Attention New Yorkers: A new croissant counter is coming to town, and the pastry chef behind it is none other than Cronut creator Dominique Ansel. Dominique Ansel Workshop opens its doors in New York City’s Flatiron District this Friday, July 16.
Regarding the name of the new venture, Ansel told me, “We were inspired by Santa’s workshop, but we’re here in our very own workshop in NYC where our chefs are baking up fresh pastries daily for you.” The new croissant counter will be located in the same space as the pastry production kitchens that supply Dominique Ansel Bakery and the company’s nationwide shipping program that launched in late 2020.
A closeup of the buttery layers of croissant dough that turn into flaky goodness in the oven.
Credit: Evan Sung
“For us, the shorter the distance from the oven to your mouth, the better the croissant,” Ansel said. “So we wanted to create a little croissant counter right here inside our kitchens, where we’re able to think about croissants and viennoiserie a bit differently, like olive oil and multigrain croissants, beautiful summer fruit danishes, and old-school French classics done a bit more modernly.”
Croissant cross sections (plain, olive oil, multigrain).
Credit: Evan Sung
On the menu you’ll find a variety of croissants, including pain au chocolat, a ham and cheese croissant, and brown sugar DKA (Dominique’s Kouign Amann). Reimagined French classics also grace the menu, like brioche Bressane (a traditional pastry from the Bresse region of France filled with crème fraîche and finished with orange blossom water, star anise powder and crunchy pearl sugar) and huckleberry riz au lait cube (laminated brioche filled with huckleberry jam and vanilla Arborio rice pudding). A handful of savory bites and coffee drinks round out the food and drink offerings.
Group photo of the baked goods offered at Dominique Ansel Workshop.
Credit: Evan Sung
As for what menu items he’s most excited about, Ansel said, “Definitely the classic plain croissant. For us, it’s all about the Beurre d’Isigny butter and Les Grands Moulins de Paris flour we’ve imported from France, and our own levain that we started at the SoHo Bakery 10 years ago, that gives them a beautifully rich buttery flavor.” His other favorites include the olive oil croissant (“we use cold-pressed olive oil, confit garlic and rosemary so it’s fragrant and a bit savory”), multigrain croissant (“with quinoa, rye, barley malt and sesame for a bit of nuttiness”) and brioche Bressane. “It’s hard to pick just one!”
The croissant counter.
Credit: Dominique Ansel Workshop
Dominique Ansel Workshop is takeaway only and there is no indoor seating—though there will be a few outdoor tables. The croissant counter is set in a 4,000-square-foot space that also houses pastry production kitchens, a test kitchen and offices.
Dominique Ansel Workshop is located on 17 East 27th Street (between 5th Avenue & Madison Avenue). At opening, its hours are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.