Petitgrain Boulangerie — Restaurant in Santa Monica

Perhaps the best pastries in Los Angeles. And it’s not even close. Please, do yourself a favor and make a pilgrimage to Petitgrain. Your taste buds will thank you (and your cholesterol levels will throw a party).

I dearly miss the croissants from vintage Konbi (double RIP), but Petitgrain has managed to fill that void with the most perfect balance of air, butter, and crust. I’ve never had croissants that are so fluffy yet perfectly crispy, and not overly dry, if you know what I mean. The aroma is an intoxicating blend of caramelized sweetness and freshly baked dough. You know you’re in trouble when you catch this smell; you can’t mistake it for anything. The perfect golden-brown crust hides layers upon layers of rich buttery goodness, like some otherworldly decadent gastronomic marvel — the craftsmanship and attention to detail are undeniable. An absolute masterpiece of a croissant, I really mean it.

But it doesn’t stop with croissants. Their Pain au Raisin is pure poetry in bread form. Their Pain au Chocolat is a spiritual experience, especially when the chocolate is still warm (although anytime you get it is the right time to get it). Biting into their Berry Danish is like ascending to pastry heaven. It feels like there’s no wrong thing to order here, but I guess there’s only one way to find out.

My cardiologist won’t be happy, but I’ll never stop coming here. Congratulations,...

I was so excited to try this new bakery - the most authentic croissants I've been able to find in LA doesn't exist anymore (RIP Konbi) so I am still on a mission.

I went a few weeks ago early on a Saturday morning and had a very poor experience. I didn't want to be unfair to the business so I messaged and emailed them the below feedback... but radio silence. So here goes.

On Sunday 7/14 I was at the shop around 8:15 in the morning and found the staff extremely hostile. The person boxing the goods looked overwhelmed and was not helpful (the cookies are cooling, I can't tell you how long the wait will be). What was really disappointing was the person at the cash register - was unfriendly and flat out belligerent. I asked if the cookies were different flavors and she snapped "they're all the same" and when I asked if she had a carrier for coffees or a bag for my boxes of pastries she snapped "I do not" without anything else. She ignored the remainder of my questions.

After the long line I waited in to try your pastries, it was disappointing to find your shop so inhospitable. I noticed your staff had also the same curt treatment for the children in line which is just sad. I really hope your staff can be retrained on how to be kind human beings at baseline.

P.S. still on the hunt for the best croissants in LA. So far the closest I've come is Artisanal Goods by CAR...

After riding our bikes 35 miles from Santa Clarita to Santa Monica, petit boulangerie was the best looking bakery to stop by. Upon arriving, reminded us of Fournee up in Berkeley.

The summary: think classic French meets rustic sweet and dense. Pretty dang good for Santa Monica but a little on the sweet side (corroborated by another couple we met there, 1 of which is a Parisian). Worth a stop especially for anything in the croissant style lane.

EXCELLENT quiches with super flaky croissant-style crust, herby char, and tasty feta-like cheese, that would rank in my top 3 (right up there with the quiches in Calistoga). Their highly recommended sweet baked goods like banana bread and cinnamon roll are decadent and moist but overwhelmingly sweet (unless you just sweat for 3.5 hours and climbed a couple thousand feet on bikes).

Would come back to try almond a croissants (which were out when we got there) and reg ones because of the excellent crust on the quiche.

Coffee is just ok but is strong and pairs well with the sweets.

No seating so be prepared to drive off to find somewhere scenic or if you're hungry and like chatting up other visitors, chill on the bench outside (and ignore the...