Photo by Roberto Rodriguez
La Patisserie Chouquette
La Patisserie Chouquette is less a traditional bakery than an art gallery. You step inside this shop in Botanical Heights, and Simone Faure’s creations — fondant-wrapped cakes, including full-size replicas of women’s designer shoes — seem too beautiful to breathe near, let alone eat. Fortunately, Faure serves plenty of smaller but no less elegant gems that you won’t hesitate to enjoy: macarons in a variety of flavors; a flaky croissant concealing a rich layer of chocolate; a sophisticated galette with apples and cheese. Chocolate hounds should keep an eye out for the Darkness, a special chocolate croissant with dark chocolate in the dough.