At this point you're probably thinking "how in the world can the best macarons in the world come from Pike Place Market in Seattle?". Well, I don't have an answer myself, but I've had my fair share of macarons, and if you can point me in the direction of better macarons than these (whether it be in France or deep in the heart of Texas) I'll love you forever, because these puppies are without a doubt the best in my book.
Macarons are hard to make. They seem to be as much of a science as they are an art, so it's easy to identify a bad one as they're so easily messed up and mediocre. Don't get me wrong, a bad macaron can still be enjoyable, but when you have a really, really good one, you can tell a delicate balance has been struck. The texture and density of the shells, the sweetness of the filling, and the flavor itself are all on point at Le Panier. I don't know how they do it, or what the story is behind how these macarons are so good, but I can say with no loyalties or bias to the Seattle food scene that these are the best macarons I've ever had. I'm usually cautious to speak so highly of a place because the last thing I want to do is set expectations too high only to have someone underwhelmed, so the fact that I am declaring this the GOAT speaks volumes. Please, please tell me if you find better macarons and I'll book my tickets to try them.