French Pastry Guide: Viennoiserie, Pâtisserie & the Classics

Viennoiserie vs. Pâtisserie: The Line in the Flour

Walk into any French bakery and the cases split naturally in two. On one side: viennoiserie — yeasted, laminated, or enriched doughs that bridge bread and pastry. Croissants, pain au chocolat, brioche. On the other: pâtisserie — set creams, cooked fruits, piped choux, blind-baked tart shells. Éclairs, fruit tarts, mille-feuille. The distinction matters because the hands that make them often don't cross over. A boulanger wakes at 3 a.m. to fold butter into dough; a pâtissier pipes crème pâtissière at noon.

At Vogue Cafe in Steveston Village, both traditions sit on the same counter. You'll see butter croissants and pain au chocolat beside caramel chocolate tarts and chocolate éclairs — each made in-house, each priced at $10 or under.

Viennoiserie: Butter, Steam & Laminations

Croissant

A classic croissant is flour, water, milk, sugar, salt, yeast, and a lot of butter — typically 25–30 % of dough weight. The dough is folded (turned) three to four times, creating hundreds of alternating layers. In a hot oven the water in the butter turns to steam, pushing those layers apart. The result: shatteringly crisp exterior, honeycombed interior, perfume of fermented butter.

At Vogue Cafe the croissants are baked daily. Pair one with a $4 espresso or a $6 latte for the standard French breakfast.

Pain au Chocolat

Same dough, different geometry. A baton of dark chocolate (traditionally two batons) sits near the center so the pastry puffs around it, leaving a molten core. The best versions use chocolate with enough cocoa butter to stay glossy, not waxy, after baking.

Brioche

Richer still: eggs, more butter, sometimes cream. The crumb is tight, tender, slightly sweet — ideal for the brioche buns that hold Vogue Cafe's Croque Monsieur ($17), Croque Madame ($17), and Croque Veggie ($17).

Pâtisserie: Cream, Fruit & Technique

Éclair au Chocolat & Coffee Éclair ($10 each)

Choux pastry — cooked on the stove, dried out, then eggs beaten in until the dough falls in a slow ribbon — pipes into fingers, bakes hollow, gets filled. A proper éclair uses crème pâtissière (pastry cream thickened with egg yolks and starch, finished with butter) not whipped cream. The glaze is fondant or ganache, not icing sugar slurry. Vogue Cafe offers both chocolate and coffee versions, made in-house.

Fruit Tarts ($10 each)

A sweet shortcrust (pâte sucrée) blind-baked crisp, brushed with apricot glaze to seal the crust, filled with crème pâtissière or crème diplomate (pastry cream lightened with whipped cream), topped with arranged fruit. The menu lists caramel chocolate, strawberry, and lemon — each plated with a chocolate "VOGUE CAFE" plaque.

Crêpes: The Crossover

Crêpes sit between categories. The batter — flour, eggs, milk, butter, rest time — is poured paper-thin on a hot plate. Sweet crêpes ($14) at Vogue Cafe run the gamut: Nutella & banana, chocolate strawberry, sugar & lemon, apple & house-made caramel, sugar butter cinnamon, and the classic Crêpe Suzette (orange sauce, Grand Marnier). The Suzette is finished tableside in a pan; the alcohol burns off, leaving concentrated citrus oil.

Savoury crêpes ($17) — called galettes in Brittany — use buckwheat flour, no sugar, giving a nutty, earthy flavour and a lace-edged crispness wheat crêpes can't match. Fillings: European ham/cheese/egg; spinach/feta/tomato/egg; beer sausage/tomato/cheese; mushroom/spinach/egg; mushroom/beer sausage/tomato/cheese.

How to Order at Vogue Cafe

• Morning: Butter croissant or pain au chocolat + espresso ($4) or latte ($6).
• Brunch (until 3 pm): Croque Madame on brioche ($17) or a sweet crêpe ($14).
• Afternoon: Éclair or tart ($10) with tea ($5) or iced latte ($6).
• Evening: Crêpe Suzette ($14) after a bowl of French onion soup à l'ancienne ($17).

Prices are from the printed menu (2026). The dining room opens 10:30 am – 8:30 pm daily; the covered side patio has red-checkered tablecloths and a dog bowl by the door.

What People Ask

Are the pastries made on site?

Yes — desserts ($10) and sweet crêpes ($14) are listed as made in-house; viennoiserie is baked daily.

Is there a gluten-free croissant?

The menu doesn't list one. Call (604) 370-4444 to ask about current options.

Can I buy a whole tart?

The menu shows individual portions. For whole tarts or advance orders, call the cafe.

What's the difference between the savoury crêpes and the sweet ones?

Savoury use buckwheat flour (galettes), no sugar, nutty crisp edges. Sweet use wheat flour, butter, sugar — tender, lace-thin.

Next Step

Walk in at 12251 No 1 Rd #130, Steveston Village, or reserve online for 7–10 guests (private dining) or 10+ (event enquiry). Phone: (604) 370-4444.