La Madeleine Country French Café, the acclaimed, authentic country French bakery café, announced that its first two cafés in Florida will open at Orlando’s Florida Mall and near the Mall at Millenia on October 29 and November 12, respectively.
“This is a monumental moment for our brand to open our first two cafés in Florida,” says John Cahill, president of la Madeleine, the Dallas-based café known for welcoming atmosphere and French-inspired fare. “To introduce ourselves to guests in Orlando, we will be commemorating both café openings with our Rompre le Pain celebration, our French tradition of breaking bread.”
The first 50 guests in line at 6:30 a.m. at Florida Mall on October 29 and Mall at Millenia on November 12 will win a weekly supply of the brand’s fresh handmade breads for a year. The café will present the first 50 guests with certificates to redeem their delicious rewards each week during a 12-month period.
“Our Rompre le Pain fans will be filing through the doors just as our first batch of fresh-baked breads are coming out of the oven. We are anticipating an excited crowd of guests on the first day right as doors open,” Cahill says.
La Madeleine’s first restaurant in Florida opens on October 29 at Florida Mall’s new Dining Pavilion, 8001 S. Orange Blossom Trail, near the Dillard’s department store. The 4,200-square-foot location is accessible from the mall concourse and a separate outside entrance and features dine-in and to-go offerings. The brand’s signature warm, country French ambiance is showcased via wood floors, rustic stone and tile, beamed ceilings, a double-sided fireplace, and an outdoor patio. Guests can also take a peek into the bakery where pastries and bread is freshly baked and handcrafted daily.
La Madeleine opens across from the Mall at Millenia, 4200 Conroy Road, near Mercedes-Benz and Best Buy on November 12. The spacious café features rustic county French décor, a private dining area that seats 18 guests, outdoor covered seating for 40 guests and an intimate patio. The café also includes a cozy, country French coffeehouse, called Maison de Coffee, which features a full barista bar, French-inspired coffee menu, soft bistro seating, and a communal table with a simple yet elegant ambiance. The 6,600-square-foot location seats 181 guests and offers dine-in and to-go options.
Patrick Esquerré, la Madeleine’s founder and French country entrepreneur, will attend the Grand Opening of Orlando’s new café at Mall of Millenia on November 12. As one of the originators of the French casual concept in the United States, la Madeleine was founded in 1983 and has continued to be an industry innovator since then. The café at Florida Mall marks la Madeleine’s 80th café and the first with Intram Investments Inc. Both cafés in Orlando are a joint venture between la Madeleine and Intram Investments Inc.
La Madeleine is committed to using the season’s freshest ingredients and adapting to guests’ varied tastes, while maintaining its French authenticity both on the menu and in each café’s warm and comfortable interior.
Freshly prepared, handcrafted menu items include specialties, such as omelettes and quiche for breakfast, homemade soupes, salads, and sandwiches for lunch, and dinner entrées, savory crêpes, and pastas, as well as authentic French pâtisseries, viennoiseries and breads.
“Using real, wholesome ingredients and writing our recipes using classic French techniques has let us craft unique products that create an addiction with our guests,” says Susan Dederen, vice president of culinary for la Madeleine. “Inspired by the best foods of France and using the best ingredients from the United States, we ensure the freshest products for our guests.”
From its founding to today, the brand has also always made giving back to the community a high priority. Since 2012, la Madeleine has focused on the fight to help end childhood hunger, raising an average of $250,000 a year.