tl;dr the award-winning croissant au beurre is equal parts simple and delicious; it may well be the best croissant that I have enjoyed in Paris and beyond
When it comes to croissants, few Parisian bakeries can match the Latin Quarter's La Maison d'Isabelle. Head bakers Isabelle Leday and Geoffrey Pichard were awarded first prize in the 2018 Paris Croissant au Beurre division (a fierce competition judging croissants on appearance, texture, and fondant mouthfeel). Despite the bakery's coveted recognition, the black awning with white serifed text is surprisingly tame compared to Isabelle's lavish neighbors. But it's hard to miss the line of patrons trailing down the block. The ambiance is effortlessly Parisian. Within the warmly lit, open-air store, loop along the winding pastry display case, and be prepared to order quickly once a staff member greets you.
You must try Isabelle's signature Croissant. The crispy, flaky shell and intensely buttery flavor were addictive, and you can expect fresh ones to be churned out all day. The Baguettes were light, chewy, and relatively flavorful, although the crust ran a tad thick. Beyond the breads, other breakfast-time savory items were worth a try. The Croque Monsieur was a sleeper hit, a fair price for crispy toast and rich Comte. The Quiche Saumon/Epinards sportedly excellently salty slices of salmon that were admittedly too few and far between; otherwise, the egg custard was light and tasty. The pastries were also delicious. The Tartlette Citron Meringue was irresistible, with a firm, ganache-like meringue and tangy filling. The almond-y Fraise cake was decorated with candied strawberries, plain custard, and a strawberry ganache. The Opera cake was equal parts light and full-bodied, between its moist coffee-soaked cake and chocolate ganache. The Choco-Praline cake reminded me of a Ferrero Rocher, between its semi-crispy wafer and hazelnut-on-chocolatey flavor. Only the Eclair Cafe was a miss; soggy, overly filled, and more maple in flavor than coffee, I found myself daydreaming about Stolher's superior version.
Service is friendly and efficient -- don't expect more than a few moments to pick among the warmly lit pastry selection. A butter croissant will run you just a euro, while fancier pastries may cost upward of 5 (a relative bargain compared to the bougier of Parisian patisseries). Across my lifetime of croissants, none has surpassed Isabelle's masterclass in simplicity; it was my first bite in Paris, and I ravenously visited multiple times thereafter. read more