Café 211

Fresh pastries and fast service! Cafe by Croute is located in the regions building on the first floor. The staff is very pleasant/helpful. There are plenty of pastries to choose from. I had a croissant although I'll be back to try a cookie.

The prices are comparable to similar coffee shops in the area. I also had an iced chai tea latte which was delicious. I'll be back. They aRe part of the Cunningham group so your purchase will go to points if you're a member.

If you're the kind of person who loves to eat fresh pastry (or breakfast sandwiches) while sipping on a caffeine beverage of choice in a sunlit cafe where you can people watch, head on over to Cafe by Croute!

The cafe just opened inside the Regions Bank Tower on the first flower (to the left as you enter the building). Lots of glass windows surround the place, including separating the cafe from the lobby. It feels much larger than it is.

As you enter, the order counter is on your right filled with pastries, breakfast and lunch type sandwiches, and your beverage choices. There are salads too! All the pastries and sandwiches are made about a block away at Croute Bakery that just opened a few weeks ago under the direction of Chef Hattie McDaniel (Vida and Nesso). The sandwiches were created by Chefs Layton Roberts and Carl Chambers of CRG. So, my expectations were high.

When I entered, one of the staff met me and let me know about the food options and mentioned to feel free to ask if there were any questions. Cool!

After looking over the pasty counter and looking at the paper menus on the counter (there is a rotating screen with food options over the counter as well), I stepped up and ordered a Blackberry Pull Apart pastry and a large black coffee for there, and also an almond croissant and Sourdough Breakfast Sandwich to go. Again, the interaction was very pleasant and I got my pull apart and coffee immediately, while the sandwich and croissant were brought out just a few minutes later.

The pull apart was delicious! They have different flavors each day, so I was glad that mine was blackberry, though I can only imagine what others they may offer. The coffee was right on the edge of being too hot, but I was able to drink it right away. The small is 16 oz!

The sandwich was served on grilled sourdough and sliced. Each half had an egg round (completely cooked to avoid dripping out of the sandwich), Swiss spread, and caramelize onion with a little cooked spinach as well. Again, a delicious choice.

And the almond croissant disappeared at home before I got a bite. My wife says it was delicious!

So, once again, the CRG bar was set high and they cleared it easily. The cafe is only open Monday through Friday and from 7 to 2, so keep that in mind.

Parking is the biggest issue since it is downtown and street parking fills fast. So, plan on walking if you haven't any luck parking across the street. I am not sure which of the nearby parking garages allow hourly parking. But if you are already downtown, swing by here if you have time to relax and watch the folks go by through the windows on Pennsylvania.

Review #2905

Need to update your "Yelp" site. Everything seems to be 2020 and 2021.
Today is April 6, 2022. I don't know what your dining is like at this moment.

Cute little spot we found on Pennsylvania Ave this morning while looking for somewhere to get breakfast at 7:00. Jamel was kind enough to let us in and serve us before hours!

I don't know that there are 2 Croutes! It looks like the options are the same or at least similar at both but today I got there early enough to get the chocolate decadence cookies. I loved the chocolate chip cookies I got at Croûte Baking Company last month but these suckers are in a whole nother class. I am a sucker for sticking with a known quantity so I got the sourdough breakfast sandwich, equally excellent at both places - melted cheese, spinach, carmelized onions & egg on toasted sourdough. And if you're a Cunningham Restaurant Group VIP, they'll look up your account & add your points for your purchase.