Paul French Bakery And Cafe - Bethesda
If you're looking for a cozy spot to enjoy delicious pastries and a welcoming atmosphere in Bethesda, look no further than Paul French Bakery And Cafe. This charming bakery and cafe, located at 4760 Bethesda Ave, offers a delightful mix of French-inspired treats and classic American cafe fare, making it a perfect place to unwind or grab a quick bite.
From the moment you step inside, you'll be greeted by the irresistible scent of freshly baked bread, croissants, and cakes. Their pastry selection is a standout, with buttery, flaky croissants that practically melt in your mouth. Whether you're a fan of sweet options like chocolate-filled croissants or prefer something savory like their ham and cheese varieties, there’s always something to satisfy your cravings.
But it’s not just about the pastries at Paul French Bakery and Cafe. The cafe menu is equally impressive, offering a variety of sandwiches, salads, and hearty breakfast options. Their quiches are a crowd favorite, perfect for a light lunch or a leisurely brunch. And if you're in the mood for something a little more indulgent, don't miss their French toast or eggs benedict, both made with top-quality ingredients and served with a side of warm, welcoming hospitality.
For coffee lovers, the cafe serves up a selection of expertly brewed coffees, lattes, and cappuccinos, all of which pair perfectly with their baked goods. The calm ambiance of the cafe makes it a wonderful spot to catch up with friends, enjoy a quiet moment, or even get some work done while sipping on your favorite coffee.
Whether you're a local or just visiting Bethesda, Paul French Bakery and Cafe is the kind of place that feels like home. So, if you’re in the area, make sure to stop by and treat yourself to something special. It’s more than just a bakery—it’s a true gem in the heart of Bethesda.
Reviews
Since we were staying in Bethesda, we decided to stop by Paul to compare their almond croissant against a couple of the other bakeries nearby. We only got a single croissant and tried it out after finding a seat: Almond Croissant ($4.99) - This was a croissant that was cut in half and filled with almond paste with sliced almonds and powdered sugar on top. The pastry was flaky with a nice crisp on top. The almond paste was quite smooth in comparison to other places. I would say it was verging on becoming a plain custard based on how well ground the almonds were. In fact, perhaps it was a plain custard because the almond flavor was very minimal - if you had blind folded me I wouldn't been able to guess the flavor. Paul does remove all of the almond skins in the filling so there's not really any sign of almonds in texture or taste. As there was not a lot of almond flavor, maybe putting some frangipane on top of the pastry could have reinforced the almond flavor that was lacking otherwise. If it had stronger almond taste, it would raise the croissant to great. As it currently stands, the croissant is still pretty good.
Walked into Paul on a whim - it didn't hurt that we could smell the bread from outside! The counter selection alone looked really great, so we decided to dine in. The Turkey and swiss is pretty nice! I was glad that it sandwich stood in its own without the cheese since I'm not a huge fan of swiss, personally. I appreciated that the desserts weren't overly sweet, and the strawberries in the strawberry cake were perfect! Coffee was a set back for me - dark roasted and bitter even with milk and sugar. Service was lovely - it was nice having someone help us with our trays to the table. The four stars actually comes from the seating being cramped enough that my plus-sized partner had a hard time getting into their seat without me having to move a chair aside from a nearby table. It would be nice if seating areas could consume a 5-6ft amount of space instead of what feels like 4 or less.
Stumbled onto a Paul bakery in Paris years back on the right bank while on holiday and loved their pan au chocolat and pan au escargots. I was thrilled when one opened up in Bethesda. This location is near the Capital Crescent trail. When coming back from a run it's hard to ignore the aroma of fresh baked pastries wafting. They also have a small seating area inside and patio outside. Their croque monsieurs are good (not too heavy or greasy and in good bread). I also like their macarons (very soft and chewy inside) but their are very big. This time around I got their plain butter croissant and hot tea. The croissant had real butter taste (instead of the flavorless shortening supermarkets use) and had the right about of flakiness. Hot chamomile tea went well with the pastry. Service is nice, but a little on the slow side.
I was visiting Bethesda for the day and decided to try out Paul French Bakery and Cafe. After passing by it multiple times, this was it. The perfect chance at lunch time. I got super lucky (getting there around 3:00pm or so) that the Salmon & Egg Croissant sandwich was still available. They had one remaining. I say lucky because this is normally a breakfast only sandwich option. At $9.99, this is reasonably priced and combined some of my favorite things, but on a legitimate French croissant. The croissant was nice and airy, fluffy even. They load the sandwich up nicely and each bite but was a soft buttery bit of heaven. The sandwich was even a beauty to behold and look it. Part of me didn't event want to ruin it by taking eating it. Even at the time I arrived there was a long line and the employees were keeping it moving at a quick pace. I was fortunate to find an open table to sit and devour my food. Quiet cafe like ambiance but seems like it can be a bit bustling on a busier day. There is outside seating as well. It's a fairly decent sized space with lots of tables inside. This was my first experience with Paul but shall not be my last. My only hope is one comes a bit closer to home towards Baltimore!
Decadent Chocolate Tartlet! I recently tried the "Chocolate Tartlet" a generously sized sweet treat. Rich, creamy chocolate inside a buttery shortbread pastry crust. The Paul's logo atop the tartlet is edible-made of white & milk chocolate. Delicious! See Photo!