Mardi – Café Review | Condé Nast Traveler

"What were your first impressions when you arrived?   A corner shop in a lovely stretch of the hilly neighborhood between the Buttes Chaumont park and Belleville, this months-old specialty hot spot is faintly Scandi-inspired both in decor (blonde wood tables and stools, exposed stone walls, and handmade ceramic dishware by Charline Robache) and in the cup. It's cozy, friendly, and full of neighborhood locals on any given day. What’s the crowd like?   This is clearly a hangout for young parents (and their four-legged friends) and bohemians who live in and around Belleville—most mornings, you'll find the stroller contingent jostling for space before (or just after the school run. Then, the afternoon gives way to the freelancer-artist crowd who linger for hours. What should we be drinking?   Expect beautifully-executed coffees, from flat whites to pour overs, using beans from the Danish roaster April. Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss.   Both in terms of savory and sweet, the menu here is a bit more sophisticated than the average coffee shop. Breakfast might include granola and yogurt or a soft boiled egg served with slices of Comté cheese, whipped butter, and buckwheat bread. The lunch selection is seasonal and varies regularly but has included latkes served with chive crème fraîche, a beetroot and green apple compôte alongside a parsnip and cauliflower soup or a stracciatella tartine with honey-roasted carrots in a chimichurri sauce served with a radicchio salad. Sweets range from scones and cookies to cannelé and cinnamon rolls. And how did the front-of-house folks treat you?   Cordial and efficient, they navigate busy waves very well. What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here?   Casual get-togethers with friends, informal meetings, family breakfasts, and self-care time with a book." - Lindsey Tramuta