Organization
Artisan Boulanger Patissier
Artisan Boulanger Patissier is a French bakery in South Philadelphia, opened in 2002 by the Cambodian immigrants Andre Chin and Amanda Eap.[1][2] The husband and wife named it after the bakeries Chin had seen in Paris. In French, artisan means "by hand," boulangerie means "bread" and patisserie means "pastry."[1][3]
History
Chin and Eap left Cambodia in the 1970s and 1980s to escape war. They sold their coffee shop at 22nd Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue so that Chin, who had trained in Paris, could put his baking to work.[1] In April 2002 they opened on East Passyunk Avenue, then a largely older Italian neighborhood. Chin worked before sunrise every day to make baguettes, croissants, eclairs and quiches, but the first year was the hardest, and few customers came.[1] Business began to turn after the Inquirer food writer Rick Nichols wrote about their bread and pastries. The owners also credit the changing makeup of the Passyunk neighborhood with part of their success.[1]
As demand for its croissants grew, the bakery moved a few blocks south to 12th and Mifflin streets in 2013.[2] As of 2026 its address was 1218 Mifflin Street.[4][3] By 2018 the Inquirer called it a neighborhood institution.[1] Its bakers have been nominated for James Beard Awards more than once.[3][1] Eap still runs the bakery, and her regular customers call her "Auntie Amanda."[4][2]
Food
The bakery makes French breads and pastries by hand, and its baguettes are its best-known bread. It also sells other loaves.[3][4] The croissants include nut-flavored ones such as almond and a pistachio cream croissant, as well as ham and cheese. A signature breakfast croissant is filled with ham, jam and Brie.[2][4] Breakfast and lunch are made in-house, among them a pork belly bánh mì and a tofu bánh mì with béchamel, both on fresh baguette. Drinks include Vietnamese iced coffee.[3][2]
Press
In 2026 the Inquirer included the bakery in its guide to the best breakfast sandwiches in Philadelphia, and Visit Philadelphia listed it among the city's bakeries.[4][2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 The Philadelphia Inquirer, Meet the Asian immigrants behind some of Philly's favorite French bakeries (January 2018)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Visit Philadelphia, Philly bakeries (January 2026)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 6abc Philadelphia, Artisan Boulanger Patissier has outstanding pastries and rolls (August 2020)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 The Philadelphia Inquirer, Artisan Boulanger Patissier (March 2026)