DuBois Bakery

...is located in NYC's borough of Queens at 84-08A Broadway in Elmhurst. I popped in for an almond croissant ($1.50) - yum.

La Baguette & L'Echalote Bakery - Vancouver

...is located on Granville Island in Vancouver at 1680 Johnston Street.

I tried the ham & cheese croissant (CA$3.95), sweet brioche (CA$1.95) and 4 types of macarons (CA$1.95/each) - lemon, mango, tiramisu and chocolate.

The croissant was very light and buttery. The brioche was not too sweet. The macarons were airy and delicious.

Tisserie

is a small cafe located in the DKNY store in NYC's SoHo at 98 Thompson Street. They offer wraps, paninis, baked goods and hot beverages.

I had an almond croissant ($3.25) that was bigger than my hand and mini hot chocolate ($1) that was served in something akin to a Dixie cup. The croissant was fresh and dusted with powdered sugar. And the hot chocolate was just enough to satisfy my chocolate craving without being too rich or heavy.

Balthazar Bakery

Weekend brunch at Balthazar is a test of patience. The line usually stretches outside and down the block. But if you want a quick snack or takeout I recommend going next door to the bakery for coffee, pastries, bread, soups, salads and/or sandwiches.

Today I had the almond croissant ($3.25) which was very flaky and tasty.

City Bakery

City Bakery on West 18th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenue in NYC's Flatiron district) has been around and drawing weekend crowds for years. And there's good reason. All the food is freshly made and the baked goods are wonderful.

This weekend I tried the pretzel croissant ($3.75) and blueberry corn muffin ($3.50). The pretzel croissant was fantastic - buttery and very flaky with a hint of salt. The blueberry corn muffin was the size of a frisbee and had a refined corn flavor, but was a little skimpy on the blueberries.