The Great Macaron Hunt: NYC & Brooklyn

When it comes to eating sweets, I tend to gravitate towards treats that are beautiful and almost too pretty. I definitely do not discriminate but I tend to gravitate towards French desserts like tarts, eclairs and other sweet confections and when it comes to pretty there is nothing prettier than the macaron - the light as air cookie shell filled with so many decadent and interesting flavors. I set out to discover and rediscover my favorite macaron spots in New York, in particulary the places that are unique to only New York. We are lucky in the city to have great places that are authentically French like Ladurée and La Maison du Chocolat but I wanted to taste and explore the delicous spots that you can find only in New York.  Join me as I take you to the best places that will entice the palette and leaving you to want to book a trip to New York (or Paris!).  

La Maison du Macaron

La Maison du Macaron is a charming patisserie located in the heart of Manhattan.  Walking through the door you are greeted with the wonderful aroma of sweet, buttery croissants and delicious coffee.  They have a wide range of macaron flavors and by far have the prettiest macarons in the city, as many of the macarons are brushed with hints of gold flecks.
Flavors to Try: Key Lime Pie with Graham Cracker, Banana & Nutella, Roses & Champagne

The Macaron Parlour
Tucked into a store-front in the East Village, The Macaron Parlour infuses a bit of French culture into the already eclectic east side of Manhattan. This parlour is cozy, yet at the same time bright and airy and the pastel macarons are plenty.  I love their out-there flavors like Candied Bacon with Maple Cream Cheese and Cheetos in addition to tradition favorites like Pistachio, Caramel Fleur de Sel and Dark Chocolate. Their presentation is also just pretty - I loved how some of the macarons had washes of yellow and blue for color impact.
Flavors to Try:  Elvis (Peanut Butter & Caramelized Banana), Pistachio, Raspberry Chocolate, Lemon & Basil

Bisous, Ciao Macarons

Out of all of the macarons that I tried (yes, I did a great deal of sampling, tough job I know), these won my vote for the best texture and overall taste. The macaron shell was chewy and not too sweet which really allowed the delicious filling to shine through.
Flavors to Try: Romeo & Juliet, Sour Cherry, Poppy, Lavender & Honey, Kaffir Lime

Vendôme Macaron

I stumbled across this macaron 'parlor' by accident with a grumbling stomach at the Brooklyn Smorgasburg on a recent Sunday.  Amid all of the barbecue, dumplings, porchetta and ice cream sandwiches there was a petite little shop selling beautiful macarons in flavors like champagne, passion fruit and cassis.
Flavors to Try: Champagne, Vanilla, Peanut Butter and Rose

*All photographs & styling by Alison