Hadrien Patisserie is home to buttery pastries, artisanal desserts, and terrific fresh bread.

Located in South Etobicoke on the Queensway, the patisserie is the passion project of highly skilled pastry chef and owner Hadrien Verrier. It offers a taste of France from the moment you step through the door. 

Born and raised in Paris, Verrier received his training at Grégoire-Ferrandi before setting off to work at numerous French restaurants and bakeries.

He moved to Canada 10 years ago, where he continued to develop his craft and later started selling his creations in gelato parlour, Death in Venice and at the Evergreen Brick Works Saturday farmers' market. 

After building a devoted customer base, Verrier, with the support of his partner, Wendy Lopez, opened their store in the spring of 2024. 

The space has a minimalist design and is light and airy, with a large open-concept kitchen. 

It’s easy to become mesmerized by the trays of croissants, lightly painted with butter, just before they hit the oven or the large amounts of dough getting evenly portioned. 

Gauthier Bizart, a recent addition to the team from France, was busy prepping and preparing many of the freshly baked goods when I visited.

And that was Verrier’s intention with the interior. He wanted customers to see the process and also be able to greet and converse with anyone who came in. 

Separating the kitchen is a large, clear display case filled with the daily offerings.

Best known for his croissants, I was eager to try the classic Croissant Au Beurre ($4) and the Pain Au Chocolat ($4.25). 

When I asked what the key to making a traditional French croissant was, Verrier and Lopez shared "high-end butter, love, and a whole lot of patience."

The butter croissants take three days to make. Best served warm, its flaky and crisp with a soft and pillowy inside. 

Similarly, the Pain Au Chocolat, filled with melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, is a rich yet delicate bite.

You can easily spot all the layers of buttery, golden brown dough, and it's truly so tasty you’re going to want to eat every last crumb. 

For those looking to eat fresh croissants from the comfort and convenience of home, Verrier sells them frozen and ready-to-bake ($25) at the store and select retailers. 

The Hazelnut Financier ($4) is a small almond cake with milk chocolate and flavoured with nut butter.

In the center of the cake is a creamy, silky smooth hazelnut ganache. I imagine this would be divine with a cup of hot coffee. 

Many of the desserts at Hadrien Patisserie change according to what's in season.

The Strawberry Tarte ($8) is made with local Ontario strawberries. The strawberries sit beautifully on top of a buttery biscuit, and it's one of those bites that tastes exactly like summer. 

Keeping with the seasonal approach, Verrier also makes his own small-batch jam, with flavours ranging from red wine plum to champagne peach.

Currently available is the Strawberry Maple, made with Ontario strawberries, maple syrup, sugar, and lemon.

Verrier insists the best way to eat it is spread on a French Baguette ($3.50) with a little bit of butter. 

All of the bread is baked in-house with flour imported from Quebec. As with the crusty White Country Sourdough ($6.50), it's a key priority for the bakery to use high-quality ingredients that not only taste good but are also better for your digestion. 

My favourite item was the Paris Brest ($9). This classic and elegant French delicacy gets its name from a popular bike race that runs from Paris to Brest. 

"A pastry chef was asked to design something in honour of the race," Verrier and Lopez explained, "and he designed this because it looks like a wheel." 

Made with a choux pastry, hazelnut cream, hazelnut ganache, and almond meringue, it’s delicate and creamy, with a good crunch from the flaked almonds.

Verrier is excited for what's to come, including a lineup of savoury sandwiches. 

"I don’t see myself as just a baker," he said, "but as a food lover and a searcher for new tastes, textures, and flavours." 

Hadrien Patisserie is located at 709 The Queensway.