The Best Croissant in Toronto

The best croissant in Toronto is a tasty variation of a recipe perfected in France in the late 17th century. Luckily our city isn't shy on French patisseries, which means chances are a hot, crescent-shaped wonder is often within reach. Done poorly, a croissant is filmy, overly crunchy, stale, and heartbreaking. But done well, there aren't many baked goods more satisfying, or that better reveal the talent of the pastry chef.

When seeking a good croissant, I try to find something light, tender and with just enough butter to feel that I'm indulging in something decadent. Those on this list don't disappoint. Here we have croissants that come in plenty of variations and sizes, from small lemon flavoured varieties to luscious dessert chocolate almond ones.

Here are the best 12 croissants in Toronto as voted by readers of this site.

Writing by Kate Spencer. Photos by Betty Chen

Clafouti

This cozy cafe across from Trinity Bellwoods Park bakes a light, airy croissant that's not at all sweet. While their plain variety is probably their best, they also make a lovely, simple chocolate version. Come early, because they don’t re-stock their baskets all day. More »

Jules Cafe Patisserie

Jules on Mt. Pleasant offers a lovely blend of buttery and light flavours. The plain is not as moist as some croissants can be, which can be a refreshing change. This French patisserie also bakes a chocolate with two chocolate stripes but doesn’t get wild with their flavour choices. And why should they when they do simple so well? More »

Petite Thuet

Marc Thuet may be leaving town, but his background in bread-making will continue to serve his various Petite Thuet locations well. Thuet's plain is the bakery's best with plenty of flavour but not too sweet. Pair it with his homemade alderberry jam. Petite Thuet also bakes a melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. Ask for it heated for the full effect. More »

Pain Perdu

The plain croissant at this St. Clair West destination is a real mouthful, light and firm. There's also a pain aux raisins and pain a la cannelle, both of which are worth trying for a bit of variety. More »

Patachou

Patachou is all about the dessert croissant. Recommended is the chocolate almond, which packs a terrific filling even if the pastry could use some improvement. More »

Bonjour Brioche

This Queen East brunch destination has been baking croissants for 14 years and it shows. The plain croissant is thick with an exceptional buttery flavour that might just kill you. For their chocolate, they choose a nice bittersweet filling that doesn't overpower the pastry. Also worth trying are their lemon croissants and the pain aux raisin. More »

Nadege Patisserie

Just down the street from Clafouti, Nadege takes an haute couture approach to their croissant making. Here they come in an astonishing variety of flavours, from chocolate pear to pistachio chocolate to pineapple. The plain croissant, however, is all they need with its perfect combination of crunch and flake. Croissants here are on the higher end of the price range, however, with some specialty flavours clocking in at $3.20. More »

Rahier

The croissants here are among the cheapest on this list. $1.50 for a plain! And the service just might be the most cheerful. While the pastry could use a bit more flavour, this isn't the kind of place that begrudges you chocolate filling or icing sugar. Pick from almond, raisin, and ham and cheese varieties in addition to the regular and chocolate flavours. More »

Brick St. Bakery

Brick St. has three locations in Toronto, at the Distillery, Leslieville and thier newest outpost in the Beach. The chocolate croissant here is uber decadent with a texture and grease factor that make it seem almost fried. The French might be appalled, but this Canadian thinks it's glorious.The plain croissant is also quite crispy but magically light. And they're both big enough to satisfy any appetite while being cheap enough to not make a serious dent in the wallet. More »

Zane's Patisserie

The star of this Beach patisserie is the lemon croissant. While some might find the lemon filling a little too tart, there's no fault to be found in the sweet pastry which balances with the lemon oh-so-beautifully. Zane also does an almond and chocolate. Prices start at $1.60 which might seem cheap but beware these aren't meal size croissants but rather the small and cute variety. More »

Thobor's

Thobor’s takes a very French approach to their croissant. The plain is simple and elegant but heavy enough to serve as a lovely light meal. There's also a croissant aux amandes, a pain au chocolat, and a pain aux raisin with prices ranging from $1.95 to $2.30 including miniature versions of most flavours. More »