Boulangerie du Sentier — Specialty Store in Les Halles, Paris

Boulangerie du Sentier is in Les Halles, on Rue du Caire. The first thing to notice is the tight space: you come in, choose, and leave with pastry in hand. If you arrive early, there is often no long line, and the stop can take about 7 minutes from buying to leaving.

Start with the butter croissant. It is the clear signature here, with flaky lamination, a strong butter aroma and a texture that can still be warm and crisp enough to eat on the way out. The pain au chocolat sits beside it, with rich chocolate and fresh layers. At around 10:30 in the morning, croissants and pain au chocolat can be stacked on trays in one corner, and the croissant can come out warm enough to feel fresh from the oven.

Baguette sandwiches, cheese-topped breads, focaccia and savoury toasts give you an easy lunch option, and rugelach adds a Jewish pastry to the mix. The plain butter croissant remains the one to anchor your order around. You can also take away croissants for about 1.5 Euros, which makes an early stop easier on the wallet.

The shop works best as takeaway. Prices are on the higher side for bread. There is nowhere to sit, so the choice is between eating standing outside or carrying the bread with you.