patisseries – Exploring Sacramento

Today (January 30) is National Croissant Day, and as a total francophile this is a holiday that must be celebrated.

I don’t make the rules. And I don’t make my own croissants, so let’s take a quick tour of all the French bakeries (aka patisseries) in Sacramento!

Estelle Bakery and Pâtisserie: At their Arden location (2530 Arden Way), this chic bakery offers tea service from 2-5 PM daily, with 24-hour advance booking for $32/person. You can also find them near the Golden 1 Center in their downtown location (615 David J. Stern Walk, #100), where a traditional butter croissant will set you back $3.25. Chocolate croissants are $3.75, almond are $4.25, and ham & cheese are $3.95. Pistachio and strawberry variations are available only on weekends, so you’ll need to make a return trip to sample them all, and don’t forget to try the croixnut – a croissant donut – for $4.75.

Le Croissant Factory: As its name suggests, here you’ll find a croissant factory in a cute little café. Located at 6413 Riverside Boulevard in The Pocket/Greenhaven, this place is totally unpretentious, and at just $1.50 each the price is right for a standard butter croissant. Almond and chocolate croissants here are both $2 each. They even make a Veggie Croissant, filled with mozzarella cheese, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, if you prefer a savory filling. Be sure to get here first thing in the morning (they open at 6 AM, 7 AM on Sundays) for the best selection, as they tend to sell out!

Ettore’s Bakery: Located at 2376 Fair Oaks Blvd., Ettore’s is a European bakery and restaurant, and the chef-owner, Ettore Ravazzolo, is originally from Switzerland. Compare and contrast the French vs. Swiss take on the traditional croissant, which here come in a rather unique shape, dusted with poppy seeds. You can also sample mini versions of many of the store’s pastries, if you want to try them all! (P.S. Order online for quick check-out.)

Paris Baguette: Although this is an international chain, originating in South Korea, the 1229 Howe Avenue location does indeed sell croissants, and therefore must be included on any completist’s list of croissanteries. For some reason there is no menu or online ordering available for the Sacramento location, but if you like to be able to grab your own pastries, then this is the place for you.