What’s better than a croissant? A croissant filled with chocolate! Pain au chocolat is a traditional French pastry that is flaky and crispy on the outside, and doughy and chocolate-y on the inside. A favourite for many pastry and chocolate lovers, Torontonians are lucky that there are many French bakeries that make the perfect pain au chocolat. Here are the best pain au chocolat in Toronto.[Photo courtesy of Douce France]
Coffee shop Ezra’s Pound is known for its selection of freshly brewed java, but what goes better with coffee than a pain au chocolat? The mini pastries are packed with chocolate, and are freshly baked right in the store. If you happen to catch them when they’re coming out of the oven, they are divine.
It’s like a little escape to Paris in the middle of Toronto, and the pain au chocolat is perfection. Freshly baked in-house every day, Pain Perdu’s pain au chocolat practically melts in your mouth.
Definitely deserving a spot on this list, the pain au chocolat at Rahier are the like those found in France. Rahier’s values the traditional ways of making croissants, which means they pride themselves on making the pastries in-house. The lamination is near perfection, and the doughy chocolate centre is delicious. The pain au chocolat is finished with a light dusting of icing sugar.
Nadege is known for its decedent French desserts, and the pain au chocolat is no exception. The flaky and buttery pastry is made to perfection – the perfect bite for breakfast or a quick lunch. They come in full and mini-size.
Douce France keeps its items so authentic that its won awards. The pain au chocolat is served fresh and completely made in-house. Owner, Christel C. Saba gets all the ingredients shipped from France.
Buttery, flaky and filled with real chocolate, the pain au chocolat at Thobors Boulangerie is some of the best in the city. The pastries are made in-house by husband and wife duo Marc and Sylvie Thobor. The pain au chocolat is best when served warm.
Jules Café serves its pain au chocolat freshly baked every day. The bakers here go for a stiffer chocolate centre than most, but the layers of butter are like no other! They have the recipe down to a science making the pastry crispy, but perfectly soft inside.
All the way from Manhattan, Maman sells its pain au chocolat to hungry folks in the Financial District. The pastries are all made in-house, and made the traditional way. The lamination is flawless, and the chocolate centre will make any chocolate lover keep coming back for more.
Marc Thuet has made a name for himself by making authentic French bread and pastry, so there’s no question as to why Petite Thuet has made its way onto this list. The pain au chocolat rivals any pastry you can find in Paris’ patisseries. Flaky, buttery and filled with chocolate, they sell out really fast, so make sure to get your hands on one early in the day!