Paris is a playground for lovers of macarons (even those who can’t pronounce the word) – those little treats with the quick-dissolving shells, creamy centers, and wacky flavors. Macs in Paris are easy to find, but not all cookies are created equal. We asked our panel of contributing editors to weigh in and name their favorite sources for that quintessentially French sandwich cookie.
Five Great Places for Macarons:
- Pierre Hermé – With unusual flavor pairings like foie gras + chocolate, or his current offering of green tea + girolle mushrooms, the macarons from Pierre Hermé are anything but boring.
- Ladurée – With more chocolate & less liver in their cookies, Ladurée is the safe & pastel choice.
- Gérard Mulot – Less expensive than Hermé and Ladurée, Mulot is the everyman’s macaron.
- Gregory Renard – An underdog specializing in chocolates and delicious chocolate macs.
- Jean-Paul Hévin – A chocolate master who follows Hermé’s lead with pairings like mango coriander.
Runners up: Dalloyau, Sadaharu Aoki, Eric Kayser, Maison du Chocolat
About our process: For each topic, we begin with a little research to identify options. We then ask our readers, by posting a question in the forum, to offer additional suggestions. From that discussion, we compile a list of candidates and ask our panel of contributing editors to rank their top choices and identify any rejects. Their rankings are weighted, analyzed, and compiled into a new Five Great post every week.
More delicious Five Great lists:
- Five Great for Crêpes
- Five Great for Dinner in Montmartre
- Six Great for Wild Game
- Five Great with Kids
- Five Great for a Box of Chocolates
- Five Great for Groups
- Five Great Places for Oysters
- Five Great Places for Sunday Dinner
- Five Great Steak Frites
- Five Great Baguettes
- Five Great for Ice Cream
- Five Great for Vegetarians
- Five Great Places for Outdoor Dining
DIY Pierre Hermé
Love macarons… on my recent trip to Paris I tasted a few myself: http://www.hungryhoss.com/2012/04/best-macarons-in-paris.html
I did the Laduree v. Pierre Herme taste test with my 11 year old nephew in Paris, and while we both loved Laduree, we preferred Pierre Herme. Though back in California, I will kill for any on this list!
Pierre Hermé convinced me on my latest trip. I’m willing to sample again in October!
Hugo & Victor make lovely macarons, as do Pain de Sucre. Not sure why they didn’t make your list. Mulot’s macarons are often too sweet for my taste, and I was incredibly disappointed in the macarons from Aoki – too little flavor. And if you are just looking for a good everyday chocolate or coffee large-size macaron, Stéphane Secco does the trick very nicely.