● Colour

A good croissant has “a deep golden colour all over the pastry … especially the sides and the bottom as well,” says Michael James. Egg wash is important for colour, caramelisation and flakiness. Dark doesn’t mean a mistake: some bakers like to take their pastries a bit darker, although the pastry still must eat well.

● Crust and flakiness

The crust should be crisp and flaky, not soft, but you don’t want it too firm, which may indicate dryness. Flakiness comes from three things: egg wash, the bake, and strong lamination technique. If you hear a “crunch noise” when you first cut it or bite into it, that’s a good sign, says James.

● Shape and structure

The traditional crescent shape of Europe’s croissants has evolved into something straighter and more domed in Australia. “It’s a modern interpretation of the pastry,” says James. Structure covers both the interior and exterior. On the outside, you want three ridges and then lots of tiny layers in between. That’s a sign of good lamination, says James. Inside, you’re looking for an open, honeycomb-like shape, a feathery texture and no doughiness at the base.

● Aroma

A good pastry that’s been fermented well will have a slightly yeasty smell and, hopefully, a strong aroma of quality butter.

● Flavour

A quality croissant will show a nice, rounded butteriness and a little bit of richness. It shouldn’t be overly sweet. Oiliness is also a flaw, indicating either the prove was too long or the oven wasn’t hot enough. Cultured butter is used by some bakers, ranging from a subtle lactic flavour to all-out funkiness.

There’s no question about this little Rathdowne Village bakery’s love of butter: we all taste it. For some it feels greasy on the tongue; for others (including our baker judge), it’s a selling point. “I really like the buttery flavour,” says James. The pastry is even in shape and has nice height, but the colour varies across the crust. The crumb is even and open, a good sign. “It pulls apart very easily in the centre; it’s very light,” says Grundy.

649 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, calle.com.au

“This one is so beautifully laminated that some of its little layers are coming adrift,” says Grundy wistfully. But James assures us this is a good thing. McGinniss agrees: it means you have flaky bits to snack on during the trip home. Inside, the crumb is even but the bottom is slightly doughy. That said, when we all take a bite, it’s not dense. Buttery without being heavy, not too sweet or too tangy, if this croissant was a band, it would be the Eagles. “Your dad would like it,” says McGinniss.

645 Nicholson Street, Carlton North, amannpatisserie.com.au

From our meeting room, we can see President Trump speaking on TV. “I think we need to compare one of the croissant colours to him,” says McGinniss. This pastry has a mahogany finish you might call dark Trump. “The layers and ridges on the outside are very good,” says James. On the texture, we’re split. Some of us find it a bit dry. Others say it’s soft, although it’s definitely not as feather-light as some of the others. “It’s got butter sweetness but not sugar sweetness,” says Grundy.

646 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn; 677 Whitehorse Road, Mont Albert; viaporta.com.au

It’s got great layers (James), a “nice tan” (Smith) and a beautiful, even honeycomb inside. The pastry rustles when the knife goes through it, and Smith says she gets a caramel flavour from the crust. So far, so good, right? But Holgate finds this croissant a bit dry, James says the flavour is underwhelming, and I agree that it’s a bit bland. This, along with its size, leads McGinniss to dub it “a small inoffensive little fella”. It’s a good option for kids, perhaps.

3-9 Little Howard St, North Melbourne, smallbatch.com.au

All of us marvel at the scale of this croissant. “It’s golden, tall and chubby,” says Holgate. “It sits up plump,” says James. “There’s lots of bang for your buck,” says McGinniss. The outside is really crunchy while the inside is all airy swirls. If you like texture, you’ll love the way these two elements play off each other. A subtle salty note is a delicious point of difference.

90 Albert Street, Brunswick East; 365 Sydney Road, Brunswick; shop.wildlifebakery.com

Definitely a contender for Melbourne’s best-looking bakery, Bread Club also makes a lovely looking croissant with lots of teeny-tiny layers visible. Hello, flaky shards. It smells like a bakery in the morning but the flavour is unusual, with a slight funk to it, like cheese. It’s not overpowering, though. Given that the owners are both French, we’re guessing the butter must be French and probably cultured. “This was one of the better ones,” says Grundy.

558 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne; 65 Cardigan Place, Albert Park; instagram.com/breadclubofficial

“I’d go back for seconds!” says Grundy after trying this slightly crackle-topped number from Bakemono, a sweet little Japanese-inspired bakery tucked in a bluestone laneway in the city. Their classic croissant looks a little like tiger bread and has the crunch to match, but the inside is far more delicate, just like the aroma, which you could describe as polite. The flavour’s got good longevity.

Drewery Lane (enter via 273 Little Lonsdale Street), Melbourne, instagram.com/bakemono_bakers

Big croissants don’t always score big points. But this one, from a bakery that attracts weekend queues, is perfectly symmetrical, almost like a diamond rather than the usual shape. It’s got ASMR-worthy crunch. We all practically coo like we’ve seen a new baby when we cop a look at the crumb, which is a “lacy web of pastry,” says Grundy. “It’s a very sexy croissant,” says Holgate. But ... the flavour is a bit underwhelming, a surprise after the impressive looks. We (fondly) christen it the catfish croissant.

313 Centre Road, Bentleigh, artisanalbakehouse.com.au

Croissants are all about the crunch, and this one’s got it in spades, including the part where the tail meets the pastry, which is like the corner of the lasagne. “There’s satisfying crinkle and a contrast of textures,” says McGinniss. The inside looks like a tight little spiral, and it goes all the way to the ends of the pastry. “I feel like there’s a good amount of butter in there,” says Smith. One of our judges asks for a second piece, although they reassure us it’s for research purposes.

3 Graham Road, Highett; 531 Hampton Street, Hampton; theflourhouse.com.au

The pastry to rule them all had nice buttery notes, pulls apart nicely and is so delicate, it collapses when you cut it and melts on your tongue. “Ooh, it’s so light!” squeal a couple of the judges. Buttery and with nice caramelisation, it’s a joy to eat, a testament to the prowess of baker Maaryasha Werdiger, who started her kosher bakery in her garage before moving to a small Ripponlea shop in 2021. “The texture, the appearance, the flavour, the way it eats, the mouthfeel: it’s everything I’d want in a high-quality pastry,” declares James. “Would you queue for that croissant? I think I would,” says McGinniss.

54 Glen Eira Road, Ripponlea, zeldabakery.com.au