Some people can walk up to a bakery counter, point at one thing and immediately say, “That one.”
We admire those people.
We don’t entirely understand them.
Because standing in front of the croissants at AM Coffee & Bakery in Beeston tends to create a problem that gets more complicated the longer you look.
You came in for a coffee. Then you noticed the pistachio croissant. Behind it is tiramisu cream. Somewhere nearby there’s Biscoff, Nutella and mixed berries.
At this point, the original plan has gone.
Start with the classic
There is nowhere for a plain croissant to hide.
No cream filling. No chocolate. No crushed biscuits. No dramatic topping rescuing the situation.
It has to get the basics right.
A crisp, flaky outside. A soft centre. Layers that pull apart properly. Enough butter to make the whole thing worthwhile.
It is also the easiest croissant to pair with coffee. Espresso, Americano, cappuccino or flat white all make sense here.
For a few minutes, this feels like the sensible option.
Then you look back at the counter.
Pistachio changes the situation
Pistachio has somehow gone from being a fairly ordinary ingredient to one of the most photographed things in a bakery.
It’s not difficult to see why.
Break open a croissant and find that unmistakable pistachio filling inside and suddenly the sensible plain croissant from thirty seconds ago feels like a completely different proposition.
It’s rich without needing to be overwhelmingly sweet, and the combination of crisp pastry and smooth pistachio cream is exactly the sort of thing that makes people reach for their phone before taking the first bite.
Pair it with a flat white if you want something classic.
Or lean into it completely and put an iced matcha next to it.
Tiramisu probably wasn’t meant to be breakfast
That hasn’t stopped anybody.
Tiramisu usually arrives at the end of dinner, which makes putting tiramisu cream inside a croissant an interesting little loophole.
Technically, you’re holding a pastry.
So we’re calling it breakfast.
The coffee connection makes the whole thing work particularly well. A cappuccino alongside coffee-flavoured cream and flaky pastry feels less like someone invented it and more like something that should have existed years ago.
If you’re the sort of person who orders dessert even after saying you’re full, this is probably your section.
Then there’s Biscoff
Biscoff is not pretending to be subtle.
It’s sweet, spiced, creamy and very clearly aimed at the person who didn’t really come to the bakery counter looking for restraint.
There is something particularly good about it with an iced latte. Cold coffee, warm pastry, Biscoff filling.
Simple enough.
Dangerously easy to order again.
Nutella needs very little explanation
Some combinations survive because nobody has found a convincing reason to stop eating them.
Chocolate and hazelnut is one of them.
Add buttery pastry and coffee and the argument is basically over.
A Nutella croissant is also the easiest choice when you’re with somebody who says they “only want a bite”.
You should assume this statement is unreliable.
And then there are the ones you didn’t plan for
This is where choosing gets difficult.
Mixed berries bring something lighter and sharper. Lemon cream gives you that sweet and citrus combination. Chocolate is difficult to argue against. There are vegan options too, depending on what’s available on the day.
And every so often, the thing you didn’t intend to order becomes the reason you come back.
That’s usually how bakery counters work.
You don’t need to try everything in one visit.
Although you’re welcome to make an attempt.
The correct answer might be “next time”
We’ve realised the best bakery counters aren’t really supposed to be solved.
There should always be something you nearly ordered.
Something on the next table that looks better than expected.
Something you notice on the way out and immediately think, “I’ll get that next time.”
That is probably a better reason to return than any loyalty card could create.
AM started in Beeston as a place where coffee and baking would sit comfortably together. The croissant counter might be the simplest version of that idea.
Coffee first.
Then the difficult decision.
Then crumbs everywhere.
Visit AM Coffee & Bakery Beeston
AM Coffee & Bakery Beeston
101a-103 High Road
Beeston, Nottingham
NG9 2LH
Come for coffee. Pick a croissant. Try not to change your mind three times.
