordered the Persian Princess croissant. It’s a rose and orange blossom dough with pistachio filling. I went into the experience expecting rich and hefty bread. But it ended up being one of the more balanced and satisfying choices on this list. The portion was large but incredibly light. It was beautifully layered with excellent crumb throughout. The exterior had a wonderful crunch, and a light rose flavor. The pistachio filling was a little lackluster, but I prefer a more substantial bite of marzipan. Artelice is a testament to authentic French patisserie and bread. It’s beautiful and delicious, and you can eat it anytime.

I could go on and on about this croissant. If you want a complete experience, you must visit Lou. I preordered and loved the thrill of jumping online to reserve my spot. But it’s amazing how much clout this little bakery has because there was a line about 8 people deep when it arrived right at opening. I didn’t want to disrupt anything, so I waited. Upon my arrival at the window, I was met with a small selection of beautiful pastries and an aroma of coffee. I’m so surprised at what they can crank out because the place is tiny. I got a chocolate croissant. I grabbed the bag, transported my spoils to the corner coffee shop, and began inspecting. It was gorgeous. This is the front-runner when I look back on contenders for the best. A beautiful glow of butter coated my fingers when I picked it up. The layers were perfect but could have been more obnoxiously perfect. The chocolate poked out just enough to entice. But the taste was just incredible. So buttery and soft with a bit of shattering on the exterior shell. Good structure in the middle and a nice salty and sweet balance from the bread. It’s one of my favorite croissants. Lou knows.

I’ll Stan Gjusta all day; I don’t even care. Call me hip all you want. I’ve been to this Venice staple a few times, and even though it hurts my wallet every visit, it’s worth every penny. They make EVERYTHING well. I spent $70 on a slice of pizza and a bagel, and I have no idea how. But I left satisfied and wanted to thank them for their time. It’s madness. I got the baklava croissant. It’s everything I hoped it would be, especially from a place like Gjusta. Beautiful and exaggerated, with pistachio crumbs on the exterior. The layers are tight and pretty, and the whole thing is painted with a honey glaze. It was very reminiscent of baklava, particularly on the edges. When I crunched down on the corners, it reminded me of that beautiful filo mouth feel you get from a piece of baklava. The interior was structurally sound, with some great filling. It was Gjusta quality through and through, and it didn’t break the bank! Gjusta doesn’t miss.

The last croissant. Friends and family is a small shop in Thai town. They make great coffee and do all the baking in-house. I’d set up a cot in the back if they allowed it. The croissants are gorgeous, and everything they make is perfect. I ordered another pistachio, and this one took my heart for a ride. I loved it. Perfect portion with a nice amount of ground pistachios on the exterior. Great laminated layers with a crunchy shell that broke apart artistically as I ate it. Defined structure and crumb with a good filling that was perfectly rich. Overall just an exact picture-perfect pastry that any reasonable human would want to enjoy coffee with. Not too much. Just enough to stretch out for two good cups of coffee or a nice latte.

Okay. Where do we go from here? There are a few choices I should have added that will stick out to some. They simply didn’t hit the mark for me. I did miss Seed Bakery, and I will be adding that soon. But the question must be asked; Which of these specialties was MY favorite? I’ll tell you right now. The best overall in terms of enjoyable experience was Lou the French on the Block. That croissant was to die for. It was great for any time of day and didn’t make me feel like I wanted to die or fall asleep. It packed a buttery flavor with enough chocolate to define it as a pain au chocolat. But it felt like an exceptional occasion food rather than a light morning pastry. Honorable mentions go to Baker’s Bench, Lodge, Chaumont Vegan, and Pitchoun. But I’d go back to any of these places for pastries anytime. I loved doing this “challenge.” I hope you enjoyed reading it. I know it’s gonna make people mad, but I expect only a few of them. Thank you for indulging me. Have a wonderful day.