Paris
La Pâtisserie des Rêves
At this gallery-style pastry boutique on the Left Bank, you could mistake the dreamy desserts, like the tarte tatin with whipped lemon mascarpone and the “reconstructed” St. Honoré (in the shape of a rectangle rather than the traditional circle), for works of art. Each is presented under a clear dome suspended from the ceiling.
93, rue du Bac, 33-1-42-84-00-82, lapatisseriedesreves.com
Milan
Princi
From candy-coloured macaroons to organic, stone-ground bread, the 19-metre-long bronze counter at this bakery offers up the ultimate snacks. Take a look at the daily specials – one of which is displayed in a transparent box jutting out onto the street – then ask the staff clad in Giorgio Armani-designed uniforms to whip you up a cappuccino subito!
Via Speronari 6, 39-2-874797, princi.it
Barcelona
Oriol Balaguer
Satisfy your sweet tooth (and get a taste for the future) at this ultramodern chocolaterie. Each month, ex-elBulli pastry chef Oriol Balaguer reveals a new “concept cake” in its own glass case featuring ingredients as far-out as white truffle and balsamic vinegar. But if you just need a sugar fix, his popular chocolate pods are also available.
Plaça Sant Gregori Taumaturg 2, 34-932-011-846, oriolbalaguer.com
Oviedo, Spain
Pomme Sucre
The three key ingredients – flour, eggs and cocoa – used in this cake shop’s architectural confections are reflected in the interior’s design materials: white opal, yellow resin and smoked mirrors. Like artifacts in a museum, the desserts are kept in temperature-controlled cases – so the dark chocolate Azabache tart tastes as pristine as it looks.
Calle de Covadonga 21, 34-985-221-449, pommesucre.com
Taste Makers
We’re sweet on these new museum eateries.
1 / After exploring Renzo Piano’s recently opened Resnick Pavilion at the LACMA in Los Angeles, soak in your surroundings over a drink at the museum’s Stark Bar, housed in a slick steel and glass box.
2 / Walking through the Museum of London’s five new galleries, which highlight the city’s history from 1666 to the present day, will have you craving traditional British cuisine, like the creamy baked custard at the adjacent London Wall Bar & Kitchen.
3 / In New York, fuel your art gazing with some inspired cuisine at the Whitney Museum of American Art’s new café, opening this spring.It’s helmed by Danny Meyer, the restaurateur behind the Modern at the MoMA.
