Macarons are the ultimate NOBREAD dessert. They’re beautiful, classy, and traditionally gluten-free. Just like anything else in the world, there are some macarons that are better than others, and Chantal Guillon is up there with the best…
Chantal Guillon has three locations in the Bay Area. I went to the Hayes Valley store, whose modest size was filled with beautiful natural light from its floor-to-ceiling showcase window. I’m trying to find a grown up analogy to this saying, but upon walking into Chantal Guillon, I felt like a kid in a candy store.
Chantal has an impressive assortment of macarons in flavors that truly go beyond the norm, like Lavender & Black Currant, Almond Amaretto, and Persian Rose. When you walk up to the counter, you will be met with rows and rows of these delectable desserts, and you will become immediately stressed out because they all look incredible and the decision of which macrons to get will be the most important decision you make that day. Or maybe that was just me. I opted for a 12-pack assortment and went straight into panic mode. How could I ever choose? Solution: I asked the kind woman helping me to give me her favorites. Sorry, I chickened out.
It is very obvious Chantal Guillon not only places strong emphasis on flavor, but also on presentation. The attention to detail in each of these little macarons was extremely laudable. Highlights for me included the Coffee, Raspberry, Lychee & Rose, and Salted Caramel. You will be hard-pressed to find better macarons than these in the city.