Best Almond Croissant in Town

One of my favourite things to do when I first get to Granville Island, is to head over to La Baguette et L'Echalote, the stand-alone French bakery just outside of the market, and get a fresh almond croissant. It's a beautifully flakey butter croissant filled with an almond paste that is not too sweet, and covered in sliced almonds. I usually do this right away, because I've been there many times in the late afternoon when they have already sold out of this item. Check out their website for a picture of the beautiful pastries in the products section, including the almond croissant. Then, I go pick up a nice cup of coffee from the market, and find a bench outside if it's sunny. Another great place to pick up a pastry is the wonderful bakery counter at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, although I think their almond croissant ranks just a smidge under the one at La Baguette (but I have to admit, I've only tried it once there). You can also get a cup of coffee from the PICA counter. If you're downtown, instead of Granville Island, Sen5es (801 W. Georgia St.) has a fantastic almond croissant that rivals its Granville Island counterpart. It's a tough call. The Sen5es version is just a little less sweet, but has a similarly flakey crisp, texture. I've also had a decent almond in the Murchies Tea and Coffee (825 Pender St.) downtown.