"In a sea of beach bakeries, Chez Michel stands out for its perfect, buttery croissants. They also make heavenly lemon tarts, macarons, and savory treats like kale and feta quiche. The bakery’s location is a little removed from the downtown hustle, but that doesn’t deter the crowds—try to get there before 9am (even earlier on the weekends) to avoid predictably long lines. And if you’re celebrating a birthday, or just the fact that you have a week off work, come here for a custom sheet cake. They don’t take phone orders, so place your order via email at least a few days in advance." - regan stephens, candis mclean, sydney mcelwee, tonya russell