echo Freshly-baked bread and pastries seems to be all the hype now, perhaps we all need some baked goodness to comfort our soul in the midst of this overwhelming pandemic. To satisfy your cravings, we at Echo have taken it upon ourselves to hunt down the best artisanal bakeries around Subang and KL that are available for dine-in, takeaway, pickup and/or delivery.
Disclaimer : This content in this article is based on the writers’ personal opinions.
1. Croisserie Artisan Bakery
Some claim that Croisserie Artisan Bakery serves up some of the best, most fluffy croissants in KL. This neighbourhood bakery is an underrated gem that has garnered a steady stream of loyal patrons that keep coming back for their consistently-delicious pastries, cakes and breads.
Located in Damansara Heights, it was first established in 2015 to bring freshly baked goods into households. They use only the finest ingredients and practice the authentic baking technique called Respectus Panis. A wide variety of breads and pastries are baked in small batches daily, without the use of artificial improver and preservatives, to guarantee the freshness and quality of their products.
Some of the must try products- besides their famed croissants – include the pain au chocolat, quiches, caneles, various types of danishes and madeleines. Do check out their spring onions chicken tartine, a special combination of roasted chicken and spring onion on baguette- it’s beyond imagination. Besides that, they also sell patisserie that are available in a range of complementary flavours and textures. The cakes come in big sizes which are ideal for a celebration, and in small sizes which are the perfect personal-size treat to accompany your hot coffee or tea.
With the modern contemporary interior, every corner of the shop is Instagram-worthy. O’coffee club, an international coffee chain is also linked directly to Croisserie, which means that customers can now order a coffee with their pastries. Despite long queues and almost full-house, the system is fast and efficient. Besides Damansara Heights, they have other branches at Atria Shopping Gallery and KL Citywalk. This is a great place to catch up with long lost friends over mouth-watering pastries and quality filtered coffee. Learn more through their website and Instagram now!
2. Dou Dou Bake
Dou Dou Bake is arguably the most talked about designer bakery. Nestled in a quiet corner of Petaling Jaya, it offers home-baked sourdough breads, croissants, and other pastries, all fermented and baked without any shortcuts.
The pastries are fragrant and fresh out the oven, causing them to disappear off the shelves as soon as they are placed on them. The bakery takes pride in their flaky and buttery sourdough croissants, made fresh daily. Other popular items include their kaffir lime drizzle loaf, portobello mushroom danish and chocolate tart made with their homemade chocolate sauce. Besides pastries, they also sell breakfast sets. We highly recommend trying their big breakfast, the texture of their runny scrambled eggs seasoned with a light sprinkle of sea salt add such a unique taste and all of the elements on the dish go hand in hand with the sourdough bread.
The roasted beans offer a noticeable smoothness and the varieties available lend truth to their motto of being a ‘coffee temple’. The bakery interioris a raw expression of modern aesthetics and the ambience is calm despite the bustling flow of customers coming in and out. You will be accompanied by a sense of nature as there is a garden right outside of Dou Dou that is relaxing to look at.
Here’s a warning, while the bakery opens its doors at 7:30AM, the queue starts as early as 6:30AM but it is definitely worth the wait. If you’re someone who doesn’t mind waiting in line to get that perfect cuppa coffee and plate full of freshly baked goodness, then this is the perfect place you and your friends to visit on your next outing. For more information, check out their website and Instagram.
3. PAUL Patisserie
You would have probably seen this cafe and restaurant when shopping at Pavilion KL, with its large display case offering authentic French pastries. PAUL is a French family bakery and patisserie that has been operating since 1889, with the first Malaysian outlet opening in 2017 at Pavilion KL.
The delectable pastries and breads here include a variety of brioche, croissants, baguettes and cakes. Their goods are baked using natural yeast in a traditional stone oven that offers a unique taste and texture. While they do offer everyday staples, their French specialties such as palmiers, mille-feuille, eclairs, and the ultimate sweet treat: the Kouign Amann croissant, are also a must-try.
This bakery restaurant also offers delicious French cuisine along with their wide selection of French desserts. The creme brulee is their best-seller, the rich custard base topped with a layer of hardened caramelised sugar Another special product of theirs is the XXL macaron, a sweet meringue based confection that comes in different flavours like strawberry, chocolate, pistachio and vanilla.
PAUL is captivatingly beautiful, set within a chic yet vintage interior with artsy deco that will take your breath away. If you are a bakery aficionado, you should definitely visit PAUL at any time of the day – whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea or any hour in between. Visit them now for the opportunity to experience authentic French culture and heritage through their products. Learn more at their website and Instagram.
4. Littlepeopleco
Tucked in between concrete and factories, you will be astonished to find this cosy little coffee shop with wonderful bakes and brews. Littlepeople co, Subang is a smaller branch of the homonymous cafe in Jalan Klang Lama.
While many bakeries prefer to stick to the traditional flavours for their baked goods, Littlepeople co takes it one step further by coming up with their own twists on freshly baked pastries. Be sure to try out their Burnt Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chunks Cookie with Maldon Sea Salt, where the chocolate melts the moment it’s in your mouth or the Ham & Cheese croissant, which has crispy burnt cheese around it which adds flavour to the already buttery croissant. The menu may be concise, but the variations added create more joy to the taste buds!
The coffee shop is also known for their brews. The coffee beans used vary from month to month, originating from different countries such as Cambodia and Brazil. For coffee lovers, this is just pure heaven! The baristas are also enthusiastic and confident enough to help customers find the coffee that best satisfies their taste buds. For those who are still getting used to the fancy coffee words, fear not! The menu is precise, only differentiating the coffees with black, white or espresso and customers are free to choose whatever add-ons they like.
The hot chocolate served is also a treat to the tastebuds, not too thick and with just the right amount of sweetness. The ground floor of the coffee shop is filled with about 5 seating areas for pairs in little camping chairs. There is also a high table for a larger group of people and charging sockets for electronic devices available around the seating areas.The upper floor is an open space covered with a glass ceiling which allows customers to bask in the sunlight while enjoying the calm environment.
If you’re looking for freshly brewed coffee and a warm sourdough croissant, Littlepeople co is definitely your go-to place. Check out their Instagram and website for more mouth-watering pastries!
5. Good Ground Bakery
The best way to describe this homegrown bakery would be romantic. The sweet smell of fresh pastries and the calming scent of tea wafts through the air while light chatter spills through the small cracks of pleasant silence, making it perfect for one to fantasise their own romantic day with a cup of chamomile tea and a warm slice of banana loaf.
Along SS17/1A, one can find the traditional bakery (with really good parking) filled with tarts, croissants, cakes, cookies and many more delectable baked goods to savour. Established back in 2019, the bakery has now grown into a cherished hideout for locals to dine-in and soak in the tranquillity it has to offer. Sarah Yeoh, the owner of the bakery is the mastermind behind the ever changing menu of the bakery. Each baked product is crafted with love and care to wow the socks off of every customer.
They have a variety of croissants such as sausage onion, pistachio apricot, matcha raspberry and of course, chocolate. Some of their bestsellers are the banana loaf, which is one hundred percent a comfort pastry, their sea salt brownie, which is just divine and their chicken leek pie, a recent addition to their widely spread menu.
While their shelves are now lined with books and cookie jars, during Christmas it’s filled with a vast amount of other desserts, spreading the Christmas cheer to all who step into the caramel-smelling bakery. Along with sweet and savoury desserts, they have a wide range of drinks from freshly brewed coffee to aromatic tea to ease one’s mind. For vegetarians, their mushroom quiche and pesto roast vege sandwich are a must try.
There are clearly many regulars who walk in to pick up their favourite tart or slice of cake. They are greeted with the pleasant smiles of the workers, who are quite familiar with most of the customers. It has an air of sentimentality and home that is quite hard to find at other bakeries.
If you plan to check it out, make sure to try out their butter pecan cookies, which explode with tantalising flavours in your mouth or buy the homemade pecan honey jam that is made with love and care. If you’re looking for somewhere to just pause your day or slow down time and enjoy quietude, Good Ground Bakery is definitely the place. Learn more through their website and Instagram!
So, there you have it, a variety of the most drool-worthy pastries around Subang and KL! There has to be at least one in the list that is probably calling out to you, maybe to try a bite of that divine brownie or to try a slice of that sweet-smelling cake. For those who can’t wait to try these heavenly goods out, have fun in your dessert tasting journey!
Written by: Isabel and Poorani
Edited by: Priyanka
