Behind a glass display case, croissants that look too pretty to eat invite customers to experience the best of French and Asian pastry. If you’re lucky to grab one before the “SOLD OUT” sign balances against its flaky side, the pistachio croissant from Cros Croissanterie, generously topped with crushed toasted nuts and filled with a gorgeous pistachio cream and raspberry jam, is a must-try bestseller.
“Cros Croissanterie was born out of our shared passion for blending classic French pastry with bold, playful Asian flavours,” says co-founder Clement Yau, who runs the bakery alongside his co-partner, Michelle Tsang, who leads the pastry program with a decade of pastry experience. “With backgrounds in both kitchens and cafés, we wanted to create something unique that reflects the cultural diversity of Toronto and our own culinary influences. Our croissants are all made in-house, using traditional French techniques, but we push boundaries with unexpected flavour combinations and an emphasis on quality, creativity, and cultural storytelling.”
Made and laminated by hand in house, the croissant dough is “a time-intensive process, but it’s at the heart of what we do. That commitment to traditional technique is what gives our croissants their flaky texture and depth of flavour,” Yau says.
The croissant menu is playful, reaching well beyond your classic pain au chocolat or almond varieties and opting instead to pay tribute to both Yau and Tsang’s cultural roots.
“You’ll see it in items like our Onigiri-Inspired Chili Crab croissant, which blends Thai and Japanese influences. It features a spicy crab filling shaped like an onigiri, paired with Thai-style pork floss and chili paste,” Yau says. “Our Yuzu Matcha croissant brings together the earthiness of Japanese matcha with the bright, citrusy notes of yuzu. Our drinks reflect that same philosophy. The HK-Style Latte pays homage to Hong Kong’s milk tea culture, while the Matchamisu is a drinkable twist on tiramisu that combines Japanese and Italian dessert traditions.”
With pastries selling out daily, it’s only a matter of time before Cros Croissanterie considers its growth plans, but for now, Yau and the team are content with their current flow of business.
“The response from the community has been incredible,” Yau says. “While we’d love to expand in the future, we’re still very new and want to focus on perfecting what we have right now—making sure every croissant, every drink, and every customer experience lives up to our vision.”
Cros Croissanterie is located in Markham at 11 Fairburn Dr. Unit 11, and is open Wednesday to Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
