Montreal pâtisserie Farine & Cacao is a treasure trove of contemporary artisanal pastry, oriented around innovation, elegance, and respect for the fine craft of French pastry - certainly a destination to drive the extra mile for. Founder and pastry chef Christian Campos started his career at a young age on the Pâtisserie de Gascogne team, later working with Alain Pignard at Fairmont Le Reine Elizabeth Hotel and for the opening of his boutique caterer, La Palette Gourmande. In 2016, Campos joined the Ritz-Carlton and Maison Boulud team as pastry sous chef, and was named Pastry Chef of the Year in 2015 and 2016 by the Society of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of Quebec. At Farine & Cacao his specialties include classic viennoiseries as well as flavored croissants such as raspberry and Gianduja, and intricate entremets of Pistachio & Raspberry, Mango & Passion, and Chocolate & Caramel, alongside handmade chocolate bars of impeccable quality.

Alanya, a pastry shop in Lima’s bohemian Barranco district, is the latest venture of young talent Zara Alanya Góngora. Trained in Barcelona, Alanya has brought her exceptional skills to the forefront of Lima's pastry scene. Alanya's journey began in 2005, when she decided to pursue her passion for baking while raising her daughter. After studying in Spain, she opened her first small shop in Surco in 2015. Through dedication and innovation, Alanya was named Peru's best pastry shop by the recent Summum Awards. Alanya Repostería greets visitors with an enticing display of sweets, cakes, and pastries. The croissant is the hero product and available in many flavors including passionfruit, cappuccino, cheesecake, almond, pistachio, chocolate, cranberry, raspberry, apple, and mango. Alanya's creations, made with Peruvian ingredients, showcase her creativity and commitment to delighting every customer.

Lals Pâtisserie in Pakistan is the creation of the inspirational chocolatier Lal Majid, who as a child dreamed of owning a chocolate house like the one in her favorite story, Hansel and Gretel. She made her dream come true by opening her first luxury chocolate shop in prestigious Zamzama, Karachi, in 2006. Over the past 14 years, Lal has poured her love, passion, and dedication into building the Lals brand, which is now recognized nationwide for its high quality chocolates, pastries, and freshly made gelato. Her pursuit of sweet perfection is evident in every creation, from the classic chocolate cake and red velvet cupcakes to the innovative honey baklava tart and coconut tea cake. The flagship multi-story Lals pâtisserie on Khayaban-e-Shahbaz offers an array of sweet and savory delights, including premium Italian-style gelato, waffles, crepes, and a wide range of hot and iced coffees. Under Lal's supervision, the kitchen produces an enticing selection of pastries, ensuring that every bite is a celebration.

Italian brothers Luco and Thomas Colombo opened their Place des Vosges pastry shop Brigat’ in 2021, and soon became a local institution. Thomas bakes unmissable sourdough with ancient grains, herbs, and polenta, while Lucio creates elegant cakes that are big on flavor, texture, and enjoyment. Coconut & Chocolate has a chocolate crumble base with almond cream, coconut flan, and chocolate ganache. The summery Strawberry & Chamomile Gáteau consists of crunchy meringue, a light and floral chamomile cream, lemon and honey jelly, and Gariguette strawberries. Lucio is also known for bringing global flavors such as Iranian pistachio, hibiscus, Kaffir lime, and Sorrento lemons to his pastry, and has worked in the Middle East and London. Together, they blend the very best of Italian and French baking and pastry into an unmissable Paris pastry destination.

Chez Dodo, a charming pastry shop near St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, is the brainchild of young talent Dora Szalai. After mastering the art of macaron making in Paris, Szalai began crafting these delicate confections for friends and colleagues while working as an account manager. As demand grew, Szalai partnered with her friend Peter Vary to open Chez Dodo. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, the shop is a testament to Szalai's dedication and creativity, featuring bold and innovative macaron flavors like the Jardin des Sens collection. Szalai's handcrafted macarons, which are made in an open kitchen in full view of customers and passersby, have become a symbol of Chez Dodo's commitment to quality and creativity, providing a taste of Paris in the heart of Budapest.

Feast your eyes on the prettiest pastel pastry creations, and cakes sculpted into roses, apples and pine cones in delicate fruit flavors. Everything is a fairytale at this enchanting Lille pâtisserie, starting with the Ogre of Carrouselberg himself, who used to devour children until he discovered a garden full of fresh fruit, which he preferred to young flesh, or so the story goes. The signature P’tits Pouchins are equally magical, small and flaky choux pockets with vanilla and orange blossom cream. L’Ogre de Carrouselberg’s founders, Stéphanie Touzet et Matthieu Buchalski, are a couple who met in Paris and changed career together, with Touzet training in pastry and Buchalski putting his design experience for food brands to use for their debut joint project. This is grown up pastry, but always delivered with a light and playful edge.