Best Butter Croissant in Montreal – Where to Find It

Montreal is a food-serious city, and when it comes to pastry, the butter croissant is the clear champion. With its golden flaky crust, delicate layers, and deep buttery taste, a great croissant is pure decadence. Whether you call the city home or are just passing through, finding the ultimate croissant is a definite must-do.

There are numerous bakeries and cafes in Montreal that are famous for producing great, high-quality croissants, so choosing only one is difficult. This is a list of some of the top places in Montreal where you can find your hands on a really great butter croissant.

What makes a butter croissant truly great?

All croissants are not equal. A proper butter croissant has to be crunchy on the outside with clear layers. When you bite into it, you have to hear a slight crunch before it melts into the soft, airy, and buttery center.

The secret to the perfect croissant is in the superior ingredients and long-standing baking procedures. The optimal croissants employ European butter, which has a greater level of fat content, and that makes the experience richer and more fulfilling. The dough needs to be properly laminated (to be folded together with butter more than once) to produce that characteristic, lace-like layer.

Freshness is also important. The most delicious croissants are consumed fresh out of the oven, preferably early in the morning when they are warm, crispy, and in their best flavor.

Where to Get the Best Butter Croissants in Montreal

If you are looking for the best croissants in Montreal, the following bakeries and cafés are some of the places that are well-known for their delicious pastries.

1. Hof Kelsten Boulangerie

Hof Kelsten is Montreal's favorite bakery, renowned for its masterfully made French pastries. Their butter croissant is a showstopper—crunchy on the outside, light and airy on the inside, with just the right amount of butter to make it rich without being overwhelming.

The bakery's dedication to utilizing quality ingredients and time-tested methods guarantees that with each bite, there is a depth of flavor. It's where any city pastry enthusiast will want to visit.

2. Au Kouign-Amann

If you want a bakery that's kind of a secret treasure, then Au Kouign-Amann is the place to be. Sure, they're famous for their namesake Breton pastry (Kouign-Amann), but their butter croissants are winners as well.

These croissants are perfectly balanced between crunch and softness, a lightly caramelized crust providing them with a hint of sweetness. Fresh-baked daily, they are optimally enjoyed warm with a cup of coffee.

3. Pâtisserie Au Pain Doré

With multiple locations across the city, Pâtisserie Au Pain Doré is the ideal choice for the traditional French-style croissants. Their butter croissants are always of the highest quality, with a golden, flaky crust and light, buttery center.

This bakery takes pride in maintaining traditional French ways of baking, employing high-quality butter and flour to produce pastries with a true, melt-in-your-mouth flavor. Whether you grab one to go or take it with a latte, it's an option well worth it.

4. Fous Desserts

Fous Desserts is a bakery company that is a believer in croissants. They produce their butter croissants from organic ingredients and European butter, with each bite exploding with a rich, deep flavor. What makes Fous Desserts stand out is their commitment to craftsmanship and attention to detail. Every single croissant is carefully layered, producing stunning, lacy folds that cook perfectly in the oven. If you're an artisan baker at heart, this is a destination you must visit.

5. Boulangerie Guillaume

In Montreal's Mile End neighborhood, Boulangerie Guillaume is a bakery that never disappoints with fabulous croissants. They have light, buttery pastry with a pleasantly crunchy exterior and extremely tender interior, and they're one of the city's best.

This bakery also boasts a nice, inviting ambience, and the bakers can usually be spotted hard at work behind the counter. They are great with croissants either as part of a morning meal or even a snack.

6. Alma Café

If you're looking for a cozy café experience with good croissants, Alma Café is the way to go. Located in the heart of downtown Montreal, this small café offers freshly baked, buttery croissants to go with their expertly brewed coffee.

Alma Café is unique as a destination due to its emphasis on employing only the finest ingredients and providing an intimate setting. Alma Café croissants are light, airy, and full to overflowing with smooth, buttery goodness, and they are the ideal breakfast indulgence or after-lunch snack.

In addition to croissants, Alma Café also boasts a variety of other baked treats and a well-chosen menu, so it is an excellent place to come and relax and indulge in a traditional French pastry experience.

How to Enjoy the Perfect Croissant Experience

To really appreciate a great butter croissant, keep these in mind:

• Go in the morning – Freshly baked croissants are best. Getting there early will see you receive them at their crispiest and tastiest.

• Serve it with coffee – A smooth, rich café au lait or espresso complements the buttery flaky layers of the croissant, making for a great flavor combination.

• Consume it fresh – Although croissants may be stored, they are most delicious when consumed on the same day. Reheat in the oven for a few minutes if necessary to revive crispiness.

• Experiment with various bakeries – Every bakery has their own twist on the butter croissant. Trying various locations will lead you to your own personal favorite.

Montreal is a city that loves pastry, and its favorite pastry is the butter croissant. Do you prefer yours extremely flaky, with caramelized sweetness, or with a deep buttery bite? Montreal has a bakery for all of you. From the beautifully baked croissants at Hof Kelsten to the small gem of Au Kouign-Amann, and the inviting, warm ambiance of Alma Café, there are plenty of excellent establishments to treat oneself to this French treat. The next time you find yourself in Montreal, be sure to visit these places and try one of the city's top butter croissants.