Sweet Spots: Paris’s Best Dessert-Forward Addresses

Sweet Spots: Paris’s Best Dessert-Forward Addresses
Because life’s too short to skip the second slice.

In Paris, dessert isn’t an afterthought—it’s an artform, a ritual, a declaration of beauty with butter as its muse. Whether it’s a millefeuille with scandalous layers, a tart that could double as fine jewellery, or a mousse that whispers your name in ganache, this city spoils you sweetly. But not all patisseries are created equal. Some are destinations. Some are temples. And some are best enjoyed hiding in a corner with your phone off and a spoon in hand.

The Socialites have eaten their way—painstakingly—through the crème de la crème of Paris to bring you the most divine dessert-forward addresses. Consider this your sugar-dusted map to heaven.

Cédric Grolet Opéra (2e)

The haute couture of pastry

Known for his hyperrealistic fruit desserts—a lemon that’s not a lemon, an apple you’ll gasp to cut into—Grolet doesn’t serve sweets. He serves illusions. Each creation is a feat of technique and obsession. The Opéra location also offers viennoiseries that make grown adults weep.

What to order: The signature fruit (it changes seasonally), the pain suisse, anything with hazelnut
📍 35 Avenue de l’Opéra, 75002

La Pâtisserie des Rêves (7e)

Childhood nostalgia reimagined

Whimsy meets precision here. Their pastries—like the Paris-Brest and Saint-Honoré—are modern reinterpretations of classic French desserts, displayed under glass cloches like precious artefacts. Pastry as poetry, every time.

Don’t miss: Their cloud-like Choux, the signature pink-ribbon packaging
📍 93 Rue du Bac, 75007

Bontemps Pâtisserie (3e)

Shortbread, but make it Parisienne

Hidden behind an Instagrammable façade in the Marais, Bontemps is a slice of sugar-dusted heaven. Their sablé tartlets—filled with silky creams and crowned with seasonal fruit—are small enough to justify two (or three). The courtyard tea salon is a secret worth keeping.

Try: Lemon-verbena tart, strawberry-mint sablé, anything involving yuzu
📍 57 Rue de Bretagne, 75003

Carl Marletti (5e)

Latin Quarter’s best-kept secret

This pastry chef quietly dominates the entremet game. His Lily Valley (a modern twist on the religieuse) and Tarte au citron are textbook perfect. Sophisticated, polished, and profoundly addictive.

Signature treat: Vanilla millefeuille or seasonal fruit entremet
📍 51 Rue Censier, 75005

Yann Couvreur (Multiple locations)

Foxes, finesse, and frissons of delight

Couvreur’s modern, minimalist spaces are just the stage for his maximalist flavors. His Paris-Brest with pecan praline is legendary, and his gianduja éclair should be illegal. Always seasonal, always smart. And yes—the little fox is his pastry spirit animal.

Order: Paris-Brest, Mont-Blanc, or the tarte fraise-basilic in spring
📍 Try 137 Avenue Parmentier, 75010 (or Gare de l’Est for on-the-go joy)

KL Pâtisserie (17e)

Under-the-radar brilliance with Michelin DNA

Created by Kevin Lacote, this elegant patisserie near Parc Monceau is where locals in-the-know go. With rotating seasonal pastries that balance comfort and surprise, it’s ideal for both lazy Sundays and gastronomic pilgrimages.

Standouts: The hazelnut éclair, caramelized puff pastry “KL Napoleon”
📍 78 Avenue de Villiers, 75017

Stohrer (2e)

The oldest, and still one of the best

Opened in 1730, Stohrer is a slice of edible history. Inventor of the baba au rhum, this patisserie hasn’t aged—it’s matured. Crystal chandeliers, old-school charm, and desserts that defy time. The counter sparkles with classics made immortal.

Must try: Baba au rhum (with crème Chantilly), puits d’amour, éclairs that glisten
📍 51 Rue Montorgueil, 75002

Arnaud Larher (18e & more)

Montmartre’s dessert king

His boutiques may be unassuming, but his flavors are riotous. If you love dark chocolate, buttery pastry, and pistachio anything, this is your place. His macarons are subtle stunners—not cloying, just perfect. Bonus: he’s a Meilleur Ouvrier de France.

Highlights: Tarte infiniment citron, dark chocolate tart, pistachio religieuse
📍 53 Rue Caulaincourt, 75018

La Maison du Mochi (6e + online)

Franco-Japanese minimalism, pure joy

A more delicate sweet experience, this one blends French sophistication with Japanese restraint. These little handmade mochi are filled with ganaches, seasonal fruits, and floral infusions. They’re not traditional French pastry—but they are very Paris 2025.

Flavours to try: Bergamot-black sesame, rose-lychee, and yuzu
📍 39 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006

Aux Merveilleux de Fred (Multiple locations)

Sugar clouds and secret cravings

These meringue-based, whipped-cream-filled Merveilleux confections are ethereal, indulgent, and dangerously addictive. Watching them assemble the pastries in the window is a theatre of fluff and finesse. Each flavor is named like a character from a French novel.

Top picks: The Incroyable (white choc + speculoos) and the Sans-Culotte (coffee + meringue)
📍 Original shop at 29 Rue de l’Annonciation, 75016

Maison Aleph (4e)

Paris meets Damascus in buttery, floral ecstasy

Baklava? Yes—but layered with French technique and filled with miso caramel, tonka cream, or rose ganache. Maison Aleph redefines “fusion” and turns it into an art form. The nids (nests) are crispy, creamy, and otherworldly. The shop is small, the flavors are not.

Must try: Nids de kadaïf, cinnamon pistachio tart, saffron-infused everything
📍 20 Rue de la Verrerie, 75004

Tips for Your Dessert Pilgrimage à la Parisienne: