Montreal's cozy gem on Mont-Royal serves flaky, buttery kouign-amann pie slices and heavenly croissants that set the city’s pastry bar high.
"Take a deep breath when you step into Au Kouign Amman—the smell of butter (and lots of it) has filled this minuscule shopfront in the Plateau for over 35 years. The production kitchen for kouign amman and the house croissant is just feet away from the counter, and you can watch the pâtissiers laminate the layers of this Bretagne specialty that’s so popular, lines sometimes go out the door. There’s a few tiny tables here if you want to eat one of these freshly made dense, flaky orbs on the spot." - Ivy Lerner-Frank
"Montreal is an exceptional pastry city, and there are countless places to get great croissants, mille-feuilles, and more. But in one category, this Plateau bakery reigns supreme — the buttery and slightly sticky Breton pastry in its name, the kouign-amann." - Valerie Silva, Tim Forster
"GO HERE: for excellent croissants, pain au chocolat, quiche, and most importantly, Patisserie Au Kouign-Amann’s namesake pastry. Buttery, sugary, flaky, and tender doesn’t even begin to describe this magical Breton invention. ORDER: everything above, plus the large-format kouign-amann. Sure, you’ve probably seen the pastry in small individual-size wheels, but we can’t get enough of these super-size ones that are baked and sliced into wedges. It may just be the best $2 CAD you’ll ever spend. THE VIBE IS: tiny and unassuming, until you walk into the storefront. It smells like heaven. Before you grab one of the few tables, admire all the shiny golden-brown kouign-amann in the pastry case. PRACTICAL STUFF: Open every day: Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. —Molly Baz" - Condé Nast
"For many, the compact and creaky old school shop on Mont-Royal sets the city’s croissant standard. Well-done simplicity is the key, whether it’s the delicate flakiness of the plain croissant or the glazed glory of the kouign amann." - Heather Vandenengel, JP Karwacki
