After examining, turning over, sniffing, crumpling, and finally tasting croissants from the 10 finalists, our jury—composed of Edan Leshnick, chef at Breads Bakery (and winner of the Grand Prix in 2025), pastry chef Raiza Costa, Valrhona pastry chef Luke Frost, and Lucile Plaza, chef at Restaurant Benoit, announced their rankings for the Best Croissant 2026 at the end of an evening filled with the aroma of butter and Franco-American friendship. As French Consul Cédrik Fouriscot noted when he took the stage at 5th&Mad to present the People’s Choice Award, “The croissant is much more than a comforting pastry; it is a source of national pride, an emblem of our savoir-faire.” And a delicious bridge between our two communities!
Among the roughly 300 people in attendance, lively discussions were taking place in both English and French. Enthusiastic but intensely focused, Giulia and Eli—who were attending the event for the first time—had a hard time agreeing on their favorite. “I’m a fan of the one from La Bicyclette—I love its rich, nostalgic flavor and its crispy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.” Meanwhile, Giulia went with the one from Brooklyn French Bakers. (Disclaimer: both ended up on the podium, which speaks volumes about our audience’s expertise.)
But for Edan Leshnick, head baker at Breads Bakery, while there are obviously telltale signs that distinguish an ordinary croissant from an exceptional one—“distinct caramelization, a well-balanced buttery flavor, a honeycomb-like crumb”—everyone is entitled to their own preferences. Take Hansel, for example—a designer and fan of croissants and French culture. “I love almond croissants; they were my little morning treat when I was a student. Every morning, I’d go to Breads Bakery to grab one with my coffee and The New York Times. It became a ritual. I don’t think there’s a best croissant—there’s just the one you prefer, and we all have our own reasons!” he confided as he took his twelfth bite.
Upstairs, where the jury had retreated to conduct a blind tasting, everyone seemed completely absorbed in the task at hand. On their evaluation sheets, there were four criteria to rate on a scale of 1 to 5: appearance, aroma, texture, and flavor. Ten croissants to judge, but also ten original creations, each more daring than the last, with only one limit: the chefs’ creativity. We saw a reimagining of the tarte Tatin with a croissant base at Le Petit Paris, a new bakery located in Queens; a flower-shaped pastry with lemon and raspberry at Bread Story; a long pastrami tartlet; but it was ultimately the white asparagus puff pastry glazed with miso from La Bicyclette that won over our expert jury. A source of great pride for Xavier Vallée and Florent Andreytchenko, who promised to put it on the menu at their Williamsburg shop this weekend and next.
At 7:45 pm, Emmanuel Saint-Martin, founder and CEO of French Morning and organizer of the competition, invited the judges to join him on stage before the customary acknowledgments to the sponsors: Elle&Vire Professional, Cacao Noel, and Les Moulins de Soulanges.
First, the People’s Choice Award was presented to Brooklyn French Bakers, which also won this award at the last edition in 2025. Next came the Best Original Creation Award, presented to La Bicyclette for its white asparagus puff pastry, showcasing a quintessentially French seasonal product.
Finally, the prestigious Jury Prize was awarded to Mille-Feuille, whose chefs, Dimitri Viaud and Nicolas Buchot, were visibly moved. “This is a very important honor for us; it recognizes our teamwork and embodies our passion and love for good food.” In their three shops—now must-visit destinations—you can find this traditional croissant with its lovely golden hue, crafted to perfection. Their customers know what they’re getting, as it’s their best-seller. They thus take the baton from Breads Bakery.
A special mention goes to Lafayette Bakery and its executive chef, Scott Cioe, creator of the famous Suprême croissant, which took second place on the podium in its first-ever time at the competition!
Best Croissant 2026 Winners
People’s Choice Award
Brooklyn French Bakers
Best Original Creation
La Bicyclette
Jury Prize
3rd Place: Brooklyn French Bakers
2nd Place: Lafayette Bakery
Winner: Mille-Feuille
This article was originally published in French on French Morning. It appears here in translation.
