Gabin dans le Pétrin — Specialty Store in Pigalle, Paris

Gabin dans le Pétrin is an independent bakery on Rue d'Amsterdam in Pigalle, and the first thing you notice is the kitchen working in plain sight behind the counter. The shop is small, the display is full, and everything comes over the counter to take away.

The house bread is the reason to come: the Titou, built on a sourdough base, keeps well past the day you buy it and holds up for sandwiches. The traditional baguette has a crisp crust and enough flavour that buying a second loaf is easy to justify. Among the pastries, the pistachio croissant is the one to ask for first, and the flan has a smooth vanilla custard rather than a heavy set one. The chocolate cake is soft outside with a gooey centre. For lunch, the baguette sandwiches, including a ham and butter version and an eggplant and cheese one, are made to order and quick.

There is no seating and no bench, so plan to eat standing or carry things back to your hotel. Fresh baking runs through the day, but croissants can be gone by the afternoon, so a morning stop is the safer bet. Staff speak English and will explain what a loaf is if you ask.

Prices sit at the higher end for the size of what you get, and a sandwich can feel small for what it costs. Service at the counter moves fast when the shop is busy. For bread that lasts and a pistachio pastry worth the detour, it holds up; come for the baking rather than for a place to sit.