Proper croissants at WAW instead of plastic-wrapped muffins
Terminal A rarely does French pastry right, but PAUL actually runs a real boulangerie setup on the Schengen side, open daily from 04:00 to 22:00. You get classic French-style items rather than the usual airport factory snacks: butter croissants, pain au chocolat, and baguette sandwiches assembled on-site. It’s post-security in Terminal A, so you can grab something after passport control without backtracking.
Figure mid‑range pricing: this is a $$ spot by airport standards, so a pastry and coffee will sit around typical European cafe prices, not fast-food cheap, not white-tablecloth either. The menu leans French bakery first, cafe second — think ham-and-cheese baguettes, simple tarts, and decent espresso rather than hot meals. If you care more about bread quality than portion size, this is one of the few WAW options that feels closer to a city bakery than a food court counter.
The airport guide lists PAUL in both Schengen and non‑Schengen areas of Terminal A, which matters if you’re swapping zones mid-itinerary. Check the map boards: if you’ve already cleared non‑Schengen passport control, you want the airside outlet on that side so you don’t walk back to the wrong area. Either way, you’re still past security, so it works for early departures when other sit-down spots are dark at 05:00.
There’s no strong pattern of complaints in recent reviews, but it is an airport brand, not a Paris street corner. Expect solid croissants and baguettes, average coffee, and limited seating at peak morning bank times when several LOT flights leave within 30 minutes. If the pastry case still looks full, grab a plain croissant or pain au chocolat first; use sandwiches as plan B if the early rush has thinned the sweets. Tip: on tight connections, order a takeaway baguette and coffee in one go and eat at the gate rather than hunting for a spare table.