On our trip to Paris, we had the chance to visit the famous Cédric Grolet’s Pâtisserie near Opera and it lived up to all of the hype.
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Who Is Cédric Grolet?
One of the leading Parisian Instagram stars is, of course, a pastry chef. Cédric Grolet is a 37-year-old executive chef at the Dorchester’s Le Meurice. He operates two patisseries in Paris including one inside Le Meurice, a restaurant that’s earned a two-Michelin star rating.
He’s famous for transforming finished pastries back into the source of their ingredients in a fun and unique way. His work is, of course, photogenic. But it’s also delicious and his welcome approach has made his patisseries unmissable and to a certain extent, unobtainable.
He also oversees a location at the Berkley in London and welcomes paying guests into a private Parisian apartment for three-hour classes a few times monthly. Those experiences sell for €890/person.
Our Visit
While Cédric Grolet has a few locations, we chose Grolet Opéra for our visit. The patisserie was booked solid for dine-in during our stay and, in fact, for a month following our visit. Smarter (or more intentional) visitors might try concierge services through their hotel (though not this one) or premium credit cards like American Express Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve.
For those who might want to get breakfast items like croissants, guests will need to arrive before 9 AM to queue for a limited number of items. We were at breakfast at our hotel early that day but made it over on a chilly afternoon to grab a mango and vanilla tart and a massive chocolate chip cookie (€15) served warm.
We were welcomed inside where a chef walked us through the items and was excited to speak with us in English. On the counter, a mix of burrata, truffle, and pork sandwiches as well as signature Grolet pastry items. The menu is limited for both click and collect as well as purchasing in store.
Did It Live Up To The Hype?
Some internet hype doesn’t deliver in person. While the line was a long wait (families move to the front), the staff was welcoming, personal, and friendly. We tried a pair of items and they both delivered. Serving the cookie warm was a comforting way to spend an afternoon.
I would have loved to try the sandwich as well but I’ll come back for it on a future visit.
Conclusion
On a trip to Paris, we had a chance to visit one of the patisseries of famed pastry chef and Instagram celebrity, Cédric Grolet. Lines can be long and smart travelers will book well in advance if they want to dine in but the line out front still gave us a chance to try it out and it was excellent. My family would highly recommend adding a visit to your list, even if it’s not the Opéra location.
What do you think? Have you visited a Grolet patisserie? How was your experience? Have you tried the food from other famed chefs?
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