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After our last sweet tooth-satisfying round up (5 Cupcakes Worth Celebrating), we decided to take a slightly more savory route this time around. In honor of National Croissant Day—January 30—we did plenty of field research (aka eating our way through more than 15 flaky and buttery pastries) to find Denver’s best. Our five favorite croissants are buttery, crispy, flaky delights—and they’re sure to give your boring breakfast routine a run for its money.
Wooden Spoon: prosciutto-Swiss Croissant
Neighborhood: Highland
If you think all croissants taste alike, you’ve never been to the Wooden Spoon and sampled the prosciutto-Swiss version. The house-made crescent is rolled with rich, creamy Swiss cheese and crisp, salty prosciutto. It’s so delicious it’ll make you rethink your standard ham-egg-and-cheese breakfast sandwich. 2418 W. 32nd Ave., 303-999-0327
Cured: almond croissant
Neighborhood: Boulder
If you’re looking for something a little sweeter, you really can’t go wrong with Cured‘s almond croissant. For this crisp-on-the-outside and gooey-on-the-inside treat, each layer is rolled in a mixture of almond flecks and sugar, and the outside is sprinkled with a flourish of chopped almonds and enough powdered sugar to really kick start your morning—or afternoon. 1825 B Pearl St., Boulder, 720-389-8096
The Kitchen: plain croissant
Neighborhood: Boulder
While you really can’t go wrong with anything on the farm-to-table brunch menu at the Kitchen in Boulder, the plain, handmade croissant makes the ideal light breakfast. This crunchy pastry might be less flaky and delicate than others, but the soft inside and buttery flavor pairs perfectly with the accompanying sweet orange marmalade.1039 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-544-5973
La Fillette: ham and cheese croissant
Neighborhood: Hale
Tucking into La Fillette‘s ham and cheese number is sort of like eating a sandwich, a bagel, and a croissant all at once. This indulgent treat is crisp, buttery, and served warm. The sprinkling of everything bagel spice on the top adds a surprising dimension of savory flavor to an already winning choice. 4416 E. Eighth Ave., 303-355-0022
Also try: Lucky Bakeshop (Boulder) and Mercantile Dining & Provision (Union Station)
—Embedded photos by Lucy Beaugard