JL Patisserie — Attraction in Scottsdale

I’ve been wanting to try this bakery for several months. Finally bought a almond filled croissant from their location on Central south of Camelback. I thought it was odd that instead of taking a croissant out of the bakery case, the server went into a back room to get one. I could see a rack full of croissants in that back room. Then, sticker shock…$7.00 for one? Yikes! I thought, well, they must be REALLY special and particularly buttery and delicious for that price, right?

When I got home and took the croissant out of the bag, I noticed it was very brown in color like it might have been overbaked? Also, it was dried out and not at all flaky like a croissant should be and there was hardly any filling. Day old, perhaps? UGH!

I then realized that the reason the server probably sold me one from the rack in the back room instead of the bakery case was that those croissants were most likely over-baked and essentially unsellable and why they were NOT out front in the bakery case. Kind of reminded me of a “bake and switch!”

I’ll continue to buy croissants, pastries and cookies from my favorite local shop, Karl’s Bakery, at Central and Dunlap. They only charge $5.00 for a almond croissant which IS much more reasonable.

Or, another option…Trader Joe’s offers 4 frozen, almond filled croissants to bake at home! They are incredible!

When I shared my disappointment with a girlfriend recently, she recommended I try the JL Patasserie in Scottsdale because they bake there on sight, unlike delivering them to the Camelback location. However, I’m not sure I want to pay $7.00 for a croissant only to be disappointed again.

I prefer supporting “local” and don’t enjoy writing less than stellar reviews, but the owner should be aware when a customer is not satisfied, even if it’s only one croissant.

My point…I wisely CHOOSE where to spend my money and I DO think twice before returning when products are less than edible and incredible. AND…WE HAVE SO MANY CHOICES…

Thank you...

Summary: great staff, great food, premium is worth it.

Best pastries I’ve found in the north valley. No contest. They can be a little pricey but you are paying for a premium product. Monday through Friday they have a selection of croissants plus a few other assorted dessert items, and odds and ends like quiches.

Saturday and Sunday is where they shine. Saturday in particular has the star of the show: a cruffin.

Half croissant, half muffin, with the strengths of both. It is a croissant baked in a muffin tin and the filling changes week to week. Their base pastry crust is phenomenal and this is where it shines, because it is light, airy, crunchy, yet strong enough to hold a generous helping of mousse, curd, or whatever filling is there.

The staff has always been polite, I’ve met the chef on a few occasions and she is always nice and up to chat for a minute. In particular, my son still has some ASL from his early language learning days, and they are super friendly about his shyness and some even respond with basic signs.

There’s no way to sugar coat it (haha): these are not cheap. The higher end specialty items can run around $8, but you only need one: sizes are generous and flavorful. You are paying for premium baking skill and ingredients, and you can taste the difference. The plain croissant is $4, and my son looks forward to that as a weekly treat.

If I have one real complaint, much of the outdoor seating is unshaded at earlier times of the day. This is unavoidable, as the walkway is technically a sidewalk and therefore the building owner prevents the placement of permanent umbrellas. However, I’ve gone a few dozen times with my kid and only once or twice have we had to sit in the sun before a shaded spot opened. It’s not too busy that early, and by later in the day the awning shades most of the area.

Overall it is phenomenal hidden gem. I highly...

I contacted JL Patisserie about a croquembouche for my wedding and scheduling a cake tasting. I left them 2 voicemails and filled out their online contact form and never heard back!!! I had such high hopes and I’m very disappointed with the (lack of) customer service I received, especially considering we were looking to spend several hundred dollars at their bakery. If you’re a bride to be, get your wedding dessert elsewhere!!!

Response to the owner: I’m a bit appalled that you will publicly refer to someone as rude and impatient. The explanation/apology/response that was given to me via email was very different from the reply you have posted here. To clarify and add some context to my experience: initially the online inquiry form wasn’t working for me, (when I would fill it out and hit submit it would say “error try again”) so I called on July 5th. When no one answered, I left a voicemail. (When leaving a voicemail, nowhere does it mention that the voicemails are unable to be taken/listened to.) After I didn’t receive a call back, I called again on July 10th. Still, no one answered, so I left another voicemail. I finally was able to submit an inquiry online, but still didn’t receive a response for days. Then, miraculously, less than 5 minutes after leaving this review, I finally received a...