Croissants? Oui!: A guide to Dhaka’s finest

Binge-watching Emily in Paris always makes me crave a good croissant. Remember the scene from the first season of "Emily in Paris" where Emily walks into a boulangerie, orders a croissant, and posts a selfie? That always kind of stayed with me. But what is it that makes a croissant a good croissant? 

A few qualities make it perfect: It should be layered and puffy, with crumbles and flakes falling all over you when torn apart. The top layer should also be buttery, golden and crisp. 

The French term Feuilleté is used in the croissant-making process, which means folding dough several times with butter and leaving it to rest to create the best possible croissant version. 

The interesting fact is that croissants were not invented in Paris. Many people have claimed they were invented in Austria, and some have claimed they are another version of the East European treat, Kipfrel. 

As a croissant connoisseur, I can tell you firsthand that Dhaka croissants are not to be underestimated. They are top-notch and even comparable to the croissants in cafes in Paris. So here are the places you can check out when you are craving a good croissant. 

Uppercrust: Uppercrust is undoubtedly the most extravagant boulangerie and patisserie in town. Everyone loves Uppercrust for their freshly baked tarts, pies, breads, pastries and freshly brewed coffees. But I love this place a little extra for its amazing croissants. 

They are deliciously buttery and flakey, with layers of richness that melt in your mouth. The aroma of freshly baked croissants will hit your taste buds the moment you enter the place. They usually have chocolate and plain croissants. This place absolutely tops my list. 

Holey Bakery: Impressive in size, Holey serves delicious, golden, glossy croissants. Different kinds —plain, chocolate, almond—are made and served fresh. A little gentle in sweetness, I love their flakey exterior and mild doughy inside.  

It has a very balanced flavour of sweetness and butteriness and goes perfectly with a hot cup of coffee. Hence, Holey is the go-to place for everyone's coffee run, particularly for the croissants they serve. 

Delifrance: Delifrance is an international chain that opened its first outlet in 2021 in Gulshan. Made from the finest ingredients which are partially imported, the croissants here are quite popular among croissant lovers of Dhaka. 

When I walked into the bistro to taste their baked goods, I had a hard time choosing between almonds, butter, French vanilla, Nutella and chocolate croissants. Though the flakey layers were delicious, the inside was a little dry, but the buttery aroma made up for it. However, consistency is an issue with Delifrance, and the croissants are not the same every day.  

Northend Coffee Roaster: This is probably the most beloved cafe name in Dhaka. And we love pairing up the coffee with their croissants.

The subtly sweet and buttery croissant and the delicious chilli cheese croissant are the two types available here, and both are crowd-pleasers. These croissants do not have a very flakey exterior, and they are a little small in size but quite flavourful. 

So these are my favourite croissants, which are yours?