De farine et d’eau fraîche – the cutest bakery ever in the Village

De farine et d’eau fraîche
1701 Amherst
Montreal, QC

Excellent

I had read a few reviews about De farine et d’eau fraîche including one from La bouche pleine on this super cute new bakery in Montreal’s Village.  The bakery is handily located on Amherst Street which is a mecca for mid-century modern furniture.  We happen to be mid-century modern furniture devotees so one Saturday when we were out looking for a new desk, this was the ideal pit stop.  It was quiet and I did not feel shy about asking to take some photos which is a good thing since the design is absolutely gorgeous.

The bakery (is patisserie the correct word?) is mostly devoted to absolutely delightful mini-works of art, however their lunch menu is excellent too.  The attention to detail on each item is unbelievable.

The design of the place is also stunning, and spacious.  Again, you can see that everything has been thought out from the lighting through to the walls.

We had their lunch special which was a sandwich and salad or soup with a side of chips ($11.75).  I chose the pork sandwich which was really nice, and the side salad was an interesting mix of sprouts and greens.  Afterwards, my partner selected a variety of cookies to try.  I wasn’t too sure about the green tea cookie, but the rest were great with my favourite being the luggage tag complete with ribbon. The only thing my partner pointed out was the chips on the plate.  It seemed a bit in odds with the rest of the gorgeous goods and in fact a bit unnecessary.  Between the salad and sandwich there was more than enough food.

Next time we are on Amherst, I would definitely make a point to eat there.  I would even go so far as to say if this type of thing interests you it’s worth going out of your way to eat there, even if it’s just a coffee and a cookie.

Food: Lunch is served, but I would suggest the highlight and focus is on the baked goods.  A wide variety, and attention to detail is evident.
Design: Honestly, this place should win an award.  I don’t know who designed it, but for design junkies like us it was heaven.
Service: Excellent and prompt.  Having said that, it was early on a Saturday and there weren’t too many people there.
Price: It isn’t cheap, but it isn’t an arm and a leg either.  Really, for all the effort put into each piece, the value is there.
Good For: Lunch or afternoon coffee with friends.
*Baby Friendly: Yes – there is enough room at the back to store a stroller.

*This is a new category!  What do you think?  I have to admit, I don’t have a kid so my criteria for baby-friendly could be off but I thought it may be usefull.