La Bonne Vie. Credit: The Grand America Hotel
The fuss over scrumptious, bright-colored macarons — the classic French pastry made of meringue-like cookies held together by a plop of rich ganache or buttercream — is on the rise among confectionary circles. And while we all like sampling the treats, not everyone is skilled at making them. Thankfully, our editors found five posh hotel bakeries serving the delightful dessert.
La Bonne Vie, The Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City
The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City may sound, well, American, but its La Bonne Vie patisserie is stocked with a plethora of seasonal French macarons. During the fall, executive pastry chef Jeffrey de Leon offers a pumpkin variety (a spice cookie with pumpkin white chocolate ganache) and a S’macaron (a graham cracker cookie with chocolate ganache and toasted marshmallow filling). For the winter holidays, expect flavors like gingerbread, eggnog, peppermint and spiced chocolate. Springtime rings in tastes of salted caramel, strawberry, rose and passion fruit.
Bouchon Bakery, The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, Las Vegas
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas—including when you devour a dozen or more macarons from Bouchon Bakery. Located in the foyer of the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, the Parisian-inspired bakery serves up some top-notch macarons filled with buttercream. Bouchon is owned by renowned chef Thomas Keller—of The French Laundry and Per Se—and offers a variety of flavors according to the season, and others like peanut butter and jelly, coffee, raspberry, caramel and chocolate.
Chez Charlotte, Hôtel des Académies et des Arts, Paris
Perhaps the best place to eat a macaron is in the City of Light, and the Left Bank’s Chez Charlotte inside Hôtel des Académies et des Arts is a good place to start. You’ll find these delicate delights every day in the tearoom between 2:30 and 6 p.m. French chef Pierre Hermé—dubbed “the Picasso of pastry” by Vogue Paris—is the mastermind behind the flavors, including the the unusual foie gras and chocolate macaron. The favorite French desserts are paired with a selection of Le Palais des Thés teas sourced straight from tea estates in Asia and Central America.
FP Patisserie, The Plaza Hotel, New York
The historic Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Plaza Hotel is known for its swanky style, so it’s not surprising that renowned, third-generation French pastry chef François Payard set up shop in the European-style Plaza Food Hall. FP Patisserie churns out macarons in flavors such as passion fruit, raspberry-lychee and chocolate with cocoa nibs, as well as vanilla bean, pistachio and coffee. Grab a cup of coffee and fully enjoy these tiny colorful treats inside the bustling underground hall or—if you’re in a hurry—purchase a lovely, gold François Payard New York gift box packed neatly with a dozen (or more).
The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta
Whether you’re perusing the dessert display at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead’s popular Sunday brunch, sipping Earl Grey at afternoon tea or attending a wedding reception in one of its elegant ballrooms, you’re likely to luck upon a selection of scrumptious French macarons. The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel in Atlanta serves flavors such as mint, lemon, mango and mocha. Don’t miss out on the green apple macaron that includes pastry cream made with Calvados, a French apple brandy from Lower Normandy.
Photo Courtesy of The Grand American Hotel
