La Brioche

Y’all….this is the REAL DEAL. If you want any the taste an feel of a friendly French bakery, this is your place. The welcoming staff, with their marvelous French accented greetings set the tone. The day I visited, the 2 ladies’ bright eyed and kind smiles engulfed my many questions and were never impatient with my poor hearing— didn’t even have to mention it. After ordering to go, one invited me to enjoy my chicken salad baguette and espresso upstairs. I had no idea there was a back staircase leading to a charming, rather shabby and mismatched, exactly what you want for that Old World feel. Many chairs have been reupholstered and are surprisingly comfortable for a wooden chair. The chicken salad is a bit spare by American standards, but the star is the baguette. The romaine and tomato were perfectly fresh and a great compliment. I foresee many return visits, there is SO much to sample.

I found out about this bakery from IG. Nice location with no problem finding parking. The wonderful smells hit you as soon as you open the door. Everything looks fresh and homemade. So far I've only tried the croissants and fruit tarts and they were delicious and fresh each time. All of the employees are friendly and gave me great customer service even though they were swamped. They are a little pricey, but the quality and service are worth it.

Addictive! Everything is delicious! I found the service excellent. To the people complaining about service not being “American” enough — you get the authentic cultural experience. Relax. Meet the staff half way. Not everyone has to be cheery all the time. As a European living in Virginia, I appreciate the culinary and cultural diversity that La Brioche offers. In terms of the prices, I think they are very reasonable for the labor that goes into making a croissant or anything else. Just go on YouTube and research how long it takes to develop a good handmade/homemade pastry. If you think it should be cheaper, try making it yourself and see how that goes :P or just go to Harris Teeter and buy flaky pastry and make a croissant yourself. I’m all for paying a higher price if it makes the business stay afloat and pays a good wage so that the staff can thrive.