Fodor's Expert Review Crumble & Flake Patisserie

Long a creative and renowned fine-dining pastry chef, Neil Robertson found his true calling when he opened up this tiny but exciting bakery. His restaurant training and baker brain combine to impress with his sweet spins on classics and detailed re-creations of traditional French baked goods, which earned him a semifinalist award in the James Beard awards and a spot in the heart of Seattleites. When it first opened, locals braved the long lines to taste his smoked paprika and cheddar croissant. These days, the line rarely backs out of the store, but the pink peppercorn cookies have only gotten better.