Small bakery steps up to the plate as Brisbane’s best croissants revealed

A small suburban bakery has tied with one of the world’s best patisseries to win Brisbane’s best croissant, as judged by our resident food critics who say that size really does matter.

Who makes Brisbane’s best croissant?

Restaurant critics Alison Walsh and Anooska Tucker-Evans and Qweekend editor and pastry fiend Natalie Gregg put the city’s most renowned bakeries to the ultimate taste test, looking for a classic plain croissant with a soft, evenly textured, buttery interior and an exterior with a hint of firmness to add textural contrast and a pleasing golden finish.

There were those that shone as brightly as their glistening lacquered crusts, and others that disappointed, with two croissants tying for first place.

In a shock result, a croissant from a patisserie named possibly the world’s best by The New York Times drew with a version from a small suburban Brisbane bakery.

The latter are made over two days using a slow fermentation process and premium butter imported from France, while the other is run by a former rocket scientist-turned-pastry queen.

So if you’re looking for a croissant this weekend, here’s our verdict:

9. BANNETON BAKERY

584 Waterworks Rd, Ashgrove

@banneton_bakery

$4

It’s not the most visually appealing as it’s missing that beautiful lacquered finish. The texture is chewy and it has an odd aftertaste.

Score: 4/10

8. BREWBAKERS

337 Sandgate Rd, Albion

@brewbakers_brisbane

$3.90

It doesn’t have a glistening laminated shine and the pastry is quite dense. Flavour wise, it’s big on yeast, not sweet at all, and has an odd aftertaste.

Score: 5/10

7. MICA BRASSERIE

194 Breakfast Creek Road, Newstead

@micabrisbane

$5

It has a pleasant yeasty flavour, and the outside is a shade of pale golden, but its exterior is not as crisp as it could be and the texture overall is quite chewy.

Score: 6.5/10

6. LE BON CHOIX

121 Racecourse Rd, Ascot

@lebonchoixbakery

$3.80

This one has a thick brown exterior and looks almost bready in colour rather than the usual golden. But the interior is surprisingly light and airy, with a pleasant sweet and buttery flavour. For $3.80 it’s good value.

Score: 6.5/10

5. CHOUQUETTE TRADITIONAL FRENCH BAKERY AND PATISSERIE

1/19 Barker St, New Farm

@chouquettenewfarm

$4.80

The pastry is very evenly spiralled and it has a beautiful sheen. It’s quite a high croissant and is nice and big. The inside reflects the outside with a very neat cross-section of small air pockets. It has a lovely light texture and flakiness and a mild flavour.

Score: 7.5/10

4. BANETTE FRENCH BAKERY

151 Baroona Road, Rosalie

@banette.rosalie

$4.50

It doesn’t have a glossy exterior and it was a bit flat and didn’t stand as tall as some of the others. But the taste is far better than it looks. It has a lovely sweetness, airy texture and is also pleasingly moist. If you were looking for a sweet croissant you would be happy with this one.

Score: 8/10

3. SPROUT ARTISAN BAKERY

76 James St, New Farm

@sproutartisanbakery

$5.50

This croissant has a delicate flavour and nice light texture, without any greasiness. The lamination of the pastry has been done well so it has a slight crunch and snap to the shell.

Score: 8/10

1. CHRISTIAN JACQUES ARTISAN BOULANGER

8 Baildon St, Kangaroo Point

@christian_jacques_pastries

$4.80

If size matters, look no further. It’s very generously proportioned with an uneven glaze a sign of a traditional artisan approach. The rustic-looking pastry has a beautiful airy texture, is very light, and there’s a nice level of moisture to the layers. The flavour is fantastic delivering a slight yeasty sourness as a result of a two-day fermentation process. Great value at this level of quality.

Score: 9/10

1. LUNE CROISSANTERIE

15 Manning Street, South Brisbane

@lunecrossiant

$6.20

It’s evenly glazed and has a more square shape than your traditional crescents. It stands high and has a rich, golden colour. With a rocket scientist at the helm of the brand, this is a croissant that is beautifully constructed and beautifully presented. When cut, it holds its shape as it’s been laminated so well and is full of flavour with a hint of sweetness and a rounded buttery taste. This is the most expensive croissant but the craftsmanship is evident.

Score: 9/10