La Baguette De Paris in Baltimore: French Pastries and Cakes in Fells Point
La Baguette De Paris is a French pastry shop and café in Fells Point specializing in hand-laminated croissants, éclairs, macarons, and custom cakes made to order. The operation is small and retail-focused, occupying a corner storefront where most customers grab items to go or sit at a handful of tables for coffee and pastry.
What La Baguette De Paris Actually Is
The shop makes laminated doughs from scratch, meaning croissants, pain au chocolat, and Danish pastries are built daily from butter and dough folded in layers. Éclairs come filled with pastry cream and topped with fondant; macarons are almond meringue shells in rotating flavors. Custom cakes are available for order at least three days in advance and serve as the shop's higher-end revenue stream. The retail display case rotates through seasonal items and house specials. This is not a full restaurant; it is a production-focused pastry counter with minimal seating and no full meal service.
Menu and Pricing
Croissants and pain au chocolat run $3.50 to $4.50, depending on size and whether they are plain or filled. Danish pastries, including apple and cheese varieties, are priced similarly. Macarons cost $2 to $2.50 each and are sold individually or in boxes of four to twelve. Éclairs range from $3.50 to $5, with flavor availability changing weekly. A cappuccino or café au lait runs $3 to $4. Custom cakes start at $35 for a small serving and scale upward; pricing depends on complexity, size, and filling. Call or email ahead to discuss custom cake orders; lead time is three days minimum, and more time is advisable for special requests. (Confirm current pricing before a visit, as ingredient costs shift seasonally.)
How It Compares to Other Baltimore Dessert Options
La Baguette De Paris differs from Charm City Cakes in scope and setting. Charm City Cakes, located in Canton, is a television-facing operation and a destination for sculptural, highly decorated cakes starting around $100 and climbing sharply. La Baguette De Paris serves smaller, more modestly priced custom orders and emphasizes daily pastry production for walk-in traffic. If you want an elaborate architectural cake or character cake, Charm City Cakes is the call. If you want a fresh croissant before work or a small, well-made cake for four people at a reasonable price, La Baguette De Paris is more practical.
Rival pastry counters in the city include Chez François, also in Fells Point, which similarly makes croissants and French pastries but tends to focus more heavily on sandwich and quiche lunch service. La Baguette De Paris leans further into dessert and pastry as its core business. For macarons specifically, La Baguette De Paris and a small handful of boutique shops are among the few places in Baltimore making them fresh daily rather than importing them.
Who It Suits and Who It Does Not
This place suits people who want fresh, technically sound French pastries without ceremony or high prices. It works for morning coffee runs, office treats, and small custom cakes for family gatherings or small celebrations. It does not suit someone looking for a sit-down dessert experience with table service or someone needing a large, visually complex cake on a tight deadline. The seating is minimal and not comfortable for lingering for hours.
What the First Visit Involves
Walk in during morning or early afternoon when the display case is fullest. Croissants and Danish pastries are typically available until mid-afternoon but can sell out, especially on weekends. Examine the case, order at the counter, and pay cash or card. If the item is to stay, you will receive it on a small plate; otherwise, it goes into a paper bag. A first-time visitor should try the plain croissant to assess lamination quality and the house macaron flavor (rotating). If you are considering a custom cake, bring a photo or written description of what you want and ask to schedule a consultation; the staff will take measurements and discuss price before you commit.
Hours, Parking, and Logistics
La Baguette De Paris is open Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed Mondays. (Verify hours before a weekend visit, as they occasionally shift.) It is located on a side street in Fells Point; street parking is available but competitive, especially midday and on weekends. The shop is small, and lines can form during weekend breakfast hours. If you are ordering a custom cake, phone or email at least three days ahead rather than walking in and asking same-day or next-day production.
La Baguette De Paris fills a gap in Baltimore's dessert landscape between everyday pastry convenience and high-end custom-cake production, making it essential for anyone in Fells Point wanting a daily source of laminated pastries or a straightforward small cake without the Charm City Cakes overhead.
