POILANE OLIVIER

During one of my early morning walks throughout the St. Germain neighborhood, Poilane bakery was on my list of places to try, as I had heard it is a bit of an institution, mostly for breads, but they also offer oldschool style croissants. It is a smaller bakery, but very warm and inviting. Service was good. They have a lot of breads and a variety of different rolls, baguettes, whole grains, and other traditional bakery items. Their case does have several pastries, but it is not what you would expect if you are looking for a large sweets display. This is definitely more of a bread institution. The chocolate croissant was flaky, tasteful, and made with very good quality butter. I really enjoyed it. Worth stopping in here for a traditional style croissant.

Spectacular! Their brioche with fruits and nuts is unbelievable! One of the best breads you will ever try. Anywhere. Period. Plus, the ladies who work here are super nice and offer great recommendations. I did some wide sampling and the brioche and apple pastry were the stars (though everything was excellent!) Highly recommended place for some of the best baked goods in Paris.

Comfy, warm and fresh. Eventhough it can get a little crowded in the small bakery, the ambiance is super warm and friendly and the service is very helpful and caring. The food is hearty and comforting and subtle, but overall delicious. I only wish that they also had coffee and you have to be aware that they sell out quickly and don’t always have everything.

Poilâne is a legendary boulangerie. Three generations of this family have made outstanding sourdough breads and amazing pastries. The aroma of butter is heavenly as you walk in the door. I believe this is the original shop started by the grandfather. There are now several shops around Paris. Visit!!

This is the kind of bakery you dream about. Sourdough and apple tarts that are just incredible!!! The smell is heavenly! And the rich history of the bakery is fascinating - Salvador Dali's bread lantern is epic!

Definitely recommend a visit to this well known famous Parisienne bakery. Such history and an amazing story behind it. Great products with their main loaf have the signature ‘P’ logo cut into it. Also know for their shortbread cookies that have 5-6 varieties made from different flours. Good coffee in the eatery area to the left of the shop and had a pastry with it.

Finally! I've made it to Poilane! So many times I wanted to, was just around the corner, but never made it. This time, I made sure. For any person who's into baking bread, eating good bread, talking about good bread, the Poilane is a cult location. It was rainy October morning, a few people standing outside in a line. While waiting outside, I admired the display of apple tarts and turnovers in the window, bread display on the right wall, and souvenirs on the left. Once inside, I ordered an apple tart and some sliced bread. The man before me asked to slice a new boule - dark and crusty, exactly how I like it. So I got my hand on about 1/3 of that boule. The service is typical Parisian - a little cold, but nothing out of ordinary. My biggest "ouch " moment was with their bakery logo cloth bag that I was eyeing from the outside. It cost a whooping 38€. I decided I could go without. I guess it's a perfect example of the case when first you work for your name, and later, your name works for you. Anyhow - to the bread. The apple tart is nothing to write home about. Not bad, but laminated dough is not this place strongest point. It's on a home baker level. The bread in its turn is wonderful! Nice crunchy crust, may be just a little too thick for someone's liking. The crumb is a nice golden hue color, without big holes, just what you need for a good sandwich. The taste and aroma are 10/10. I brought some home to NY. It was met with appreciation and praise. So I definitely recommend stopping by and trying the Poilane bread. I hope I can be back one day.

Besides being famous in the sourdough crowd, the place is charming in its own right - and the two ladies were aswell, finding a solution for taking their ginger bread guys on a flight with me, sharing a laugh. Such a delight, a pleasure to be there :).