French lamination at the level you'd expect from Paris, not Laguna Hills.
Chaupain Bakery is the kind of place that makes you reconsider what a strip-mall bakery can be. Founded and operated by husband-and-wife team Sarah and Sami Ellouze, the bakery opened its original Laguna Hills brick-and-mortar in 2018 and has since grown to locations in San Clemente, Newport Beach, and Laguna Niguel. The reputation is built around laminated pastries, artisan breads, quiches, and the kind of daily baking that keeps regulars coming back before the display cases start thinning out.
Chaupain's best work is in the fundamentals: flaky butter croissants, almond croissants filled with almond paste and finished with toasted almonds, Kouign Amann with a caramelized sugar edge, and breads made with unbleached, never-bromated artisan flour. The menu stretches beyond pastries into quiche, breakfast items, baguette sandwiches, and café-style lunch options, but the croissant is still the easiest litmus test.
The Laguna Hills shop is approachable and unfussy, with the smell of butter, bread, and pastry doing most of the marketing. It feels more neighborhood bakery than polished patisserie, which is part of the appeal.
Butter Croissant—the correct litmus test for any French-inspired bakery; Chaupain's version is flaky, layered, and rich.
Almond Croissant—filled with almond paste and finished with toasted almonds and crystal sugar.
Kouign Amann—flaky, sugared, and caramelized enough to show technical confidence.
Fresh Sourdough Loaf—made with unbleached, never-bromated artisan flour and worth taking home.
Quiche or Baguette Sandwich—the savory side of the menu is easy to overlook, but it shouldn't be.
Location: 24401 Ridge Route Dr, Suite B-104, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 · Hours: Daily 7:00 AM–5:00 PM · Other locations: San Clemente, Newport Beach, Laguna Niguel
Go earlier in the day if pastry selection matters — by late afternoon the best items are often the first to disappear. The savory options — quiche, baguette sandwiches — are as worth ordering as the pastries, which most first-timers overlook entirely.