The hungry pretzel-croissant hounds and French macaron fiends that flock to Nuvrei just got a sweet surprise. The tiny cult Pearl District bakery recently unveiled a new dedicated macaron counter downstairs from the main cafe right in the entryway of its small but bustling kitchen. Now you can bypass the cafe's lunch rush and get your sugar fix without the wait.

Backed by a throbbing soundtrack of dance music, Nuvrei's rainbow of macaron flavors beckon, from a delicate blush-hued round flavored with creme fraiche, rose water, and rose syrup to super-salty caramel and deeply creamy, almost savory pistachio. Meanwhile, a rack of hot plain and chocolate-filled croissants, pulled fresh from the oven on the hour (every hour until 2 pm), pull focus with the promise of crisp, flaky crusts and tender, feathery innards. 

"I'm so happy just getting to make the stuff I want to make," shrugs owner/baker Marius Pop, who recently pulled back from Nuvrei's substantial wholesale business to refocus the bakery on its own tight roster of retail offerings.

"I've got so many ideas I want to share..." His most recent? Recycling his daily cache of leftover fresh croissants into a trio of heady pistachio, walnut, and hazelnut cream-filled treats. He rehydrates the stale croissants in everything from Frangelico to spicy Italian walnut liqueur nocino to give the pastries a heady kick. Get them early, they sell out quick. 

Expect more new offering and macaron flavors to come online in the coming months. With fewer wholesale obligations, Pop is back in the kitchen crafting the macarons to his own exacting specification each day. "I'm a little rusty," he laughs. We'd disagree, but our mouths are full.

Nuvrei Macaron Counter
404 NW 10th Ave, nuvrei.com
9 am-4 pm Wednesday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm Saturday and Sunday