Whenever I am in Paris, for more than a few days, I try at some point to head to the Rose Bakery for lunch. The Rose Bakery at 46, Rue des Martyrs is a bakery/café/shop which sells and serves uncomplicated, flavoursome and mainly organic food at affordable prices. A throng of hungry and subsequently happy diners have beaten a path to its doors since Anglo-French couple Rose and Jean-Charles Carrarini opened it in 2002. A London outpost opened in 2007.
The Rose Bakery in London is on the top floor of the Dover Street Market; it is lilliputian. On my recent jaunt to London I had lunch there for the first time, on previous visits to the London branch I had only sampled coffee and the scones. The decor is pleasingly simple. There are three long rectangular tables (for sharing) flanked by serried rows of chairs in a mix and match of colours. There are just a few tables for two and the there is also a teeny tiny roof terrace overlooking the adjoining London rooftops with space for a small number to dine al fresco on balmy days.
It was very busy when I arrived just after one thirty but was noticeable calmer when I was leaving. Next time I think I would arrive a little later to avoid the main lunchtime crush as I found the long shared table a bit of a squash when the place was full. Typical items on the menu include soups, tarts and risottos, there is also a stupendous selection of cakes. I enjoyed my lunch of tomato and bacon tart (quiche) served with a plain green salad followed by a slice of delicious coconut and lime cake.
Several years ago I bought the Rose Bakery cookbook ‘Breakfast, Lunch, Tea’ and it has become a firm favourite to check for great recipes; I have just been looking through it and I realized I have never made their famous carrot cake so I think that it’s next on my to-bake list.
Do you have a favourite café in a foreign city?
Note: The Rose Bakery (Paris and London) is open daytime only.
Just Add Attitude 
OMG! I just take a note of the place for our next visit o Paris!
I hope you get to Paris soon! Bon Voyage.
Your question of the day is an easy one for me to answer–although Edmonton (AB, Canada) hardly seems foreign to me, being both in our continental sibling country and a city I’ve spent a lot of time in, it does qualify technically.
There are a number of good eateries in Edmonton, but our favorite for years has been Bistro Praha, a true central-European style cafe run by true central Europeans. Stellar schnitzels, soups, roast goose, sauteed trout, smoked ham hocks, wieners, fried cheese, crepes . . . ohhhh, I could go on and on but I’d faint from the mere recitation. Great atmosphere, wonderful people and exquisite old-world eating. Heaven on the Canadian plains.
The Rose sounds pretty outstanding too, and the pictures are mouthwatering!
Bistro Praha sounds excellent. I feel hungry reading the list of foods. Thanks for telling me about it.
I love the cafe at the top of Dover St Market! I go there whenever I am in London. My favorite cafe in Florence is Giacosa behind the Roberto Cavalli shop in Via Tornabuone. It is my first stop when I hit Florence.
Thanks for the tip about the cafe in Florence. I haven’t been to Florence for a while; I hope to get there some time next year, I have already checked out the link to a Florence apartment on your blog. Ciao.
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That food looks delicious!
It tasted as good as it looked. Thanks for your comment.
Thanks for the tip – it sounds gorgeous. I’m obsessed with good cafes. Best in Dublin for me is The Cake Cafe… though I love the beans from the new Clement & Pekoe store. Sarah
I agree with you about the Cake Cafe in Dublin. I haven’t tried the new Clement & Pekoe store so thanks Sarah for telling me about it.
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