This French Bakery in North Park has crave-worthy croissants

If you like croissants you MUST check out Pâtisserie Mélanie in North Park.

What's happening: Andy and I met up at the French bakery last week and tried an assortment of freshly baked pastries. We were very impressed — and left crumbs everywhere.

What we ordered: We're team savory baked goods, so the paprika cheddar croissant really stood out. It was flaky, and buttery and just chewy enough on the inside with spiced cheesy currents running through each bite.

• The cinnamon cardamom kouignette was another item on our plate (albeit briefly). It has a crunchy cinnamon topping and balanced sweetness.
• And you can't go wrong when ordering their classic or chocolate croissants.

Driving the news: The bright, airy patisserie is modeled after modern Parisian cafes and its opening this spring was long awaited, since the new storefront was announced pre-pandemic.

The intrigue: Pastry chef Melanie Dunn is a former English teacher at a San Diego-area high school and spent three summers in Paris attending Le Cordon Bleu, where she earned a Diplôme de Pâtisserie, per Eater.