Guess which Canadian city is the Parisian pastry mecca?
On a recent visit to Vancouver, as I was stuffing my face (as usual), I noticed an unexpected trend: From Viennoiserie-like double-baked almond croissants and pain au chocolat, to succulent sandwiches like duck prosciutto on buttery brioche, Vancouver is suddenly ground zero for Canada’s finest French bakeries. Here are three of the best:
Thomas Haas: The reigning king of chocolat has been my longtime favourite, and his Sparkle cookies have garnered global acclaim. But when I’m in town my one “must-eat” in the entire city is one of Haas’s almond croissants with a creamy cappuccino. Totally knee-weakening.
Beaucoup Bakery & Café: A new, bright little spot with a Parisian élan (owner Jackie Ellis used to run a design firm), they cover all the bases, from down home faves like peanut butter sandwich cookies and salted caramel blondies, to specialty tartlets and cakes that are like edible jewel boxes. Their sandwiches are some of the city’s best.
Thierry: Known for his signature French macarons in colourful colours and flavours like Lyonnaise pink praline and ginger pineapple, chocolates are also a calling card of chef Thierry Busset, Maître Chocolatier. That said, you can’t go wrong with a hearty shot of their liquid chocolate (aka Drinking Chocolate – gaaah!).
