Coffee Break: Cafe L'Aube
French fare and European-style brews in hip hoods.
Where: Two locations: 222 W. Rittenhouse Square (entrance is a bit hidden; walk up Locust Street toward 20th from the square, and it's on your left) in Center City; and 17th and Wallace, in Fairmount.
The lowdown: French fare and European-style brews in hip 'hoods.
Ambience: Upscale, sleek sophistication.
Backstory: Owner Rachel Roberts and husband and co-founder Jean-Luc Fanny hatched the idea for their cafes out of their shared love of French cuisine and European coffee (he grew up in France; she went to school there). They wanted to offer authentic, affordable French fare and coffee made from blended beans, a European tradition. The couple apprenticed with a family in Belgium who has roasted their own beans since the 1800s, Roberts said. They opened their first Cafe L'Aube (pronounced lobe) on South Street in 2008. They moved in 2010 to Fairmount and opened another café off Rittenhouse Square last June.
The beans: Cafe L'Aube only uses beans that have been certified by the Rainforest Alliance, and they come "from everywhere - South America, India, Africa, Central America," Roberts said. Of their six offerings, only the decaf isn't a blend. Their house roast, Royalux, for example, contains seven types of beans, Roberts said. L'Aube Torrefaction also sells its roasts to area restaurants.
Beyond the beans: The specialty here, besides coffee, is sweet and savory crepes - seriously good-looking crepes. We loved La Nicoise (prosciutto, goat cheese and fig jam) and the Complete (egg, Emmentaler cheese and bacon). Other mouthwatering offerings demand a return visit, like Sucre Citron (lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon sugar) and Madagascar (vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup and Grand Marnier). Also available: assorted pastries and sandwiches, such as the Savoie (turkey, Camembert cheese and fig spread) and the Croque Monsieur (prosciutto, Emmentaler, creme fraiche and bechamel sauce).
Prices: A house-blend coffee costs $1.75 to $2; espresso is $2 to $2.50. Other standards include mochaccino ($4.50), chai latte ($3.50), tea ($2) and cappuccino ($3.50-$4). Crepes are $6 to $11; sandwiches are $8-$10.
Hours: Center City: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday through Monday; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Fairmount: 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Social stuff: www.cafelaube.com. On Twitter: @CafeLAube