Hot take: that 'artisan' bakery I tried last weekend was overhyped

Went to Flour & Stone in Portland on Saturday. Waited 15 minutes in line for a croissant that cost $7.50. It was good but not mind blowing. The crumb was kinda dense and it felt like they cared more about the look than the taste. Am I the only one who thinks some of these places are just charging for the aesthetic now?

3 comments

3 Comments

evan_green521mo ago

Charging for the aesthetic" is a pretty cynical way to look at it. I mean yeah, seven fifty for a croissant is steep, but did the place look nice and the people working there seem happy? Sometimes you're paying for the experience and the vibe more than just the pastry itself. Is it really that big of a deal if it was just okay, you still got out of the house and tried something new.

wade8711mo ago

Literally just read a whole thread about this on twitter where someone broke down how bakeries in big cities are basically charging for the rent and the labor, not the flour and butter. Like yeah $7.50 is wild for a croissant, but if you factor in what it costs to run a spot in a trendy neighborhood, it makes more sense. Not saying it's a good deal, just saying the price isn't coming out of nowhere. And honestly, half the time when people complain about overpriced pastries, they're comparing it to supermarket croissants that taste like cardboard.

evan_green521mo ago

@wade871 nailed it with the rent and labor thing. I read that same thread and it stuck with me. That density in the croissant you mentioned sounds like a common problem when bakeries overwork the dough trying to make it look picture perfect. Honestly, if I'm paying $7.50, I want the inside to be as good as the Instagram shot.