Review
Chronicle staff members Lily Reslink (LEFT) and Jordan Crallé (RIGHT) try treats at Paris Baguette Bakery and Café, including a sweet potato pastry and a Biscoff cruffin.
Reslink meets original crew of the
Virginia Beach location, Carleigh H. (LEFT) and Myles S. (MIDDLE).
LILY’S POV
If anyone walked into Paris Baguette and said their eyes didn’t go wide at the well-lit and tantalizingly arranged glass display of pastries, I would call them a big liar.
According to its website, Paris Baguette is “a French-inspired bakery café with South Korean roots.”
Customers can grab a tray and a pair of tongs upon entry, then let their eyeballs and whims dictate their final order. Before getting to try anything at all, even when it seems so within reach, customers must tackle the hardest challenge of choosing what to buy.
“We have more than enough pastries to fit everybody’s needs,” Myles S., who has worked at the store since it opened on May 3, 2025, said.
“That’s true, because they’ve got hot dogs,” Marlin Chronicle Editor Isaac Fick said. He said the vibes were different than a usual bakery coffee shop, describing the atmosphere as warm and accessible.
On a bustling Sunday, a crew of five made our way into the store and frantically scuttled around the pastry display to load our trays.
The options extended from sweet to savory, and a refrigerator contained ready-made sandwiches and salads for something heartier. Beyond the self-serve baked goods, the store also offers cakes and made-to-order drinks behind the counter.
In my last visit, I opted for the pineapple brulee pastry and the prosciutto fig & goat cheese pizzetta, a pair exemplifying the wide range found within the Paris Baguette glass displays.
My selection this time consisted of three items, beginning with a hot pumpkin pie latte with soy milk and one pump of hazelnut syrup. On my previous visit, I tried the iced version and found it delicious but lacking any strong pumpkin flavor. The hot version of the pumpkin pie latte accentuated the pumpkin slightly, but it remained faint. Nonetheless, I would still describe the drink’s palate as seasonal for fall.
Next, I picked the sweet potato pastry: a sweet bread twisted and fried for a crispy exterior and a soft, doughy interior, interwoven with sweet potato notes. Every texture and taste was enjoyable. Garnished with crunchy sesame seeds, the sweet and crisp outside of the pastry was a strong start to an unwaveringly delightful experience that proceeded into the pleasantly chewy center. Out of my selection, this was my favorite item.
Lastly, I went for the sweet potato bread; a soft, squishy bread exterior filled with a fluffy, sweet potato mash. Toasting was definitely the way to go for this treat, as the warmth enhanced the buttery smoothness of the bread and melted the filling in your mouth.
Fick’s selection was the smoked sausage bread. He thought it was “a pretty good hot dog.” In the future, he said he would like to try the pepperoni pizzetta to experience the bakery’s twist on pizza.
For a full experience, our party put our selected items in the table’s center to allow sampling for each, an advisable decision for those looking to maximize their tasting and have a fun outing with friends.
Even on a busy day when the employees were managing long lines and back-to-back orders, they made time for personal connection. From recommending drink modifications to assisting with the Paris Baguette in-app rewards, perfect for college students wanting discounted treats, the employees were helpful and patient.
Since the store’s opening, owners Huanyu Li and Bing Han, as well as several original crew members, have worked to create an enjoyable atmosphere to procure delicious treats. From its tasty options to its friendly people, our group agreed that this place has given us more than enough reason to return time and time again.
On this particular visit, we took three pieces of cake to go, because that’s the respectable thing to do at a place like this. These were a blueberry yogurt cake slice, a tiramisu cake slice and a Biscoff cookie butter layer cake slice.
KYLA’S POV
During my trip to Paris Baguette, I tried a variety of pastries and drinks, and the pastries were definitely the highlight of my experience. I had the blueberry cream cheese pastry with a delicious filling, though I found myself wishing there was more of it. The mini strawberry lemon cream croissant was excellent. The lemon cream had just the right balance of tart to sweet, mixed with the refreshing strawberry that created the perfect flavor with each bite. The coffee croissant donut had fluffy layers that stood out alongside the rich coffee cream custard filling. As someone who doesn’t usually like donuts, this one was absolutely wonderful and ended up being my favorite selection of the day.
As for the drinks, they were less impressive. I ordered the iced cookie butter macchiato, which had a deliciously strong coffee taste. However, the cookie butter came in chunks that floated or sank to the bottom of the drink, giving it an odd texture. I expected the flavor to be infused with the drink like a simple syrup flavoring. My partner, Glen Ballon, had the iced pumpkin pie latte which unfortunately was the least liked item. The pumpkin flavor leaned toward fruity rather than the spice of a pumpkin pie, creating a taste more strange than seasonal.
“The drinks weren’t the best, but the pastries were good,” Ballon said. Overall, Paris Baguette is worth the visit if you’re craving a sweet treat, but I’d recommend choosing carefully when it comes to the seasonal drinks.
JORDAN’S POV
My selection included my personal favorite, the blueberry yogurt cake slice, and the Biscoff cookie butter cruffin. The cake was creamy and soft with fresh berries on top. The cruffin, or croissant muffin, was a buttery, delicious pastry filled with cookie butter and topped with a Biscoff cookie.
Paris Baguette is the type of place you go to get a serotonin boost in the form of good vibes and sweet treats. Their cake display is beautiful and clean. With their wide variety of cakes and seasonal flavors, there is sure to be something for all cake lovers out there.
Paris Baguette sells cake whole and by the slice, tantalizing displayed in glass cases by the register.
Many pastries at Paris Baguette are croissant variants.
By: Lily Reslink, Jordan Crallé & Kyla Robberecht
