There’s little left to say about the artisan croissanterie to rule them all, where queues are as guaranteed as the drop-dead crackly bite of these golden-baked beauties. Kate and Cam Reid have created a croissant cult, and Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane have happily joined their ranks. The OGs are exceptional; so is the ham and Gruyere number, which has an additional sprinkling of shaved cheese on top that the oven turns into toe-curlingly delicious jolts of caramelisation. Aficionados can vie for a ticket to Lune Lab, the glass cube offering a croissant degustation and peek into the mysteries of perfection. lunecroissanterie.com

Golden brown, texture like sun. The Stranglers could have been singing about the croissants at Via Porta – little claws of baked beauty that will send anyone into misty-eyed raptures. An evergreen performer on Melbourne’s croissant scene, their pull-apart laminated layers and buttery sweetness always hit the spot. You can also get your daily leafy greens ticked off with the kale, silverbeet and feta croissant, or simply go the indulgent route and hit up the almond croissant, jazzed to the max with the tangy hit of lemon curd. viaporta.com.au; viaporta.com.au/

This button-cute Carlton bakery has fired the city’s restless imagination with its croissant wheels, which could be rolled down Rathdowne Street, but are better topped and centred with dangerously addictive combos like matcha and banana creme custard or a deeply caramel Biscoff cheesecake. An import from New York (where else?), they’re available only on weekends. But weekdays are no slouch either, thanks to the classic credentials of beautifully laminated pastries, with interiors of such feathery softness they could be used as bedding in a five-star hotel. 649 Rathdowne St, Carlton North; calle.com.au/

The hole-in-the-wall good looks of this teeny-tiny pit-stop on a quaint North Carlton street give off movie vibes, but the excellent croissants require no mood lighting or window dressing. Owner Giorgia McAllister Forte is a master of the process that creates flaky, golden, shattery croissants, and her signature leatherwood honey and sea salt version is a must-order. Her devilish way with pastry extends to creations too, like a hazelnut chocolatine and a quince and mascarpone Paris brest, as well as a changing roster of pastries jazzed up with seasonal fillings, like the winter-friendly shiitake mushroom, walnut and cheddar sausage roll. 585a Canning St, Carlton North; monforte.com.au/

The shining light of Queens Parade, this little slice of European delight has been keeping the croissant gods happy since 2006. The classic French butter croissants nail crisp latticework with a gorgeously honeycombed, almost custardy interior; ditto the almond croissants with toasted nut slivers and a dainty dusting of powdered sugar. Meanwhile, the ham and cheese versions go hard on the creamy joys of bechamel sauce. Owner/master baker Robert Coco is also a man with an eye for experimentation, as his more outré outings like the cookie dough croissant (a cookie-croissant hybrid) and strawberry and cream cruffin ably attest. 354 Queens Parade, Fitzroy North; cavallini.com.au/

The name of these sweet sibling patisseries might scream French classicism, but Agathé made its name with the pandan croissant, an eye-catchingly green little number that was born to be photographed and posted on socials before eating. Aside from the novelty value of the vanilla-esque pandan, it nails the garden-variety croissant KPIs of flaky, buttery goodness. Other unique ‘Asian fusion’ flavours include matcha, there’s a verdant Earl Grey croissant for tea lovers that makes an appearance on occasion, while the repertoire is rounded out by the likes of pain au chocolat, kouign-amann (butter cake) and ham and cheese bechamel puffs. shop.agathe.com.au

The Californian bakery-restaurant craze hit Melbourne with a vengeance when this super-slick operation opened in late 2023. You can opt to take away some truly excellent croissants – deep golden in colour, giving way to multi-storey soft layers inside – but it’s a sophisticated spot to settle in for a pressed croissant toastie gussied up with ham, Gruyere and the masterstroke of hot honey. By night, it’s worth checking out the mini potato-centred, pastry-wrapped ‘croissants’ making like party favours with creme fraiche and pops of salmon roe. 128 Exhibition St, Melbourne; antara.melbourne

Tired of the same-old? Expand your croissant horizons at these specialists in the field. Like Picasso said, you’ve got to know the rules like a pro before you can break them like an artist, and while you can get time-honoured flaky French butter croissants here, the founders’ Indonesian heritage shines through in the mi goreng brulee version, while the peanut butter meringue goes for the sweet-tooth jugular. There are vegan croissants, too, and for those wedded to their morning toast, the classic crescent shape-shifts into a croissant loaf, just waiting to be called up for eggs benny or deluxe toasted sangas. @croixssant.au

Want a great backstory with your pimped-up brunch croissant? Emil’s Cafe occupies the site of John and George El-Khoury’s childhood home and family milk bar, where retro vibes celebrate the golden era of Melbourne suburbia. Hit the retro-charming spot for the croissant proudly plying the dessert-for-breakfast route. Currently it’s hanging out with fresh blueberries and creamy mascarpone, but past instalments have included pandan kaya croissant toast. Or go all out and opt for ‘Mum’s knafeh’ – little pots of spun-pastry heaven topped with Persian fairy floss, pistachio crumbs and sugar syrup. Whichever way they swing, in Emil’s we always trust. 347 Reynard St, Pascoe Vale South; emils.com.au/

Jonathan Camilleri has evidently thought long and hard about how to stand out in Melbourne’s crowded croissant clique. The mastermind behind JC has joined the baker rebels to embrace the cube-shaped croissant and the spiral croissant – like a regular crescent shape that pulls apart in long, delicious loops. Going square? A pecan pie hybrid is like two rights making a right. Spiral? Add fillings like vanilla cream or pistachio for the win. Follow the sound of shattery crunch – and the crowds – to a converted garage in backstreet Abbotsford and keep an eye on socials for the once-a-month offer of mini-croissant cereal. 17 Henry St, Abbotsford; jcpatisserieboulangerie.com