Macaron Madness: Top Five Spots to Indulge in Vancouver

left: Thierry macarons. right: Bel Cafe macarons. Photos by Anya Levykh

It’s such a simple little sweet that it’s easy to take it for granted. Like street food, it’s a relatively new addition to the Vancouver food scene, although a long-standing classic in its country of origin, France.

Macarons are made by combining almond flour, icing sugar, granulated sugar and egg whites to create a “cookie” with a smooth, domed top and ruffled edge. Two cookies are then used to create a sandwich, held together by a filling of jam, ganache or buttercream. The whole thing should melt slightly in the mouth, while having a slight crunch to the outer shell, like a meringue.

Ladurée of Paris has been making macarons since the 19th century, and is considered the gold standard, but there’s no need to waste carbon emissions in order to try some quality confections. Here are five of the best places in Vancouver for macarons.

Thierry

Thierry Busset has long been turning out sweet delights for restaurants like Cin Cin and West, and Gordon Ramsay has called him “one of the finest pastry chefs in the world.” At his Alberni Street patisserie/café, you can find ginger tuiles, chocolate eclairs, fresh croissants, and, yes, macarons. Classic flavours like ginaduja and vanilla are complemented by more unique offerings, like the pink praline, lychee and lime. Don’t miss the chocolate-pistachio.

1059 Alberni St. | 604.608.6870 | www.thierrychocolates.com

Bel Café

The little sister to Hawksworth Restaurant, Bel Café boasts one of Vancouver’s most notable pastry chefs, Wayne Kozinko. While the café doesn’t specialize in macarons, the stunning quality and unique flavours are worth a visit. Try the black sesame-yuzu or the rose-raspberry version for a walk on the wild side, or the maple and bacon version for a salty-sweet hit. In celebration of Oreo’s 100th anniversary, they even have a cookies and cream version.

801 West Georgia St. | 604.673.7000 | www.belcafe.com

Soirette Macarons & Tea

This little jewel-box of a bakery recently arrived on Pender Street and is obviously a labour of love for owner Shobna Kannusamy. The macarons are made from fresh, seasonal ingredients, matched with lovely teas, and custom flavours are available. Try the white truffle with pink Himalayan salt, or the lemongrass cilantro. There’s even a matcha version to go with the corresponding tea.

1433 West Pender St. | 604.558.3308 | www.soirette.com

Thomas Haas

No list would be complete without this famous pâtissier and his heavenly creations. Flavours like kalamansi, champagne and cassis are balanced by classics like chocolate, raspberry and coffee. Plus, you can indulge in a cup of the famous hot chocolate to go with your afternoon treat on the sidewalk patio.

2539 West Broadway | 604.924.1847 | www.thomashaas.com

Kitchening with Carly

What started as a small home-based business has grown into a popular item that is sold at farmers’ markets and local specialty stores, as well as online. Carly Wintschel is a passionate and talented baker who specializes in the little French cookie that could. Her seasonal flavours are crafted from all-natural ingredients and are as varied as they are tasty. Raspberry-passionfruit and espresso with vanilla butter cream are some of the current picks, and macarons are occasionally drizzled with a little extra flavour, like the popular natural almond with rosemary salted caramel and vanilla cream.

See website for locations | 604.761.5571 | www.kitcheningwithcarly.com