An Eclectic Experience at Amélie's French Bakery & Café in Atlanta
Near the southern edge of the Westside Provisions District in Atlanta sits an eclectic coffee shop/bakery: Amélie's French Bakery & Café.
Amélie’s Bakery has been open in Atlanta since 2012, and ACS visited several years ago before the ACS project began. Much of what made Amélie’s unique from the beginning has not changed. Amélie’s is known for its French-inspired menu, including sandwiches, pastries, and coffee drinks (every pastry, soup and salad is made-from-scratch on-site daily); but the bakery/cafe is just as known for its hodgepodge of curious furnishings, quirky art, and other kaleidoscopic artifacts.
ACS visited in the second half of last year to bring you this feature post. (Editor’s Note: unlike majority of visits to local and independent coffee shops, this visit to Amélie’s was hosted by the staff at Amélie’s; however, all perspectives and any opinions are solely that of ACS).
This post is organized into the following sections:
Read the post (or scroll through the photos below) to find out why Amélie’s Bakery is such a fun, quirky, and eclectic cafe in the Atlanta metro area.
Please enjoy!
Background about Amélie’s French Bakery & Café
Amélie’s French Bakery & Café opened its first location in March of 2008 on North Davidson Street in Charlotte, NC (the NoDa neighborhood of Charlotte) by “three certifiable foodies” (more in the Q&A). About four years later in 2012, the Atlanta location of Amélie’s Bakery (the subject of this feature post) had its grand opening. It was the third bakery that opened in the Amélie’s universe. Today, there are six locations of Amélie’s French Bakery & Café—four in North Carolina (NoDa, Carmel Commons, Uptown Charlotte, and Park Road), one in South Carolina (Rock Hill), and one in Atlanta, GA (the subject of this post).
Though there are multiple locations of Amélie’s Bakery, it is definitely not a chain—each location prides itself on a unique ambiance/environment, and the Atlanta location is no exception. It is, therefore, a perfect candidate for a blog feature at Atlanta Coffee Shops.
Onwards!
Exterior Views of Amélie’s Bakery
Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta is located on the corner of Marietta Street and Boss Street south of the heart of the Westside Provisions District, near the Georgia Tech campus. There is a small dedicated parking lot on Boss Street (with space from 10 to 12 vehicles), which is free for customers of Amélie’s. If that lot fills up, there is also an adjacent parking lot (at the back of Amélie’s Cafe) after passing through the fence (see Google Map view here) that is free for customers of Amélie’s Bakery for up to 2 hours.
As you approach the front entrance of the cafe, you will be greeted by a large mural. This mural adorning the back wall of the cafe features the Eiffel Tower, Mona Lisa, Napoleon, croissants, and macarons. The mural was painted by the artist Chris Rumble. In this video, Chris Rumble shares some thoughts on creating this mural for Amélie’s. We learn why Napoleon strikes a pose with his hand stuffed into his vest in many of his portraits (hint: croissants).
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A video walkthrough of the mural at Amélies, painted by Chris Rumble:
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Another angle of the exterior of Amélie’s.
Interior Views of Amélie’s Bakery
The interior of Amélie’s French Bakery & Café is a hodgepodge (perhaps a better word is the French mélange) of artifacts, trinkets, paintings, sculptures, furnishings, antique objects, and more. For new visitors, it can be a bit overwhelming (in a good way). Such a potpourri of items inside means that it’s unlikely you’ll get bored walking about the premises and marveling at the various objects on display. For anyone who enjoys visiting art museums, antique stores, flea markets, or just browsing an eclectic collection of items—Amélie’s will not disappoint. The most popular artifacts (based on the Q&A at the bottom of this post) are the Mona Lisa with sunglasses and the chandeliers inside the cafe.
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Interior of Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta.
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A wide angle view of the interior of Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta.
A curious observation: if Willy Wonka could pick a cafe/coffee shop in Atlanta to call home, he may gravitate toward Amélie’s Bakery.
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Another wide angle view of the interior of Amélie’s Bakery. It’s a kaleidoscopic diversity of curious objects!
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Wooden blocks near the entrance of Amélie’s Bakery.
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Next to the entrance of Amélie’s Bakery.
It’s all about the details (look closer on the right):
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Detail from the table near the entrance of Amélie’s Bakery. Yes, those are googly eyed macarons.
You’ve got to appreciate the macaron-crusted chandelier:
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Details from the interior of Amélie’s Bakery. Note the macaron-studded chandelier.
One of the most visually striking elements at Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta—the pots & pans chandelier:
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The pots & pans chandelier at Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta.
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Interior of Amélie’s Bakery. This particular wall features details of Venus from Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus.
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An interesting lamp at Amélie’s Bakery.
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Details from a chandelier hat at Amélie’s Bakery.
One cool aspect about the shop is that many of the tables inside the cafe feature some artistic elements. Majority of the tables have a unique drawing or art:
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Detail from one of the walls at Amélie’s Bakery.
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Detail of a cappuccino and the art at one of the tables at Amélie’s Bakery.
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A large clock inside Amélie’s Bakery.
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Painting reproductions at Amélie’s Bakery. Thomas Gainsborough’sThe Blue Boy makes about a dozen appearances throughout the cafe.
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Details of chandeliers at Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta.
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Some worldly chandeliers at Amélie’s Bakery.
If you are a keen explorer of tiles, kneel down below the counter at Amélie’s Bakery to come across the scene seen below:
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Details in tiling at Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta.
The Menu at Amélie’s Bakery
The menu at Amélie’s French Bakery & Cafe is extensive. The Atlanta location showcases the food menu in two enormous frames (see below).
The cafe features multiple options for breakfast (with an option to create your own breakfast sandwich), quiches, sandwiches, soups, tartines, seasonal salads, and a variety of deserts, including macarons. For the current season, the winter macaron flavors are:
White Chocolate + Cranberry
Milk Chocolate Hazelnut
Crêpes Suzette
Sugar Plum
Cookie Dough
Crème Brûlée
This winter menu lasts through March 1, with the spring menu at Amélie’s launching on March 2. (Editor’s Note (updated 3/2/2020): the Spring 2020 menu at Amélie’s Bakery may be seen here.)
In compiling research notes for this feature post, it became apparent to ACS how much thought and effort goes into the seasonal offerings at Amélie’s Bakery. The selection (drinks, sandwiches, and desserts) each season is well-curated in a joint effort among the owners, bakers, and marketing of Amélie’s Bakery.
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Two large frames showcase the menu at Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta.
Following is a truncated menu at Amélie’s Bakery. You can also see the current winter seasonal menu here (PDF).
Food Pastries Beverages Sandwiches Ham + Honey Dijon Ham, caramelized onion, honey dijon mustard, and sliced apple on a toasted baguette Roast Beef +Manchego Sliced roast beef and manchego cheese on a toasted croissant Croque Monsieur Ham, dijon mustard and gruyère béchamel on a toasted croissant topped with melted gruyère Turkey + Brie Turkey, brie and compote on a toasted baguette Turkey + Bacon Roasted turkey, bacon, cheddar and herbes de provençe mayonnaise on a toasted croissant Chicken Salad Amélie's signature chicken salad on a croissant Provençe B.L.T. Bacon, mixed greens and tomato with herbes de provençe mayonnaise on your choice of bread Ham, Bacon + Turkey Ham, bacon, turkey, dijon mustard, herbes de provençe mayonnaise, mixed greens, tomato and manchego cheese on multigrain bread Chicken, Sun-dried Tomato + Goat cheese Herb baked chicken, sun-dried tomato aioli, pesto, spinach and goat cheese on a toasted baguette Tartines A toasted open faced sandwich Spinach + Asiago Fig, Bacon + Brie Tomato + Pesto {Vegan Option} Ham + Gruyère Wild Mushroom Duxelles {Vegan Option} Portobello, Red pepper + Pesto {Vegan Option} Soups Made in-house, with a daily soup du jour Viennoiserie Classic Croissant Chocolate Croissant Almond Twice-Baked Croissant Chocolate Twice-Baked Croissant Pecan Sticky Bun Brioche Cinnamon Roll Iced Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread Cinnamon Sticks Cinnamon Baked Apple Turnover Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffin Fresh Fruit Danish Lemon, Raspberry, and Classic Almond Tea Cakes Palmiers Coconut Macaroons ‘This + That’ Cookie Pâtisserie Napoleon Salted Caramel Brownie Layered Torte Chocolate, Salted Caramel and seasonal Crème Brûlée Made in-house, flavors change daily Large Chocolate Mousse Cup* Mini Mousse Cup* (Flavors vary upon location_ Petit Gâteau Chocolate and Vanilla Bread Pudding (sweet) | Pain Perdu (savory) Made in-house, flavors vary upon location Éclair Chocolate and Vanilla French Macarons** Flavors vary upon location and season Tarts (8”) Peach, Apple, Key Lime, Lemon Raspberry, Pecan, Mixed Berry, Fresh Fruit, Seasonal Tarts (4”) Peach, Apple, Key Lime, Lemon Raspberry, Pecan, Mixed Berry, Fresh Fruit, Chocolate Raspberry, Seasonal Mini Tarts Key Lime, Lemon Raspberry, Mixed Berry, Pecan, Fresh Fruit, Chocolate Raspberry. Seasonal Espresso Petit Noir Double ristretto espresso (1.5oz) Café Noisette Espresso and milk (4oz) Café Allongé Espresso and Espresso and water (12oz) Café Capuchon European style cappuccino (8oz) Petit Café Crème Espresso and milk (8oz) Café Crème Espresso and milk (12oz) Café Mocha Dark chocolate sauce, espresso, and milk (12oz) Salted Caramel Brownie Café Mocha Dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla bean, espresso, milk, whipped cream, and sea salt (12oz) Café Marcotter Vanilla bean, milk, espresso, caramel sauce, and sea salt (12oz) Brewed Coffee Café Filtre Brewed Pure Intentions Coffee (12oz/16oz) Café au Lait Brewed coffee and steamed milk (12oz/16oz) French Press Sweetener and cream served alongside (17oz/32oz) Thé Chai Crème Chai, milk and masala spice blend (12oz) Chocolat Chaud Dark chocolate sauce and milk (12oz) Iced Drinks Café Glacé Pure Intentions Coffee brewed on ice (16oz) Café Fouetté Quad espresso, vanilla bean, shaken with ice and topped with cream (12oz) Limonade Classique Freshly squeezed lemon juice, classique simple syrup, ice and sparkling water (16oz) Limonade à la Lavande Freshly squeezed lemon juice, lavender simple syrup, ice and sparkling water (16oz) Crème Brûlée French Soda Vanilla bean simple syrup, sparkling water, ice, caramel and a kiss of cream (16oz) Lavender + Honey Soda Lavender simple syrup Tea Thé Chaud Loose leaf tea sachet and hot water (12oz) Thé au Lait Loose leaf tea sachet, hot water and milk (12oz) Pot de Thé Your choice of tea, sweetener and cream Thé Glacé Classic black tea over ice (16oz) Thé Glacé Uniques Create your own iced tea with your choice of loose leaf tea (16oz) Green Gunpowder | Sencha | Jasmine Black Earl Grey | English Breakfast | Paris | Fruits D’alsace Herbal Lemon | Raspberry | Peppermint | Yellow + Blue
On this particular visit, ACS was able to sample some items such as Amélie’s tartines, a selection of the coffee drinks, and some pastries (including an assortment of macarons; see below).
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Breakfast at Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta. Seen here is the Wild Mushroom Duxelles Tartine.
If you have a sweet tooth, then Amélie’s French Bakery & Café delivers—there is just so much daily variety on their menu. A foodie paradise awaits:
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An assortment of sweets on display at Amélie’s Bakery.
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An assortment of desserts at Amélie’s French Bakery & Café.
Some of the most popular items at Amélie’s Bakery are their freshly baked macarons. ACS personally recommends trying a few of these during your visit—they are delicious. A personal favorite is hard to pick, but the lavender lemon macaron was amazing!
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A sample of macarons at Amélie’s Bakery. Left to right: spiced pumpkin (from the autumn seasonal menu), lavender lemon, pistachio, and caramel popcorn (from the autumn seasonal menu). YUMM.
The Coffee Program at Amélie’s Bakery
The coffee roasting partner at Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta (and across all their locations) is North Carolina’s Pure Intentions Coffee. As far as ACS is aware, this is a unique element to Atlanta, and no other coffee shop or cafe in the metro Atlanta area is partnered with Pure Intentions Coffee (please reach out to ACS if this is an error).
Amélie’s Bakery offers single-origin light roast coffees, a signature dark blend (the countries of origin rotate based on seasonality), and a decaf option. The espresso blend is also a custom creation with Pure Intentions much like the signature dark blend.
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The framed menu for espresso and coffee at Amélie’s French Bakery & Café.
Following is the current coffee menu at Amélie’s Bakery, broken down by espresso and brewed coffee options:
Espresso Petit Noir Double ristretto espresso (1.5oz) Café Noisette Espresso and milk (4oz) Café Allongé Espresso and Espresso and water (12oz) Café Capuchon European style cappuccino (8oz) Petit Café Crème Espresso and milk (8oz) Café Crème Espresso and milk (12oz) Café Mocha Dark chocolate sauce, espresso, and milk (12oz) Salted Caramel Brownie Café Mocha Dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla bean, espresso, milk, whipped cream, and sea salt (12oz) Café Marcotter Vanilla bean, milk, espresso, caramel sauce, and sea salt (12oz) Brewed Coffee Café Filtre Brewed Pure Intentions Coffee (12oz/16oz) Café au Lait Brewed coffee and steamed milk (12oz/16oz) French Press Sweetener and cream served alongside (17oz/32oz) Thé Chai Crème Chai, milk and masala spice blend (12oz) Chocolat Chaud Dark chocolate sauce and milk (12oz)
The following are some additional details on the selection of coffee offerings at Pure Intentions (if you are looking to try their offerings/coffee beans independently):
Espresso Blend — “This is a new take on a classic espresso blend. Using the Brazilian to build a chocolaty base is standard practice, but taking this to a new level by using a very sweet Guatemalan and a bright Ethiopian will create a recognizable but complex espresso that can stand alone or pair with milk.”
Calma Decaf — “The Mountain Water decaffeination process, uses the clear, pure water from the highest mountain in Mexico, the Pico de Orizaba. This process immerses green coffee beans in water in order to extract caffeine while maintaining their original components and maintaining the elements of flavor.”
Destino Blend — a fully washed coffee, a blend of 50% Ethiopian and 50% Costa Rican coffee.
Ventura Dark Roast Blend — seasonal.
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A cappuccino at Amélie’s Bakery.
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A latte at Amélie’s Bakery.
Further Exploration at Amélie’s Bakery
Amélie’s French Bakery & Café in Atlanta has two additional rooms (the St. Germain Room and the Montmartre Room) within its premises which are generally closed to the public but may be rented out for events (you may be able to gain entrance if you kindly ask the staff). ACS was invited to preview these two spaces during the visit. These two rooms contain additional artifacts to explore. It’s a treasure trove to discover. Following are some additional curiosities from this exploration at Amélie’s Bakery.
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Plates and silverware were items found in the two additional rooms at Amélie’s Bakery.
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Hello, Napoleon Bonaparte.
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Some beautiful cards/illustrations at Amélie’s Bakery (in the downstairs room).
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Painting reproductions and other items at one of the back rooms at Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta.
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Bonjour.
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A treasure chest. What do you think is inside?
An Impromptu Photo Session Inside Amélie’s Bakery
Because Amélie’s is such a grand and inviting space, it’s possible you may see some themed photo shoots here. In fact, ACS conducted a mini photo shoot inside the cafe in collaboration with Atlanta’s ATL Cheap Date on this particular visit to the cafe. (Editor’s Note: check out the “weekly hook-up” from ATL Cheap Date for some fun Atlanta-area events).
The theme: you don’t have to travel internationally to experience the culture of other countries. In fact, if you get creative, you can have a multicultural experience (aka, a “staycation”) in Atlanta, perhaps even all in one day. This was the theme of this particular mini-project that ATL Cheap Date was working on at the time of the visit to Amélie’s Bakery. The ACS visit led to a fun collaboration between Atlanta Coffee Shops and ATL Cheap Date.
Consider the below photos a sneak preview of the ATL Cheap Date’s full project unveiling sometime later this year. In the meantime, if you feel inspired, feel free to get creative on your own at Amélie’s Bakery!
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A sampling of pastries and macarons at Amélie’s Bakery with ATL Cheap Date.
There are amazing backdrops at Amélie’s Bakery which are wonderful for portraiture:
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A taste of France without leaving Atlanta.
The below photo was captured in one of the rooms that’s not open to the public—how many Blue Boys can you count?
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The mini photo session continued at Amélie’s Bakery…
A really cool artifact in one of the room downstairs at Amélie’s Bakery is this large vintage map of historic Paris. The “You Are Here, Sort Of” meshes well with the theme of ATL Cheap Date’s project.
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“You Are Here, Sort Of” at Amélie’s Bakery in Atlanta.
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ATL Cheap Date says: “Hey, that’s the Seine River right there…”
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Playing with the Eiffel Tower at Amélie’s Bakery.
A Q&A About Amélie’s Bakery
Following is a Q&A conducted by Atlanta Coffee Shops with Amélie’s French Bakery & Café. ACS reached out with a set of questions to get a further understanding of the cafe’s history, food and drink offerings, and more. A huge thanks to Joannah Long (who maintains the blog and social media for Amélie’s Bakery) for putting together these answers on behalf of Amélie’s marketing/ownership.
ACS: How and when did Amélie's (the company) begin? What about the Atlanta location of Amélie's?
A: Amélie’s French Bakery & Cafe was born from a collaboration of three certifiable foodies who love what the French brought to the world of cooking. The original bakery opened its door in March of 2008 on North Davidson St. in Charlotte, NC. About four years later in 2012, the Atlanta bakery had its grand opening. It is the third bakery out of six locations.
ACS: How did Amélie's decide to partner with Pure Intentions Coffee for its coffee supply? Has the partnership been long? Have you had any roasters you've partnered with in the past?
A: Our partnership with Pure Intentions Coffee is nothing short of a dream. They are so committed to quality, integrity and ethical sourcing. We have been partnered a little over two years. We are grateful to have found a partner in coffee so dedicated to what they do.
ACS: What kind of roast (country of origin and process for the beans; or name of the coffee blend if you know it) do you have for espresso at the Atlanta location of Amélie's?
A: Our batch brew coffee program is based on what is in season and what tastes best at that current time! We always have a single-origin light roast coffee, a signature dark blend (the countries of origin rotate based on seasonality) and a decaf option. Our espresso blend is also a custom creation with Pure Intentions much like the signature dark blend.
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ACS: With respect to the clientele in the Atlanta location, what would you describe them as? Are they more people who are looking to grab a French dessert or perhaps breakfast, or does it vary? Are there a lot of regulars to the Atlanta shop?
A: We have a broad range of patrons that frequent our Atlanta bakery. They include students, primarily from Georgia Tech, people there for business or committee meetings, remote workers, meet-up groups, friends catching up, and those who enjoy our pastries and coffee. Yes, there are regulars, especially those that grab their morning beverage of choice and pastry.
ACS: From the ACS visit to Amélie's in Atlanta, ACS was informed there is a separate room that can be rented out. What kind of events does Amelie's host there? What about any public events—are there any?
(Editor’s Note: Note that ACS maintains an Atlanta coffee events calendar at https://atlantacoffeeshops.com/events)
A: Typically, we rent the space out for celebrations, showers, and corporate meetings. Currently, we are not hosting our own events in that space but are in the process of putting a plan for how we can utilize the space more.
ACS: Can anyone from Amélie's comment on some of the key artifacts / antiques/ art or other items that are found in the Atlanta location? There's so many things inside the shop, but perhaps someone can speak to several items and their significance (where they were sourced from, why they are important, etc).?
A: Each Amélie’s bakery is curated with a kaleidoscope of furnishings and fixtures that you normally wouldn’t think to put together. But our guests say it works, and the result is a space that’s hard to describe.
We are well-known for our blue on blue stripe walls, Mona Lisa with sunglasses, eclectic chandeliers, and mosaics. Each of our bakeries has a unique ‘pots and pans’ chandelier. Specifically, in Atlanta, we have a chandelier in front of the fireplace that is covered with French newspapers.
Most of the furniture and fixtures are previously-used. Over 75% of the furnishings come from Habitat ReStores, thrift stores and individuals selling one-of-a-kind items across the country. The way Bren (our designer) puts it, “Everything is something else.”
ACS: Did Amélie's work with any interior designers for the Atlanta location? If so, who were they?
A: Our designer and partner, Brenda Knight Ische, seems to just wave her wand and fashion a Bohemian-chic, French-inspired environment from an eclectic selection of individual pieces. If you’re curious, Brenda says she got her color-palette inspiration for Amélie’s décor from a 17th century Renaissance painting.
More about Brenda and her workspace.
ACS: What kind of renovations / updates has Amélie's seen over the years at its Atlanta location?
A: In 2017, we gave the Atlanta bakery as refresh which included painting the ceilings white, touching up the blue stripes, updating some decor and art, and changing out tables.
ACS: What are the most popular food and drink items at the Atlanta location? Are there any items that are seasonal?
A: Some of the most popular food items are our French Macarons, followed closely by the Salted Caramel Brownie, and the breakfast sandwich. Our Café Crème (our version of a latte), black tea, and coffee are the most popular beverages.
We release a new seasonal menu four times each year (Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer). Generally, we have somewhere around 25 - 40 menu items on the seasonal menu. Included on the menu are between 5 - 8 seasonal French macaron flavors (we have approximately 11 year-round flavors).
Our current seasonal menu has 25 seasonal items that include both past favorites and new items. Hazelnuts, orange, cranberry, and chocolate are some of the winter and holiday-inspired flavors featured in the seasonal food and drinks.
“This season, we were inspired by French winter markets and the magical holiday memories they inspire and ingrain,” shared Mary Jayne Wilson, executive chef and operations director. “We hope our seasonal menu will evoke remembrances of delectable freshly roasted hazelnuts, piping hot drinks, and chocolate-filled pastries.”
ACS: Who runs the social media (Instagram) for Amélie's? What about the blog?
A: Our marketing manager, Joannah Long, manages social media and writes the blog.
ACS: Is there anything else that you or your team can share about Amélie's Bakery in Atlanta that hasn't been asked in this Q&A or widely reported in the media in the past?
A: We have a mural on our sidewall which was painted by muralist Chris Rumble. We offer two non-cow milk substitutes—almond milk and oat milk. We added oat milk to our menu in January 2020.
Final Say
Amélie’s French Bakery & Café in Atlanta is a quirky and eclectic place that is serious about French-inspired cuisine. The cafe has a delectable selection of sandwiches, soups, salads, pastries, and a solid coffee program—unique to Atlanta is the partnership with North Carolina’s Pure Intentions Coffee.
The cafe has a unique ambiance with fun art, chandeliers, sculptures, and other artifacts throughout its space—a kaleidoscope of curiosities. Amélie’s Bakery would be a perfect spot to bring young kids who are curious, or as a date spot to try the cafe’s lunch/brunch/dessert options.
The combination of unique character of the cafe and high quality French-inspired food/drink options make Amélie’s Bakery a worth-your-while destination in the heart of Atlanta.
(Editor’s Note: if you do visit, feel free to let the staff know you found out about Amélie’s Bakery via Atlanta Coffee Shops).
Merci!
Amélie’s French Bakery & Café
Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Location:
Westside Provisions District ☕ Atlanta ☕ ITP
Address:
840 Marietta Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
ph: 404-921-0276
Hours of operation:
Monday-Friday: 7AM to 7PM
Saturday-Sunday: 8AM to 7PM
Coffee Roaster / Roasting Partner:
Pure Intentions Coffee (Charlotte, NC)