Macarons in Palo Alto

Macarons look simple and are not. Two smooth almond meringue shells, a ruffled foot at the base, a filling that softens the shell overnight: getting all three right takes practice and a dry kitchen. Palo Alto has three bakeries that make them as part of a wider French pastry case and a dedicated macaron shop a short drive south on Castro Street in Mountain View.

This page compares them on price, flavors and ordering. It also explains how to store and serve a box. Our pastries and croissants guide covers the same downtown bakeries for their croissants. Every place here was checked on its own website or online store in late October and early November 2026.

Macarons at a glance

Marvel Cake: classic flavors and custom orders

Marvel Cake on University Avenue lists macarons as one of six menu sections, beside cakes, cupcakes, patisserie, viennoiserie and drinks. It calls them Parisian macarons and names vanilla, salted caramel, chocolate, raspberry and pistachio among the classic flavors, with more in the case on a given day. It also tops its flat phyllo number cakes with macarons, which is why you see them on so many birthday tables in town.

For events, the bakery makes custom macarons in colors and flavors to match a birthday, a Valentine's Day party, a wedding or a corporate event. Its FAQ asks for at least two weeks' notice on custom cake work and a 50% deposit, so treat a large macaron order the same way. The cafe is a short walk from the Palo Alto Caltrain station and its site showed an 8 p.m. closing when we checked, which makes it the latest of the three downtown macaron counters.

Mademoiselle Colette: the best value downtown

At $3.25 each, the assorted macarons at Mademoiselle Colette are the least expensive of the shops we checked. The menu describes a crisp outside and a silky ganache inside infused with fruit and warm spices, so expect flavors to change with the season. The shop at 499 Lytton Avenue opens at 8 a.m. daily. It closes at 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday and at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

The drinks list adds a French Macaron Latte in 12 and 16 ounce sizes for anyone who wants the flavor in a cup. Mademoiselle Colette also has shops in Menlo Park, Redwood City and Atherton, so the same macarons are easy to find across the Midpeninsula.

La Baguette: six flavors at the mall

La Baguette at Stanford Shopping Center lists its macarons at $4.50 and marks them gluten free on its bakery menu. It describes them as almond flour cookies filled with flavored ganache in six flavors: raspberry, passion fruit, pistachio, chocolate, lavender and red velvet. That fixed list is useful when you need a particular color or flavor for a party. The bakery is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday and until 6 p.m. on Sunday. It takes online orders. Our Stanford Shopping Center guide covers parking.

Nearby: Oh Honey Macaron, Mountain View

Oh Honey Macaron is the closest shop that puts macarons first. It is at 1030 Castro Street, Suite A, in Mountain View, about 5 miles from downtown Palo Alto. Its Square online store groups the menu into macarons, choux pastry and roll cakes, a category it added in 2026. Local coverage in 2024 singled out unusual flavors such as creme brulee, tiramisu and durian alongside the classics. The shop's website does not post fixed hours and points customers to its map listing, so check before you drive. The phone number on its site is 650-963-9224. Our Castro Street guide covers the rest of the street.

What makes a good macaron

• Smooth, domed tops. The shells should be glossy and even, without cracks or hollow gaps under the top.
• A ruffled foot. The little frilled ring at the base shows the meringue rose properly in the oven.
• A slight chew. The shell should break with a light crunch and then go soft and chewy. A dry, crumbly shell is either stale or underfilled.
• Balanced sweetness. Fruit fillings, ganache with a bitter edge and salted caramel cut the sugar of the shells.
• The right size. Most French macarons are about 1.5 inches across. Much bigger ones tend to be sweeter and less delicate.

Buying for a group

Plan on two or three macarons per guest at a party where they sit beside other desserts. Plan on four or five if they are the main sweet. At the posted prices, a box of 12 costs about $39 at Mademoiselle Colette and $54 at La Baguette before tax. For 50 or more, a custom order from Marvel Cake lets you set colors, flavors and packaging. Order at least two weeks out for weddings and big corporate events.

For gift boxes, ask the bakery for a rigid box with an insert so the shells do not knock together in the car. If you are also buying chocolate as a gift, our chocolate and candy guide covers the downtown chocolate shops a few blocks away.

Storing and serving

1. Keep them cold. Store macarons in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Most fillings contain butter or cream.
2. Serve them cool, not cold. Take them out about 20 minutes before serving so the filling softens and the flavor comes through.
3. Eat them within about three days. After that the shells start to go soft. Freezing in an airtight box works for a few weeks; thaw them in the fridge still sealed so they do not sweat.
4. Keep them away from heat. On a warm day, carry them in a cooler bag. Ganache fillings melt quickly in a car.

Allergy and diet notes

Macaron shells are made from almond flour, so they are not for anyone with a tree nut allergy. Pistachio flavors add a second nut. The shells contain no wheat flour, which is why La Baguette labels its macarons gluten free, but bakeries share equipment with wheat. Fillings usually contain dairy. Many ganaches use chocolate with soy lecithin. Egg whites are in every shell, so traditional macarons are not vegan. Our gluten-free guide covers safer bakery choices.

Frequently asked questions