MarieBette: Delicious, but Expensive

Since its opening in 2014, MarieBette Café & Bakery has become a Charlottesville favorite. It’s a rare occasion to not see customers lined out the door during the early morning hours. So, as someone who recently moved to Charlottesville, I naturally had to check out this local phenomenon for myself.

Along with a large variety of homemade pastries and breads, MarieBette serves breakfast, lunch, and coffee. I ordered a Hanover Sandwich ($10) with a small side of greens ($4) from the lunch menu as well as a café au lait ($4) and a chocolate almond croissant to take home ($4.50). The sandwich consisted of fennel salami, mozzarella cheese, roasted tomatoes, arugula, and balsamic glaze on a toasted baguette.

The food was delicious as the produce and bread were very fresh. However, the sandwich was a lot smaller than what I was expecting and the side of greens was basically just overpriced arugula with sherry dressing. The café au lait, on the other hand, was sublime, and I appreciated the small complimentary cookie that was served with it. I also enjoyed the chocolate almond croissant, but I thought the layer of chocolate was a bit thin.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the overall look of the place. I went at around noon on a Friday, but it was still buzzing with customers. The seating was limited but comfortable, the music was good, and the staff was very friendly. However, the service was slow, and it took over twenty minutes for me to receive my food.

Overall, I enjoyed my first experience at MarieBette. While it’s not somewhere I could afford to frequent for a meal, I believe the pastries and coffee are more moderately priced. MarieBette Bakery & Cafe is located 11 minutes away from campus at 700 Rose Hill Drive. During the week, the bakery is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the kitchen from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On weekends, the bakery opens at 8:30 a.m. and closes at 4:30 p.m. while the kitchen hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.