Croissants have existed since the 13th century, originating in Austria as a slightly more dense bread — Kipferl. But it was Paris where they evolved into the iconic delicately layered pastries we enjoy today.
Now they are sold in bulk and for takeaway at Tim Hortons.
My first croissant was from a small bakery on the seaside of France — during grade seven with the French club. When the crackle of the crust met with the light, doughy inner layers, I was hooked. To say croissants are my favourite pastry is an understatement.
With so many options, including traditional French patisseries and the frozen aisle of Superstore, everyone can find a croissant.
But I’ve often wondered, which one is the best? Where can Calgarians turn to? Which bakery can they rely on when a special layered savoury treat is necessary to get through their day?
I had one burning question in mind: Where is the best croissant in Calgary?
I took to the city’s downtown area. Then after poring over blogs and cross-referencing Yelp reviews, I narrowed down my selection of bakeries.
To judge each bakery fairly, I created criteria based on five aspects of the bakery and of course the pastry itself which included: 1. atmosphere, 2.price, 3. flake, 4. butter and 5. overall taste/presentation.
Enlisting the expert help of friends, we took to the East Village for our Sunday morning croissant, the first of many.
Sidewalk Citizen Bakery, East Village – Sourdough Croissant $4
This brick-and-mortar shop right along the Bow is unassuming. When entering I am greeted with the hustle and bustle of a coffee shop, a brunch hotspot that’s the Sidewalk Citizen Bakery.
Suffice to say, the deli market-style restaurant makes for a great place to bring a big group. With plenty of seating on two levels, a view of the Bow River, and lots of people-watching opportunities, the coffee and croissant are worth the price of admission. Although getting there a little later in the morning meant the selection of croissants was smaller.
Sidewalk Citizen offers one of the more adventurous picks with their freshly baked sourdough croissant. This was my first ever sourdough croissant. Something I was a little hesitant about trying, as it doesn’t fall into the traditional Parisian croissant. However, my group and I were delighted and surprised.
The natural tough integrity of sourdough gave for a slightly denser pull apart than a traditional croissant. But the pastry was still light buttery and flaky — incredibly flaky.
Beyond the flake and the sourdough, the bakers at Sidewalk took the initiative to create some kind of egg wash to coat the top of the croissant. Egg wash is another non-traditional aspect of their dare, I say, sacrilegious croissant.
The stiffer puff of layers from the sourdough and the egg wash led to the most disastrously flaky pastry I have ever encountered. My napkin, my pants and the table were littered with crumbs. Maybe this trial for challenging the croissants’ timeless ingredients reminds us why there sometimes should be no room for diverting from the norm of such a classic and beloved pastry.
Overall, the location of Sidewalk Citizen was the most appealing quality to me and my group. The price of the croissant was on par with other bakeries in the city, though nothing beats those Costco bulk containers. Ultimately I would not dissuade someone from visiting Sidewalk Citizen, the customer service was impeccable and the atmosphere was warm and cozy. But, if you were going for the sourdough croissant, maybe invest in a handheld vacuum.
Mari Bakeshop, Bridgeland – Weekly Special Sweet Almond Croissant – $5
Literally dusting ourselves off, we took a walk over the Bow River and into Bridgeland for our next croissant of the day.
Mari Bakeshop is bright and aesthetic with trendy wallpaper and an A-line marble counter displaying all their pastries. Their sweet treats display case of jelly roll cakes and choux of all colours and flavours almost diverted me from my mission.
The most expensive croissant, the weekly special croissant-danish hybrid, left a lot to be desired. The almond sugar topping was enjoyable but somehow too sweet and not sweet enough.
How does the cookie crumble, or how does the croissant flake?
The pastry itself was more reminiscent of a Danish than a croissant. There were almost no layers to it, no flake and it was not even in the canonical croissant shape.
The bakers there were very welcoming and the service was fast. However, there were not a lot of seating options. I would prefer taking out and walking across the street to the public park to eat. And the price of the pastry was not worth it.
I would go back to Mari to try the choux, but judging from how they execute one of the most common and simple French basic pastries, my hopes are not high.
Les Moulins Lafayette, Calgary Core – Plain Croissant $3.50
The third stop of the day was the biggest letdown of the entire tour. Les Moulins is a classic french bakery situated inside the downtown core. It’s frequently walked past, with limited seating and a glass wall looking out into the mall, giving off a zoo vibe.
Although we arrived only an hour after opening, the croissants were a spectacular downfall. Even before eating, it was painfully obvious the butter had not stayed cold enough, leading to mangled and deflated layers of pastry. If you are looking for a good bread that tastes like the Italian bread from Subway, look no further. But for a bakery toting the reputation of classically trained French bakers, you better be prepared to back it up.
This croissant did not look like the traditional crescent-shaped pastry nor did it fill your mouth with the distinct flaky buttery taste. I would not recommend this cafe to anyone looking for a quick croissant break. Instead, I would suggest Cafe Triste up on the third floor, where croissants are few and far between but somehow, the Italian shop executes it tenfold better than Les Moulins.
Black Sheep Patisserie, 17th Ave SW – Plain Croissant $4.70
Nestled just past the rowdy patios of 17th Ave., you’ll find this traditional French bakery. How French? The counter attendant was speaking it as I entered. Ordering a croissant, which had the largest selection of flavours ranging from mouth-watering Saskatoon berries to an interesting Pineapple Pear, I had to hold back from jumping the gun and buying out the entire day’s worth of pastries.
The cafe is narrow, with a few seating options and a small park across the street. As the counter attendants throw French back and forth, you feel almost transported to a small bakery in Paris.
All the other bakeries visited claimed to bake using classical French techniques. But something about Black Sheep Patisserie puts the rest of them to shame. The croissants are perfect. Their layers are prominent, puffed and pronounced. The outer layer has a certain amount of flake but in a way which indicates the layers are thin and light, and not in a tough exterior-egg wash kind of way. The centre of the croissant continued with the consistency and had the perfect spiralling layers with a melt-in-the-mouth buttery taste.
This was the last croissant of the day, and it was by far the best. While it’s a bit more expensive, you truly pay for an unmatched French croissant that has a classic quality.