Eater’s recent list of NYC’s best croissants is stacked with two dozen bakeries, so it isn’t that surprising that at least one is on the Upper East Side. It’s worth noting, though, as the first spot to get a shout out is on the newer side.
Aux Merveilleux de Fred opened up in the spring at 1291 Lexington Avenue (between 86th and 87th streets), and Eater calls its croissants “extremely buttery and done to a perfect shade of reddish brown.”
The bakery, which translates to ‘Marvelous by Fred’ and is led by French pastry chef Frederic Vaucamps, might be best known for its decadent cakes, cramiques and Beglian waffles, but early Yelp and Google reviews of the Upper East Side location seem more focused on its croissants as well, particularly its chocolate croissants.
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The other spot to get some recognition was Cafe Bilboquet at 26 East 60th Street (between Park and Madison avenues), but all they really said is that its croissants are better than its coffee.
“The offshoot of a fancier restaurant just off Madison Avenue is a pleasant and very French place to sit and drink coffee,” Eater writes. “Cafe Bilboquet’s is perfectly fine if unexciting, and one is more likely to turn one’s attention to the crusty almond croissant or the wild blueberry scone.”
This is pretty consistent with reviews, which are also pretty consistently critical of the cafe’s service.
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Gotta love how the foo-foo is all about the food at Fred’s