Spied Out: The Best Croissants

Croissants, still warm and perched nonchalantly on their baking trays. 

As February swings into action, bringing with it the promise of pre-7am sunrises and post-5pm sunsets, the hope of — dare we whisper it — spring, returns to these marshy plains. Winter's belly-ballast breakfasts of syrupy porridge laced with spices, hot milky cereals studded with dried fruit, or hunks of thick-sliced buttered toast become less of a necessity.  Likewise, yearnings for fireside afternoon teas with a stack of buttered crumpets and toasted muffins begin to lessen somewhat (although come off it, even in Cambridge, the bastion of old fashioned Englishness, how often do any of us enjoy such a luxury these days? The Spy has a tealight candle that could be used for crumpet-toasting, but fears the end product would be a singed, rather underwhelming and possibly carcinogenic affair). So, as springtime hovers in the wings, something lighter and more chic can be entertained. Now is the perfect time to enjoy a croissant, out and about in the increasingly early morning sunlight, or whilst pausing with an afternoon coffee. Here are two of Cambridge’s finest, plus a wildcard.

1. The undisputed Croissant King of Cambridge, Savino’s has a fresh supply of these warm, softly squidgy delicacies constantly cooking in the oven behind the counter, filling this deceptively dingy Italian café with the smell of pastry and chocolate. The chocolate croissant comes with a thick and oozing chocolate core running down his middle, while his squat, praline-filled cousin is the stuff that dreams are made of, topped with shiny caramelised hazelnuts that make the shell crackle. Special mention must go to their oh-so-sweet almond croissants, stuffed to bursting with marzipan-like goo and dusted with icing sugar.

Savino's chocolate croissant (L) and hazelnut croissant (R). Pictures clearly from separate trips, thus confirming the Spy's gluttony.

2. If you prefer your croissants authentically flaky and full of Gallic charm, the croissants at Le Gros Franck are more your bag. Once again, the almond croissant is the one to watch, less sickly sweet than his Italian neighbour down the road, filled with a sophisticated nutty paste and topped with a chewy white crust unlike anything the Spy had hitherto experienced. While we wont go into Danish pastry territory, it is worth noting that both the jam-and-custard number and his apple puree mate are also extremely tasty. Big Frank brings his croissants over from France, and what with the French radio playing in the background and the French waiters and waitresses, Ze Spy really felt that he had somehow ended up on the other side of Ze Channel (pardon, La Manche). Tres bien.

The almond monster and the jam-and-custard imposter. Some villainous fiend seems to have stolen him and taken a bite. Or two. 

3. Finally, the wildcard of the pack, the loose basket croissants in the Co-Op on Hills Road, more specifically, warm and doughy at 7am on a sunny spring morning. The Spy is not claiming that these croissants match the quality of the previous two examples, but these little fellows, nestling snugly in their paper-lined basket beds, prove that there is nothing better than an early morning croissant fresh out of the oven. This is not to suggest that the quality is not high, merely that it is not extraordinary, but the Spy is no food snob, and will readily admit that some of the best bread to be found in Cambridge issues forth from those Co-op bread baskets (see future posts for the unavoidable Great Lament concerning the dearth of  good Cambridge bread).       

 The Cinderellas of the bunch, but with little glass slippers on their feet.