It’s worth finding a path through the labyrinth of trams construction barriers that criss-cross Bernard Street to get to Crazy Croissant.
The specialist takeaway is just along from Oohmani and the William Hill betting shop used to be. Unlike William Hill, a counter blocks most of the space. You step in, have enough room to put two or three prams or wait safely while socially distant and drool at croissants.
My first reaction was, “there’s not many”, and with that disappointed.
My second reaction was, “Wait, that means they don’t bake loads and stack them to last through the weekend. This is good.”
In fact, the space that William Hill had and which Crazy Croissant don’t let customers into is now a kitchen. You can see it; it’s shiny and clean. It’s reassuring.
Lasting the weekend could be a tactic for Crazy Croissant. At the time of writing, the little shop is only open Thursday to Sunday, and only 9am to 3pm. You can’t go here on the way back from school. You go here in the morning, with the croissants fresh out of the oven.
There’s more to the range than first appears too. There’s a sweet range with croissants stuffed with chocolate, or tiramisu or biscoff. There’s also a savoury selection with croissants with sandwich fillings like salad. This changes, though, I missed the strawberries and cream croissant, and I regret that profoundly but I get that it’s not fresh strawberry season.
What are the croissants like?
Where are you in the “what the perfect croissant should be?” debate. Crazy Croissant does theirs crisp on the outside and freshly soft in the middle. As long as croissants aren’t crisp in the middle and soggy on the outside, I don’t mind.
I’ve thoroughly tested several of the sweet options at Crazy Croissant, and it’s been a smash hit each time.
Here’s a tip; ask for a napkin. If you try and eat chocolate stuffed, chocolate-covered croissants as you weave up Constitution Street in the winter wind, you’ll likely end up covered in pastry flakes. And chocolate on your face. Ahem. I know.
Oh, and you can also get a machine coffee. A great combination.
Vibe and atmosphere
I was impressed when I stepped inside Crazy Croissant. It’s so clean. It’s such good use of space, and I felt C19-safe in there.
The display of croissants worked for me too, with some in a sealed unit by the window and others undercover on the counter. You can get up close and say, “I want that one”, but no one can breathe germs on your snack.
At first, the vibe is a stark contrast to the warm shadows and homeliness of Oohmani next door. It’s more like a kitchen.
However, while I’ve been served there, the owner, a young guy with a baking talent, has always made an effort to chat with me. I appreciate the personal touch.
Mixed news on the queuing front, though. I’ve never had to queue. It can’t be easy running a business from that location right now, I hope there’s a busy side business of rocking up at markets in Edinburgh to shift the croissants. Is Deliveroo out of the question?
Overall
Recommended, but only for croissants because if you’re after a brownie or a muffin, then you’re likely out of luck.
Oh, I’ve had pain au chocolat from Crazy Croissant before, though, and whatever the orange version of that is. I’d recommend those too. Go for what you can get and support a local business.
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