Lou, The French On The Block

Coffee shop, Pastry shop, Salad shop in Burbank, CA

Address

4007 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA, 91505

Phone

(747) 777-1284

Website

louthefrenchontheblock.com

About Lou, The French On The Block

Lou, The French On The Block is a Burbank bakery specializing in traditional French laminated pastries, most notably a lineup of four croissant varieties: plain, chocolate, almond, and chocolate-almond. Chef-owner Laurent "Lou" Correa uses a buttery, old-world lamination technique that produces a chewier, softer texture than the more shatteringly flaky style common at many American bakeries, a distinction that has earned the shop a devoted following. Beyond croissants, the menu includes financiers, seasonal fruit tartelettes, savory quiches, eclairs, and fresh baguettes baked daily, giving customers both sweet and savory options rooted in classic French bakery tradition. The bakery keeps a deliberately limited schedule, opening only Friday through Sunday from 8am to 2:30pm, a rhythm that has become part of its appeal, with locals reportedly setting alarms to arrive early on Friday mornings before items sell out. That scarcity, paired with genuinely high-quality technique, has made Lou a destination bakery rather than a routine daily stop, drawing customers specifically for its limited weekend hours. Laurent Correa's path to baking came by way of professional basketball in France before he turned to pastry, a background that adds an unusual personal story to the shop's authentic French technique. For Burbank-area croissant lovers willing to plan around limited hours, Lou, The French On The Block offers a level of pastry craftsmanship that stands out even in a city full of bakeries.

Lou, The French On The Block was founded in 2016 by Laurent "Lou" Correa, a French pastry chef of Senegalese descent who had previously played professional basketball in France before transitioning to baking. Correa brought traditional French lamination techniques to Burbank, focusing the bakery's identity tightly around a handful of croissant varieties made with meticulous, old-world methods rather than a sprawling menu. Since opening, the bakery has built a reputation extending well beyond its neighborhood, drawing devoted customers who plan their weekends around its limited Friday-through-Sunday hours. That reputation has been recognized by outlets like Time Out Los Angeles, cementing the shop's status among the city's notable bakeries despite its small scale and restricted schedule. Rather than expanding hours or locations to meet demand, the bakery has maintained its original limited-hours model for years, prioritizing quality and consistency over volume. Nearly a decade after opening, Lou, The French On The Block remains a Burbank institution built on Correa's specific technique and an unusual personal journey from professional athletics to pastry craft.

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