Café Vendôme (Atlanta) — Restaurant in Sandy Springs

It's been a while since I've left a review for a restaurant but I feel that this cafe is more than deserving of the attention and, still yet, deserves more.

It's a Parisian cafe settled in the lower bottom half of a strip center, which showcases the store selection of This and Thats, which are usually forgettable.

It would be easy to miss this small, yet well proportioned cafe, and I did not hear about it until my friend introduced me to it.

The pastries are fluffy and rich; butter is deftly and liberally used and should be if they truly wish to resemble anything like a Parisian cafe. Coffee is usually brewed from Counter Culture beans, which is a fine brand.

The floor boards are ashy brown which contrasts nicely with the caramel wood tones of the tables (though some of the tables are a white-washed marble). The counter is made of black marble and does wonderfully to accentuate the different colored pastries.

Everything in this cafe was designed with a purpose. The main color scheme is black, red, and white. The sign of Cafe Vendome is white against the striking vibrant red backdrop. The black comes in form of the chairs and the marble counter, not to mention the ceiling and airducts. Against the black ceiling, the vibrant red water pipes strike a nice consistent contrast that can be observed throughout the entire cafe.

On the outside patio, black chairs, red table top, white plates. The two metal support pillars inside are also painted red.

The tables are set ever so far apart, parallel to the wall leading down to the end against a wonderfully painted mural which shows an outside cafe of similar tables and chairs continuing down under a arched vault. This gives the immersion that the cafe is larger than it really is and adds a light illusion that one is really inside a Parisian cafe.

Everything was set and colored with a purpose and it was executed as wonderfully as the pastries were.

The owner himself is always present and is a verified French native. This dedication is rarely found these days.

No, this is not a Parisian cafe because we are not in Paris or anywhere close to France; matter of fact, this is probably fancier than the usual cafes found over there. However, this comes fairly close as far as quality and consistency of the food goes.

If you don't have the money to travel to France or are too scared to, then give this place a try.

It may help change your mind, if you're of the latter. If you're of the former . . . it...

A slice of mushroom quiche with a few side potatoes was $14.99. The mushroom quiche was barely warm and bland. It was more like a slice of canned mushroom pie. Most lunch meals were $13.99 to $16.99. The kids item was $11.99. Croissants were good but at $4.90, not worth it. Macarons were around $3.00 each. They were ok. Coffee came out after 7 minutes of sitting around and I had already eaten the croissant. The only awesome thing was the baguettes that we took home for $5.00 each. It was one of the best baguette I have had in a long time. However, with the prices of everything, I will not go back.

Further Comments: (Posted after response from owner.)

Best baguette in a long time, you nailed that. But everything else was mediocre at best. Had you simply apologized, sucked it up, and said we will try to do better, maybe I would have tried again. But when you start to deflect the criticism and defend the poor food quality and lack of service by saying that eating at your place saves me money from going to the doctor, I guess I need to drop the two stars down to one.

I waited 7 minutes for a coffee! I ate my croissant in that time. Could not enjoy the two together. I get homemade and prefer that but when my wife's quiche comes out luke warm at best that means someone couldn't reheat yesterday's food properly. And bland doesn't have to be unhealthy. But when there are more canned mushrooms than egg in the quiche, you have to wonder about the culinary skills. There were only four or five tickets that had come in the 25 minutes. Plus there were only five or six tables being used. The outside tables---where we wanted to sit---weren't even bussed or cleaned off. The staff---I get it during these times with staffing and retention and training---performed mediocre and the food matched. Maybe it was an off day for your place, but there is nothing that will make me come back with another approach. I passed way too many other bakeries and cafes to visit yours. I can try...

Buyer beware! I am trying to support local restaurants during this crisis time by ordering through Door Dash or Ubereats and most of the time all is good with the restaurant getting it right or making it right. This restaurant; however, did not. First, in the Door Dash menu, when you order the Quiche you are asked to select what type of side potato you want and the type of dressing. I never did get the potatoes so either this is not an option or they forgot them. If restaurants are going to use delivery services, they need to make sure the menu is correct. I ordered raisin bread and instead I received a chocolate croissant. I understand that substitutions sometimes need to be made but how is raisin bread comparable to a chocolate croissant!? Such a waste to throw it away, which I did, and I wasted $7.50. Great restaurants actually take the time to call and let you know and come up with something that is actually comparable. Not this place and when I called the girl said they were busy and when I asked her to check with the manager on substituting the chocolate croissant with a ham and cheese baguette, she went away and never came back. Oh..she was willing to throw in a $3.50 baguette. How is $3.50 comparable to $7.50? After several minutes of waiting on the phone, I hung up, hoping they would do the right thing and call back - NOPE. Just because people are ordering from delivery services does not exempt them from getting the same great service as if we were standing in the restaurant and face to face. As for the mushroom and onion Quiche? If you want a hard dry crust that is loaded with mushrooms sprinkled with the odd onion and sparse egg custard then this is for you. No cheese that I could tell either. Otherwise if you want great Quiche that is heavy on the custard and/or cheese accented with add-ons, go somewhere else. Very disappointed since everyone else seems to give this place great reviews but I will never return...