Five Beijing Croissants You’ll Fall in Loaf With

Besides eggs for breakfast, there’s nothing more we love than a simple croissant with a side of coffee. It’s quick, easy, and gets the right amount of fuel going to start the day. 

That being said, we’re particular about exactly where we get our croissant, so what follows is a list of places we really like to hit up. 

Classic Croissant – Ledu 

This little shop sits right across the street from Chaoyang Hospital on Nansanlitun Lu and not at all too far from the Beijinger offices, so suffice to say we head here for breakfast quite often. Our choice is always their Croissant (RMB 18), which is the right amount of flaky and crisp with a buttery soft interior. 

We’re also big fans of their Pain au Chocolat (RMB 15), which features everything we love about the croissant but with the added bonus of chocolate inside.

Ledu Bakery 老杜面包
30 Zhongfang Jie, Ibis Hotel, Chaoyang District
朝阳区旁边宜必思酒店中纺街30号
Hours: Mon-Fri, 7am-5pm
Contact: 157 1002 2193

Brezelcroissant – Michael’s German Bakery

Whenever we’re up north, our favorite stop for a croissant – or a variant thereof, rather – is Michael’s Germany Bakery near the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB). Having been run with love by master German baker Michael Bock and his family for 13 years, Michael’s is the place to go for German baked goods in the city.

This brings us back to our order: the Brezelcroissant, a traditional pastry made with a brezel dough made of lye flour. The result is a croissant with a crispy exterior and a slightly salty, rich bite.

Michael’s German Bakery 麦克天成德国面包房
8-1 Liaguangying Donglu, Cuigezhuang Diqu (near WAB)
朝阳区崔各庄地区来广营东路8-1号（近京西国际学校）
Hours: 7am-5pm (closed Wednesdays)
Contact: 130 1100 0501 (doubles as WeChat contact)

Sourdough Croissant – M Bakery

Keeping on the savory side of things, there’s the Sourdough Croissant (RMB 45) from M Bakery. As the name implies, this croissant is made from sourdough, which lends the resulting product a slightly sour bite. It’s great on its own, but we also like to add some jam to it, for a bit of a sweeter touch.

大酉·M Bakery (Galaxy SOHO branch)
30208, 2/F, Galaxy SOHO-C Bldg, 2 Nanzhugan Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区南竹竿胡同2号银河SOHO-C区2层30208室
Hours: Daily, 7.30am-8pm
Contact: 178 0131 8705

大酉·M Bakery (Taikooli branch, pictured)
Next to Gate 1, East of Taikooli North, Yard 11, Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯11号院太古里北区东1门旁
Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
Contact: 132 4090 3199

Classic Croissant – Chez Morel

When we’re not ordering from Ledu, our other go-to is Chez Morel in Maizidian. As usual, we're fans of their Croissant (RMB 18), which is just as buttery and flaky as Ledu's, but with a little more to it (it’s hard to decide between the two). Chez Morel also has quiches and tarts worth trying, as well as sandwiches and other goodies in the shop. 

Chez Morel 老梦面包
5a Nongzhan Beilu, Shouhou Dajia Ground Floor, Chaoyang District
朝阳区东三环农展北路甲5号首厚大家底商
Hours: Daily, 8am-10pm
Contact: 177 4440 6563

Croissant au Burre – Palette

Another croissant worth trying is that of Palette, a little spot in the Dongzhimen area that’s been operating for around six years now. The croissant in question is their Croissant au Burre (RMB 22), which is made with French A.O.P. Charente-Puitou butter. This results in that classic buttery pastry with a flaky crust, excellent when paired with a quick coffee in the morning.

Palette Bakery
Bldg 2, 1/F, 7 Xinzhong Jie, Dongcheng District
东城区新中街7号1层2号楼
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9.30am-6.30pm
Contact: 010 6466 4701

READ: Grabbing a Bite in Good Company: Foodies in Beijing

Images: Uni You, Michael Wester