Le Carré Café & Pâtisserie — Restaurant in Hillsdale

Update 2:

I finally returned to Le Carre in person after continually enjoying their croissants at Dell Coffee Co in Oradell. I had the butter croissant and pain au chocolat and both were just how I like it - crisp outside, airy and bouncy inside. One of the best croissants in all of Bergen County.

I also tried a couple of their baguette sandwiches for the first time - prosciutto brie and turkey avocado. Both were very tasty and generously sized. The baguette itself was good too, though it seemed like a cross between my idea of a baguette and a ciabatta. It had less browning and was wider than I expected. It served really well as sandwich bread.

Update 1:

They now supply croissants, quiches, and other baked goods to The Dell Coffee Co in Oradell. I tried their almond croissant, leek/mushroom/cheddar quiche, and chocolate chip cookie there and they were all terrific. The almond croissant had a much better texture than I remember the butter croissant did the first time I came; I'll have to try the butter croissant again!

Original:

Wonderful spot for the area. I tried a ham and cheese crepe and a plain croissant.

The crepe was delicious and the croissant was fine. If you like croissants from Balthazar, you will probably like the croissants here. If you prefer croissants with more of a crisp on the outside, you might be a tad disappointed. (I fall in the latter camp, unfortunately.)

The staff handling the coffee orders maybe need a little more training. I saw another customer return a coffee because the staff made him a decaf drink when he had ordered a light roast. Apparently they either ran out of or just didn’t have light roast, so they made the substitution without consulting him. Similarly, I ordered a macchiato, then asked if they were able to make a cortado, got what I thought was an affirmative answer, but then ended up receiving either a cappuccino or a latte. Not a huge deal, but I thought it was something worth noting that was room for improvement.

The space was clean and comfortable. It felt like the order process could maybe be a bit more streamlined because it looked like there were some traffic jams with staff delivering drinks and people ordering and/or looking at the baked goods in the display cases.

All that said, it was a great experience overall and I look forward to trying...

French bakery? Say no more—I’m in. The pastries are good., and this café had the potential to be a place we’d come back to often. We really want to support small, local businesses like this.

However, when the owners aren’t around, like today, things really slip. It used to be good, but now it feels different.

On our last visit, 8:30 am, only one person was running everything—cashier, coffee, and food prep. The menu blackboards were even on the floor, and customers had to step behind the counter to read them. During the busy morning commute, service was painfully slow. Our two simple sandwiches (ham and avocado) weren’t started until everyone in line ahead of us had been served coffee or pastries, which meant 50 minutes from arrival to the food.

The café could have promise, but the staffing and service setup need serious attention to match the quality of the food. My last visit was today.

50 minutes even for a sit down restaurant is not a good approach to attract or retain customers. Specially when 2 sandwiches and a coffee rings about $38.

The young lady prepping,serving and tending the sales was nice. Felt bad for how overwhelming this was for her with 10+...

I've been to this incredible place twice now and I didn't think my impressions of the ambiance, food and service could get any better. I met a friend there early today to study and the owner remembered us from last week. She got pastry and cappuccino and I got a vanilla latte. I didn't get any pastry this time because I'm limiting my carbs. While we were sitting at the window, the owner brought us each a sample of what I think was fresh mozzarella and pesto on a baguette. I couldn't resist....I ate the sample he gave me and thought I had been transported to an alternate universe. It was absolutely amazing! I've been to France many times and pastry there is always wonderful, but Le Carre far surpasses any pastry or coffee I've had in France, bar none!!! The service is great, the food is indescribably good. Watching them make croissants is a highlight as well. The owner is very friendly and engaging and welcomes you warmly when you enter his establishment.

My friend calls in Heaven in Hillsdale. I have to agree. If you want an incredible gastronomic experience, stop by and get something, anything from Le Carre. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. I can't...