A flaky croissant, sweet cinnamon roll, or cheese-filled danish can be the perfect accompaniment to a freshly brewed cup of coffee at your local café.
Coffee shops across the country bake up an array of delectable pastries to enjoy with your morning brew. Here are eight of the best coffee shop pastries you can find in the United States.
1. Almond Croissant at Tartine Bakery, San Francisco
Tartine Bakery’s almond croissant is widely regarded as one of the best in the country. Its flaky, buttery exterior gives way to an almond cream filling that’s not too sweet or dense. You getnotes of frangipane and toasted almonds in each bite.
2. Morning Bun at Sullivan Street Bakery, New York City
This Chelsea Market staple has customers lining up in the morning for its freshly baked treats. The Morning Bun stands out with its swirls of cinnamon sugar baked into rich brioche dough that’s buttery and soft.
3. Cheese Pocket at Outpost Café, Milwaukee
Outpost Café offers an impressive vegetarian menu, but you can’t leave without trying one of their savory baked cheese pockets. Inside the golden pastry shell is melty gouda cheese for the perfect balance of creamy and crispy.
4. Cherry Danish at Little Collins, Miam
This Australian-inspired coffee shop serves up what many regulars hail as Miami’s best cherry danish, made with a from-scratch pastry dough that achieves bakery-quality flakiness. Tart cherry filling and a dusting of powdered sugar finish it off.
5. Maple Pecan Twist at Jubilee Café, Asheville
Jubilee Café is beloved for its scratch-made pastries like the maple pecan twist. Fluffy layers of golden pastry are twisted with pecans and a touch of maple syrup for a treat that’s subtly sweet and nutty.
6. Strawberry Scone at Gotham Bagels & Coffee, Chicago
While Gotham Bagels is known for, well, bagels, locals love their scones too. The strawberry scone is a customer favorite for its fruit-studded interior that tastes like a cross between cake and bread, not too dense or crumbly.
7. Ham & Cheese Croissant at High Five Coffee Bar, Dallas
High Five Coffee ups the savory quotient with their ham and cheese stuffed croissant. Shaved ham, melty Swiss cheese, Dijon, and chives are folded into flaky croissant dough that strikes the ideal balance of salty and sweet.
8. Morning Glory Muffin at Kobrick Coffee Company, Boston
This beloved local shop bakes muffins in rotating flavors, but customers always look forward to the morning glory. It’s packed with grated carrots, pineapple, raisins, coconut and nuts for a uniquely comforting, perfectly portioned treat.
Wherever your favorite neighborhood café may be across the U.S., start your day with a freshly baked pastry alongside your morning coffee. From sweet to savory, you’re sure to discover a delicious new favorite bite.