Little Provence Cafe — Restaurant in Arcadia

I wanted to wait a little to give a review because I observed the owner(?) stating to another customer one time that his establishment is attempting to compete with Mendocino Farms. I'm a local, so I just HAD to compare this place to Mendocino JUST to see if Little Provence could stand a chance. I think after trying Mendocino Farms, Little Provence falls flat on it's face! For Little Provence I ordered: Roasted Turkey on ciabatta bread instead of stirato bread- about $14.95 -The bread tasted like it wasn't fresh. It almost had that reheated quality, as evidenced by how tough the bread was as I took a bite. -Lettuce was wilted and looked unappetizing, ended up taking it off the sandwich -Turkey had some decent flavor, however it was dry -Pesto aioli was AMAZING, probably the one thing that saved this sandwich -Cheese tasted and looked like your average store bought cheese. Nothing too interesting. For Mendocino Farms: Build Your Own Sandwich (turkey, gouda cheese, herb aioli, lettuce, tomato, ciabatta)- $12.65 (tax included) -The ciabatta tasted FRESH and it was soft. The inside of the bread was light and fluffy and I was happy with every bite. -Lettuce and tomato looked very fresh and tasted clean. -Turkey tasted wonderful. Every slice had an amazing crust that packed such a nice flavor. The turkey was not dry, rather it had a fresh deli style taste that I honestly miss. -Herb aioli complimented the protein wonderfully. Not too overpowering, but it provided a flavor that brought the entire sandwich together. -Smoked gouda cheese tasted SO good. I never would have thought of putting gouda cheese in a sandwich, but this place has convinced me!

That being said, Little Provence needs so much improvement if it can expect to compete with ANYONE. As it's been observed by other viewers from here and Yelp, LP has no idea what it's trying to identify itself as. It TRIES to identify itself as a French Bistro, but the times I have come here it screams "expensive Subway". I didn't even want to mention the day old almond croissant I bought along with my sandwich either.

To make it long story short, heed mine and most other reviewer's warning: buy a sandwich elsewhere. Your wallet and your taste buds...

This is a beautiful surprise!! A little bit of Provence, France in the middle of the San Gabriel Valley! I told my business partner, “I want French food!” I didn’t really, but when I searched google maps, up popped this restaurant… The “Little Provence Sandwich Shop”! They have more than that though; salads, soups, sandwiches, paninis, coffees, teas, desserts. A mini “gourmet shop” shelf sits in the middle of the dining area full of goodies to take home with you or “gift” to your friends. There is a beautiful authentic outdoor French cafe patio area with ceiling fans and open windows into the garden on one side and onto the sidewalk on the others. I see that they serve Mimosas and other cocktails. We had an amazing traditional Tomato Bisque soup and the Roast Beef on French roll topped with provolone, carmelized onions, and sautéed mushrooms. I could just say it is good and delicious and yummy and all that, but really you just have to come in and eat it to understand. The owner saw us drooling over our food and offered us the pesto panini (the pesto is made in house) and he offered it to us “on” the house. We ordered a Turkey sandwich to-go because everything else was so delicious. I lived in France for five years. I enjoyed exchanging stories with Dennis the owner. The staff was friendly and the woman who prepared our meal snuck a peek and gave us a big smile as we wolfed down what she had prepared for us. I am so happy to find this place and look forward to bringing friends to enjoy this little slice of Provence in the heart of the SG Valley whenever I am in this part of the world! Merci a Dennis et l’equippe! C’etait super bon!!...

This place has huge potential and will definitely improve over time. This place just opened not a even a week, so my rating is very fair. We ordered two roast beef sandwiches with all the fixins, added avocado/bacon, and two beers, one red and one IPA Total came out to be shy of $70 (without tip). Definitely on the pricey end. I should have took pictures of the sandwich, I admit it was delicious and high quality. Next time, just order the sandwich only, no need to add any extras. People making the food and cashier are friendly, 5 stars.

My gripe is the person pouring the beer. Who the hell leaves 1/2 cup of head? I should have took a picture in the beginning, the red had 1/2 cup full of head, my cup was beyond 1/3. Again, I should have took pictures right when they brought them out. That is just horrible. I told them to give us a repour, she or he said they will only do the Red and said my 1/3 cup of head 'NO'.....service there sucks. Just look at the pictures and you will know.

Anyway, I will be back for the happy hours, and the 1/2 sandwich and salad special. Great ambiance, great sandwiches, just the worst and ugliest pours of beer, fix that and the attitude on the person doing the pours, and we got 5 stars on service.

Update: Sandwich pictures added, 5 stars quality and taste. Delicious!

Will be...