What’s the best French bakery in Brisbane? We tested them all for you!

“What’s the Best French Bakery in Brisbane?” As a French couple, we are asked this question almost every week. We have our favourite local bakeries, of course. However, when asked, “Is it better than [another French bakery in Brisbane]?”, we sometimes would hesitate because we hadn’t tried them all. So, we decided to fix that.

We went on a quest to taste test croissants and pains au chocolat (chocolate croissants) across Brisbane. It became a fun challenge to keep us busy during rainy days in Brisbane.

This article isn’t just a list of French bakeries in Brisbane.

We’ve actually visited each one to compare the classics: baguette, croissant and pain au chocolat. And if you’re wondering why you should trust our opinion, between the two of us, we’ve got close to 80 years of French pastries tasting experience, mostly in France. I wouldn’t call myself a foodie, but I’ve probably eaten more croissants than most people you know. And since moving to Australia, we’ve kept up our favourite French eating habits, including croissants on Sunday mornings!

But before I reveal which croissant and pain au chocolat we preferred, one important note: all the bakeries on our list are good. They offer delicious products and lovely service. We feel lucky to live in Brisbane, so far from home, and still have access to quality French baked goods.

So actually, there’s one quick and simple answer to the question “What’s the Best French Bakery in Brisbane?” Don’t worry, I’ll still talk about our experience and which one we preferred!

The best bakery in Brisbane is the one closest to you

In France, most bakeries are takeaway-only. We’d walk down the street for fresh bread and pastries and bring them home for breakfast. So while some French bakeries in Brisbane are slightly better than others, we don’t think any are worth a long drive unless you have no good options nearby.

There’s a map at the end of this article showing where each bakery is located.

The best French bakeries in Brisbane – our review

We lined up all the croissants and pains au chocolat next to each other, cut them in half, and compared them. Then, we tried them one by one, first plain and then dipped in our hot drink, which is the French way of eating breakfast. They were all delicious, but which one was the best?

Christian Jacques (Kangaroo Point)

Christian Jacques’ croissants and pains au chocolat are excellent: generous in size (and chocolate), crunchy and buttery, just like in France… Or even better. We keep going back and, for us, they are without hesitation the best French bakery in Brisbane.

There’s no seating, and be prepared to queue on weekends. But the nearby park and riverside walk, plus a coffee shop next door, make it ideal for takeaway. Don’t forget your reusable cup!

Oh My Bread (Grange)

If you knew Crust & Co, you’ll be happy to find out that part of their team regrouped and opened Oh My Bread in Grange. Their croissants and pains au chocolat are very good, but my absolute favourite is their Baguette Épi. You’ll need to be quick as it often sells out by mid-morning! This is for sure my second favourite French bakery in Brisbane.

Le Caprice (Bulimba)

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality here, especially being a little further from the city. Their croissants and pains au chocolat were delicious, though the pain au chocolat was a bit too sweet for my taste and only had one chocolate bar inside. If you live nearby, it’s a great option.

Le Bon Choix (Brisbane CBD and many other locations)

This spot reminds me the most of France, not necessarily for the quality of the bread or pastries, but for the whole experience. French music, a shaded terrace under a giant tree, and beautifully presented cakes. The viennoiseries are good, but cakes are their strength. Parking can be tricky as it’s in the heart of the city.

While this CBD location is the one that made Le Bon Choix famous, it actually now has around a dozen shops (see the list).

Banette (West End)

Banette was a solid option in Paddington. Their croissant wasn’t crusty enough to become our favourite in Brisbane, but it was very tasty with a beautiful buttery flavour. Unfortunately, the Paddington bakery is now closed. But there’s now a French bistrot in West End under the Banette name that also sells pastries. We haven’t tried the West End one yet, but it’s on our radar!

Lune (South Bank and Brisbane CBD)

Lune is unique. They call themselves a “croissanterie,” and their creations are different from traditional French pastries. While beautifully presented, the viennoiseries felt more like soft brioche than classic croissants. When we opened them, we could see that the consistency inside was not as aerated as in traditional viennoiseries. The texture was soft and reminded us of milk bread. It still tasted good, but not how we expect a croissant to taste. Their chocolate was not our favourite.

Plus, they’re a lot smaller than at Christian Jacques, but still expensive. If you’re after creativity, give it a go. If you want tradition, look elsewhere.

Sprout Artisan Bakery and James Street Bakery (Fortitude Valley – James Street)

I honestly don’t know if they’re French but Sprout and James Street Bakery are both known for high-quality bread, and their baguettes is what we go back for, so I thought it would be helpful to include them on the list.

Sprout Artisan Bakery also sell croissants and pains au chocolat, but we found the pain au chocolat too sweet and not as soft as we like, and quite overpriced considering the size. Still, if you’re shopping around James Street, it’s worth a stop for a good baguette.

The French bakeries in Brisbane we haven’t tried yet

These bakeries weren’t on our list when we did our comparison and we are yet to visit them so we cannot provide a review. Hopefully, we’ll do it soon!

• C’est du gateau (South Brisbane)
• Beurre Pastry (Milton)
• Toowong French Patisserie (Toowong)
• Petite Treats (Spring Hill) – their name make us think they might offer French pastries, but after looking at the menu online, I’m not sure they’re French.
• Le boulangerie Amour Fou (5 locations around Brisbane) – considering the mistake in their name (le boulangerie instead of la boulangerie), I’d be surprised if they are actually French…

What’s your favourite French bakery in Brisbane? Share your experience in the comments below!

Map of the French bakeries in Brisbane