Best Macarons in Paris: 32 Places Worth the Box
Macarons are sold everywhere in Paris: souvenir shops, train stations, supermarket freezers. Most of them look perfect in the box and taste like colored sugar. Knowing which shops actually make them well, and which just resell them, takes more than a pretty window.
Nobody paid to be on this list: we checked Michelin, Le Fooding, Time Out and more, and kept 32 places for the best macarons in Paris, from the salons where the double-decker macaron was born to modern pâtissiers who play with flavor. Sweet tooth still unsatisfied? See our pastry shops, chocolate shops and the best éclairs in town.
Since 1903, this iconic Parisian salon de thé has captivated high society with its legendary Mont-Blanc and world-famous hot chocolate in an opulent Belle Époque setting.
The iconic Parisian salon de thé where the double-decker macaron was born, serving exquisite pastries and tea time in a Belle Époque setting on the world's most famous avenue.
A legendary artisan bakery in the 10th arrondissement where traditional bread-making meets exceptional craftsmanship in a beautifully preserved historic setting.
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The oldest pâtisserie in Paris, where Nicolas Stohrer invented the baba au rhum in 1730, continues to craft legendary French pastries in a monument historique setting.
One of Paris's finest artisanal bakeries, crafting 100% homemade breads, viennoiseries, and pastries with organic flours and exceptional quality ingredients.
Celebrated chef Cyril Lignac's bustling pâtisserie on rue Paul Bert showcases artisanal French pastries that reimagine classics with modern flair.
The legendary "Picasso of Pastry" transforms macarons and chocolates into edible art at his Saint-Germain-des-Prés sanctuary.
A master chocolatier's atelier in the Marais where handcrafted ganaches, pralinés, and caramels are elevated to fine art.
A contemporary pâtisserie fine blending Levantine heritage with French technique, crafting exquisite tarts and reimagined baklavas in the heart of Paris.
Paris's most prestigious gourmet food hall, featuring seven restaurants and an unparalleled selection of fine foods from around the world in the heart of the 7th arrondissement.
A refined pastry boutique within the legendary Hôtel de Crillon on Place de la Concorde, where chef Matthieu Carlin crafts contemporary seasonal creations.
Award-winning Japanese pastry chef Mori Yoshida crafts exquisite Franco-Japanese desserts in the heart of Paris's 7th arrondissement, blending traditional French techniques with refined Japanese sensibility.
A legendary chocolatier's elegant boutique where 35 years of artisanal expertise meets luxury chocolate craftsmanship in the heart of Paris.
Former Grand Hôtel Intercontinental pastry chef Carl Marletti crafts award-winning French pastries, including Paris's best lemon tart, in his elegant Left Bank boutique.
A celebrated Franco-Japanese pâtisserie where master pastry chef Sadaharu Aoki has been crafting elegant, innovative creations infused with matcha and Japanese flavors for over two decades.
A 3,500 m² temple of French gastronomy in the heart of Paris, showcasing over 20,000 artisanal products from renowned chefs and producers.
François Perret's elegant pâtisserie boutiques bring the legendary Ritz Paris savoir-faire to rue Cambon and rue de Sèvres with exquisite French pastries and signature madeleines.
Celebrity chef Cyril Lignac's dedicated chocolate haven in the 11th arrondissement, serving artisanal chocolates, decadent pastries, and the city's most indulgent hot chocolate.
A 400 m² artisan bakery spanning three floors across from the Louvre, crafting 100% homemade breads, viennoiseries, and modern pastries in a zen, contemporary setting.
A legendary Parisian chocolaterie crafting exquisite ganaches, pralines, and pastries with unparalleled artisanal expertise across multiple elegant boutiques.
A refined pastry boutique in Vincennes where Noémie Giorno crafts exceptional French desserts with carefully selected premium ingredients.
A contemporary artisan bakery in the heart of the Marais, crafting exceptional breads and pastries with organic flours and natural levain while offering vegan options and hands-on pastry workshops.
A traditional Basque bakery bringing the flavors of southwestern France to Paris, renowned for its signature gâteau basque with caramelized crust.
A modern épicerie fine in the 12th arrondissement offering artisanal cookies, regional biscuits, and a curated selection of gourmet products with 7-day delivery service.
A charming épicerie fine on rue Sedaine where artisan products from Brittany and Southwest France meet Parisian epicurean culture.
A modern Parisian pâtisserie reimagining the classic French macaron with bold Southeast Asian flavors like ube, pandan, and sriracha.
A historic French tea institution offering over 500 varieties of exceptional teas in an elegant colonial-inspired setting in the heart of Le Marais.
A contemporary Japanese tea sanctuary offering over 100 premium teas and exquisite matcha-infused pastries in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
An artisanal pâtisserie near Buttes-Chaumont where traditional French techniques embrace multicultural influences, creating unique pastries with locally sourced ingredients.
A historic Saint-Germain-des-Prés institution crafting exceptional sourdough bread and pastries using traditional wood-fired ovens for over 90 years.
Since 1854, this legendary French tea house offers over 500 varieties of tea alongside refined pastries in an elegant Left Bank setting.
A Meilleur Ouvrier de France chocolatier with 35 years of expertise crafting exceptional chocolates, macarons, and pastries across seven Parisian boutiques.
How to find the best macarons in Paris
A good macaron has a thin, crisp shell that gives way to a soft, slightly chewy middle, and a filling that tastes of its flavor, pistachio, rose, dark chocolate, rather than of sugar. It should never be dry, crumbly or sticky. Every shop below passed the test in at least one of the guides we track, and each page lists the flavors people come back for.
The classics, and the one that changed the game
Ladurée on the Champs-Élysées is where the double-decker macaron was born. It opens from 7:30am until late, and its tea time and weekend brunch are worth booking ahead. On the Left Bank, Pierre Hermé Saint-Sulpice turned the macaron into a playground: the Ispahan (rose, lychee, raspberry), the Mogador (passion fruit and milk chocolate) and the Infiniment Chocolat are the ones to try. Go on a weekday morning to skip the Saturday queue.
Modern pâtissiers and chocolatiers
The macaron is often just the door into a great shop. Jean-Paul Hévin and Sadaharu Aoki are among the names on this list, and Jacques Genin, a master chocolatier in the Marais, is better known for his caramels and a millefeuille you have to order a day ahead. BO & MIE, near Les Halles, bakes its macarons in-house next to croissants and flans, at friendlier prices. For more of that craft, browse our chocolate shops and bakeries.
A macaron with a view of the salon
Sometimes the setting is half the pleasure. Angelina, on rue de Rivoli since 1903, serves its famous hot chocolate and Mont-Blanc in a Belle Époque room, but takes no reservations, so arrive when the doors open. Butterfly Pâtisserie sits inside the Hôtel de Crillon on Place de la Concorde and opens at 11am. Our cozy restaurants list has more tea-time rooms.
Where to look, and what to pay
The 6th and the 1st have the most macarons on this list, so a walk around Saint-Germain in the 6th or the 1st arrondissement covers a lot of ground. Most of these shops sit in the higher price brackets: macarons are a small luxury, so buy a few great ones rather than a big box of average ones. They keep a couple of days in the fridge; let them warm up before eating. For more sweets, see our croissants and ice cream picks, then open the map to find the nearest pâtissier.