The List: Little Tart Bakeshop
If you set out to find Little Tart Bakeshop, you may be in for a drive unless you're in the Grant Park area of Atlanta. Still, the location is easy to find (off Memorial Drive, directly behind the Six Feet Under) and part of an Octane Coffee Bar, which is both hip AND has hi-speed wifi.Score! I couldn't have been more thrilled with my loose leaf, French press English Breakfast tea (worth 3 bucks) and a great window seat, but what I was drooling over was the plain croissant as recommended in Creative Loafing's Top 100 Dishes List.
Could a croissant possibly be worth the drive to downtown? I was skeptical.
In fact, I started with a shortcut. I hoped EVERY location of Octane would serve Little Tart Bakeshop croissants, so one morning I went to the Buckhead location on my way to work.
I wasn't impressed.
I mean, the pastry was fine, but it was an average, good croissant. Nothing special. You can see in the picture below, the Buckhead Octane version even LOOKS kind of sad.Then I dug around the Information Superhighway and realized the ONLY place to get the croissants (outside of assorted Farmer's Markets around town) was to go to Grant Park. So away I went.
I am SO happy I did.
If you've ever been to Paris and tasted the flakey, buttery, so-light-you-swear-it-has-no-calories croissants, then you can experience the sensation again. This flakey goodness is worth the drive ANY time. Look closely at the layers from Little Tart Bakeshop.
My oh my.
This pastry is ABSOLUTELY list worthy!
One note of caution -- I was there at 9 am (croissants are available at 8:15 am per the website) and I got the second-to-last one (the guy behind me scored the last one). SO, if you're dying for a "plain" croissant (nothing plain about this treat!!) and you're swinging by later in the morning, call in advance!
Also, if you lick your finger and touch the flakes, you can consume every last morsel.Not that I'd ever demonstrate such poor manners...
: )
I can't wait to try their other delectable goodies!!