Königsberg may have specialised in marzipan, but present-day Kaliningrad seems to have a particular liking for croissants. So much so that there’s a chain called Croissant Café. The patisserie that became our haunt during my last two visits is located opposite the zoo. There’s another one down the street, at the intersection of Mira Avenue (former Hufenallee) with quaint Krasnaya Street (former Schrötterstraße), and several others.
Occupying an important position on the menu are their signature twice-baked croissants with a variety of fillings. The method consists in adding the filling after the first bake, and I really like the gently crispy crust it produces. I also like it that they serve these croissants warm, so when you cut your croissant in the middle, the filling starts to pour out onto the plate, and you can cut a piece off the edge and dip it. My current favourite filling is dark chocolate, while Roma prefers the white chocolate option.
There’s also a less fancy and a much bigger chain called Königsbäcker (a name quite to my liking). They seem to have shops all around the city, as well as in a few nearby towns. The interior and the crockery may be plainer, but the croissants look just as good, and so do their numerous cakes and pastries. They have a few savoury options, too. One in particular, the smoked salmon and egg paste sandwich, turned out a perfect meal to take away for a day at the beach in the summer.
