Paris Baguette

Paris Baguette on N. Central Ave in Phoenix sits in a part of town that takes its coffee seriously. So let me be straight with you: this is not a specialty roaster or a third wave shop. It is a French inspired bakery cafe running Lavazza espresso and a standardized menu. On a site like this, that would normally be a dealbreaker. The pastries however are not normal. They are the reason this location earns a spot here, not the coffee. Sorry to my coffee aficionados.

The Central Ave location has a calm & polished feel that fits the neighborhood well. Stylish without being pretentious. The kind of place where you can open a laptop or just sit quietly with something good in front of you. And for those Phoenix milder days, they do have a lovely front patio as a bonus.

The espresso drinks are Lavazza-based which means a traditional Italian profile: darker roast, smooth, chocolatey and low on acidity. The milk drinks are well textured and consistent. Nothing here is going to surprise a specialty coffee enthusiast but everything is done with enough care that you will not be disappointed either. Think of the coffee as a very reliable companion to the main event.

And the main event is the pastry case. The fruit and custard pastries are the ones to zero in on. Rich and fresh with that kind of quality that makes you reconsider your entire dessert philosophy. The croissants hold up beautifully and the sweet buns are hard to walk past without grabbing one.

Friendly staff, comfortable seating and a European bakery atmosphere that feels like a genuine little escape from Central Ave traffic just outside the door. Paris Baguette is not trying to be your new favorite coffee destination. It is trying to be your favorite bakery that also happens to make a solid latte. On that front it succeeds completely.