Cannelle Patisserie — Restaurant in Birmingham

While the coffee and pastry at Cannelle are delicious, the staff I recently encountered there were oddly rude. Moreover and tragically, the encounter felt racially discriminatory. Details below, for the curious.

The shop was busy when I entered on a sunny Sunday afternoon (July 21st, 2024). There were around 12 people in a slow-moving line ahead of me.

I cheerfully waited in line like everyone ahead of me and behind me. But when my turn came, I was overlooked by the pastry counter staff. They instead turned to the white female customer behind me, who placed an order for sandwiches to be prepared by the kitchen. I am a tall male person of color. I was the only person of color in the shop at that time, out of perhaps 40 customers on the premises.

I thought it was a bit odd to be passed over; I was there only for coffee, not pastry, but there was no way for them to know that. I assumed, however, that the staff at the cash register would take my drink order: the espresso machine was located near there.

But when I arrived at the register, the staff there likewise ignored me and asked the white female customer behind me to confirm whether she ordered sandwiches. I moved to the side, as it seemed the courteous thing to do.

After completing the transaction, the young female staff member then asked me if I had been helped. I told her no, not yet. She asked me what I wanted. I told her a Dirty Chai.

She then told me that I had to wait in line. I assured her that I did so. At that point, the other female staff member manning the register stepped forward and rudely informed me that I had to now go to the back of the line. I turned to her, and likewise told her that I did wait in line.

At that point they both silently turned to the white female customer behind me, who was at that time putting away her credit card and preparing to leave. The clear implication was that they were soliciting her validation. The customer said to them: "he did wait in line."

At that point, the staff member who originally addressed me rolled her eyes, made a gesticulation of frustration with her hands, and told me, oddly:  "next time you have to wait in line until somebody takes your order, because there's no way for us to know."

No way for them to know: other than the fact they were told by me... twice. They took the word of the white woman standing behind me, however. And they disregarded the fact that I was overlooked by the staff manning the pastry counter... or at least that notion was, in their limited view, outside of the realm of possibilities.

I was fuming by this time, and thought about leaving. I was visiting the region from my home in Italy, where friendly service and vastly superior pastry and coffee can be obtained at any number of pasticcerie from friendly folks at a mere fraction of the price. I wish I had left. Instead, I simply committed myself to the notion that I will never again return.

The incident was concluded when the young woman a few minutes later called out to me, "dirty chai," and motioned with her chin to the far side of the counter where I was to insert myself between the customers in line to pick up my order. This, in lieu of her handing it to me the way the staff were handing other customers their orders. I got the message loud and clear from her tone and body language: they wanted to minimize contact with me.

In summary, it is clear that people of color are not welcome at Cannelle. At least that is the very strong impression they made on me. There was no other reason for them to treat me the way they did. I was friendly and conciliatory to the customers who were bustling about the shop. I was content to patiently read an e-book on my phone while I waited. But to the staff I was Ralph Ellison's...

I ordered a cake for a wedding here (chocolate mousse, with hazelnut crunchy crust). I've heard some real good things about this place from many people, so decided to give it a try because cakes from regualr stores make me sick, they are not delicious at all. Well, this place is mind-blowing! They have zillion types of desserts that make your head spin. They have croissants, not just any, but legit croissants and they also bake their own bread. Take it from someone who's from Europe and knows what good quality bread and pastry is. An addition to that there is a nice outside area to sit and enjoy your delicious food. When I was placing my order they told me it would be just a plane cake, just as a little cake comes, nothing extra, which was fine with us. But we did say it was for the wedding.When I got the cake I was astonished, it was a masterpiece, no words! So sophisticated and tastefuly made with some extra chocolate figures and flowers on top! The co-owner (as I figured) helped us to get the cake safely to the car. As a person that who worked in a company that values service vision and a great customer service, that was beyond my expectations and a total wow effect. Special thanks to the chef, not only you create gorgeous looking desserts, but the taste is total heaven. P.s. don't mind...

Big disappointment. I don’t know how these businesses get away with such low quality food and drinks. It shows how easily you can manipulate people by thinking a business is good solely bc it’s in a slightly upper class neighborhood.

Iced Americano was less than ok. The only cream available was from Gordon Food Service, gross. Organic half and half from TJs, is affordable and tastes SO much better than this junk. The only sugar available was toxic, low quality saccrine and sucralose, not stevia.

The macarons actually made me so grossed out I pushed the plate away from me and didn’t finish them. Their flavoring is just pure sugar and even that tastes bad. Pistacio? What pistacio? Where? I see the extremely overly dyed green to say hey! I’m pistacio! I promise! But, it’s not. The other flavors just got worse. It’s a VERY low quality macaron. It shouldn’t even be sold. These are basics and should be great or even decent, which they are not.

Lastly, the whole business esthetic is poor. Inside and especially outside. Very cramped and uncomfortable. I almost left when I came into the parking lot and I should have...