We're flying home to Seattle to visit family over the holidays. Recently my mom and I were in Paris and she went nuts for the pastries! I would like to bring her a box full of perfect little works of art like you see in the shops in Paris.

Seattle is my home turf and I do know of some of the French pastry/bakeries but I don't want a box of croissants and eclairs. For that reason I would avoid Le Panier, Le Fournil etc.

Can anyone suggest something in Seattle -- more along the lines of a patisserie than a boulangerie? We'll have the morning free before we see them so I have no problem driving anywhere -- the Eastside, West Seattle etc. It would have to get great reviews before I would head to Tacoma -- but for my mom and pastries I might!

Thanks!

I like Le Panier in Pike Place Market: http://www.lepanier.com

Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle. In addition to the basics, they have an amazing array of delicious (and beautiful) pastries and they also make their own chocolates.

htty -- I love Le Panier too, but I was hoping to find some fancier pastries -- you know the ones that look to good to eat!

NWW -- I knew there was one in West Seattle! We went to it once on a quest for macarons. I admit I only had eyes for the macarons and didn't even bother to check the rest of the case. Sounds like we need to go back!

If you like chocolate, they have these chocolate mousse pastries covered with a dark chocolate ganache that are out of this world--I brought some to a dinner party recently and they were a huge hit.

I don't know of anywhere fancier or more delicious than La Panier in the Market. They offer much more than just eclairs. Their teeny-tiny tartletts are divine.

Bakery Nouveau is sublime.....and they won the world baking competition in Paris a couple of years ago so you can easily say they are world class. They had the best quiche lorraine I've ever had in addition to amazing pastries. Wish I could be back tomorrow!

I agree about the little tarts at Le Panier. Another favorite is the high quality of Tom Doouglas' Bakery:
http://www.tomdouglas.com/bakery/holidaymenu.html

Mmmm . . . more options! Thank you so much. It looks like we'll have lots of different places to try. I might have to try them all . . repeatedly!

In recent private studies (lol) I have found the pies/tarts at La Panier to be superior and less expensive than pies from Dahlia Bakery.

That said anything having to do with coconut from Dahlia is divine.

I guess I can hijack this thread since I started it -- but suze, your reference to pie and TD's dahlia bakery reminded me that I wanted to eat at Serious Pie when we're home. Have you eaten there? It seems fun and casual and the menu looks amazing. I want to try them all! Is it the sort of place where you can go with a group and eat off everyone's plates?

Yes, yes, and yes.

I have eaten there, it is fun with a group, and you can eat of whoever's plate will let you!

Did you find the pastries you were hoping to take to your mother?

I thought of your post when I passed The Dilettante on Broadway today. They make wonderful chocolates and cakes. They may also have smaller baked items, or you could take you mom there for a fabulous dessert. Find them in Seattle on Capitol Hill, 538 Broadway Ave East, Seattle, WA 98102, 206-329-6463: http://www.dilettante.com/Default.aspx