Vanilla Espresso French Café — Restaurant in Miami Lakes

This past Tuesday, my friend and I snuck away for a much-needed mommy playdate with our little ones—because let’s face it, sometimes moms just need a moment to breathe, sip something warm, and eat in a place that feels like a getaway. This charming little café, with its French flair and dreamy aesthetic, was exactly that.

From the moment we walked in, the vibe was cozy and romantic—like a page torn from a Parisian daydream. We both ordered the Bonjour Madame, one of their signature dishes. It came with homemade French toast, a croissant filled with ham and gratin cheese, a perfectly cooked egg on top, bacon, and a side of Greek yogurt.

My friend went à la carte, while I asked (hopefully) if I could sub the pork for turkey or chicken. Sadly, no substitutions. So I kept it simple with a croissant and cheese. It was fine—classic, warm, satisfying—but nothing to write home about.

Now, the yogurt surprised me—in the best way. It came topped with honey, fresh strawberries, blueberries, and a sprinkle of granola. Light, flavorful, and just sweet enough to make me feel like I was indulging without overdoing it.

The French toast, though… sigh. I wanted to love it. But it tasted like something you’d find in your freezer aisle—just missing that fresh-off-the-griddle magic. Luckily, the presentation was next-level. Everything looked picture-perfect… even though I forgot to take pictures (classic mommy moment).

I did remember to snap a photo of my caramel latte, though—thank goodness, because it was as delicious as it was beautiful.

To finish, I tried the almond croissant. Sadly, it was a no for me—the filling was sparse and the taste was a little off. My friend, however, ordered the lemon tart and absolutely devoured it. I didn’t get a bite, but judging by her reaction, it was a winner.

And I have to mention the restroom—it was adorable! They had a wall where you could leave little inspirational sticky notes for others to read. It was such a sweet, thoughtful touch, and made the whole experience feel a little more special.

Final thoughts? The food had some hits and misses, but the coffee was great, the vibe was charming, and the details—from the dreamy decor to that inspirational bathroom wall—made it a lovely little escape. Worth a visit for the...

Had breakfast here for the first time today, and y'all... amazing. I've passed by this restaurant a million times and never tried it, and now I'm mourning all the croissants I've missed out on.

We ordered a croque monsieur (french ham and cheese sandwich made with a béchamel sauce and toasted all cheesy and crunchy and soft), squash soup (my mother wanted the recipe), a half sandwich and on a fresh crunchy baguette, the best hot cocoa on earth (with marshmallows), and a couple different types of croissants which were all fresh, flaky, and delicious.

Do yourself a favor and get the limoncello slice. It had the perfect lemmony balance without being overly sweet. It's gotten harder to find really good desserts that taste like something other than sugar. This was it.

There was a woman playing the violin, and it, too, was just perfect. Café ambiance, nice music, and still played at a volume that lets you hear the people in your party. She's there Sundays from 10am to 1pm and Fridays from 6-8pm (also their 2 for 1 happy hour).

The only thing I'd have changed is knowing the cappuccino comes dusted with cinnamon so I could opt out. I'm not a huge fan of it on drinks (it feels kinda sandy).

And another little thing I that made me extra happy: their takeaway clamshells are the EcoChoice sugarcane ones that can be composted in most waste management plants, so you get delicious leftovers without single-use plastic guilt. Also, the menus have a funny typo that made me giggle, their poached eggs say pouched, and now I will forever picture eggs served in little bags.

I already know what I'm getting...

After a few recommendations had to Make sure to visit. There were only two tables when we arrived opened inside. We grabbed one and one of us made the line. I knew I had wanted to sample the mini croissants as I waited in line that quickly changed. i would have preferred to be waited at the table. I saw other guest given menus at table but the order here sign made me think otherwise. we ordered 3 little mini croissants, a breakfast soufflé, a plain and butter croissant and a water and a coke. we were given a number and we sat at our table. confused by the fact as busy as they were a younger man sat taking up three tables with his devices and coffee while others scrambled to get sitting. Our minis and breakfast arrived but no croissant. we asked, we asked three times and finally we got it. the food was great, didn't like the sitting arrangement, also didn't like to have to ask three times not including when the plates arrived we were missing an item. As we left we saw the outside seats probably would have been better. I also notice two people sitting where there could have sat 6. we did enjoy it, but felt it was not quaint for the experienced we had hoped for. i will go back but maybe during the week or odd times to avoid the amount of people. I was able to get some pictures..but not the best as it...