Alpin Bistro

The best crepes in town, maybe even the world. Seriously this place has a great menu and their weekend brunch is worth a detour if you have never been. The crepe suzette we got were flambéd in an orange liqueur and served with candied orange peels. We also got an amazing strawberry milk that was much more complex and natural of a flavor than we expected. I wish I could give 6 stars.

i like to imagine that 200 years ago people came to these places to yap about philosophy. theres so much energy and life! love the open kitchen smells and views. shared a seafood quiche and their la parisienne crepe - both surprisingly filling yet light, quiche was super fluffy; crepe was very mushroomy!!

UNIQUE BUT WOULDN’T COME BACK… We ordered several dishes, all which were pretty disappointing in terms of quality and taste. For example, the bread was super stale while the sausage was hard to bite and way over cooked. Soup was way too salty. The dishes and atmosphere is definitely unique but considering how we spent around $90 for this quality of food, we definitely would not come back…

Alpin Bistro offers a delightful French-themed dining experience with a cozy and inviting ambience. The food is consistently good; I especially love the escargot, balsamic brie, and chorizo iberico flambé. Each dish is full of rich flavor and beautifully presented. Whether you're looking for a relaxed meal or something a bit special, Alpin Bistro delivers with charm and quality.

Pleasantly surprised in finding this jewel of a restaurant! A must try if you love delicious food and excellent service.

Went here for breakfast and was surprised at how nice it was inside. The decor was interesting and set a nice French romantic atmosphere. There’s a small patio with walls around it so the people passing by can’t stare at you while you eat. We sat at the bar and was able to watch our food be prepared, which I loved. The food had great flavor and well presented. We ordered the house ricotta which was really good. We also ordered two crepes. They ended up giving us the wrong crepe and they apologized and fixed it right away. If you get the cafe mocha drink they put fresh whipped cream on the top. It’s a little thick so it was difficult to drink. My advice is to stir it in or ask for it on the side. It was all really good. Will be back!

The staff was exceptional, especially our bartender. The food was spectacular, we had late night menu crepes. The crepe menu starts after 10pm, and they were perfect. The cocktails were perfect as well. Thanks Alpin Bistro! We went earlier this time, drinks were great, quiche was awesome, the brie app was very good. The chorizo brandy app was okay and the croque-saumon was okay as well.

While the service was a bit slow, the server’s knowledge of the specials really helped. I got the Norwegienne crepe, which featured salmon, goat cheese, onion, capers, and egg—albeit a little too dill-heavy, though it did complement the goat cheese. The Croque Madam was good but was a bit heavy in sauce and cheese. The egg would have been better if it was soft boiled. The Parisienne crepe was just okay. The interior is cute, featuring a large communal table in the middle along with more private outdoor seating. Prices were reasonable, and I loved the mix of savory and sweet options—definitely planning to try one of the sweet dishes next time.

Once again, this place is as special as ever! Warm and friendly staff, food so delicious, it makes you get every morsel from the plate! The beer is European, and they have wines and cocktails from Europe as well. I got the hot brie plate with walnuts, apples and onions, and some clear, magic sauce that tied it all together! What a delicious way to eat! There is no place like this in Gainesville. Ambience, old world charm and I'll be back...maybe tomorrow :)) (I talked to the owner, and there is no sauce on the hot brie plate. It's just liquid from the cheese and fruit...wow!!)

The Sunday brunch menu was limited, but the food was delicious. Our server was not very attentive and he messed up our order and also badmouthed the kitchen for dropping something. He also admitted he was inattentive and just seemed spacey or hung over? He also said most customers were illiterate and didn't notice that the menu said brunch was Saturday even though they changed it to Saturday and Sunday. We thought that comment was unfortunate. We would've given it more stars if the service was better. It just felt weird.

OMG I have not been to Alpine in probably almost 10 years! I was told about their matcha martini and I just had to go! OMG the staff, so nice and wonderful-just very hospitable! Ray-one of the bartenders there was so cool! I wanted the matcha martini but nonalcoholic and she perfected it! She had never made a nonalcoholic one before but she did AMAZING!!!! It was delicious! Even my friend who hates matcha-actually got one (but with alcohol) loved it! We definitely will be coming back for more and especially for food. We didn't get to eat anything food but their menu looks amazing! It's a small restaurant inside but spacious and it appears they have an outdoor space which looked nice, we sat at the bar which was great because we were able to chat to the staff! It wasn't too busy either!

Decided to check out this French restaurant located in Downtown. Parking can be a bit challenging but there is a paid parking lot option right across the restaurant (50 cents for 30 min). The restaurant has a cozy vibe and good for casual hangout/date. On Wednesdays, the wines are buy one get one free (can be mixed) and they have a good selection of affordable French wines, so would recommend utilizing the deal. Overall, the sandwich was solid and salad was very fresh. French onion soup had a bit too much cheese and less broth, but still tasty and served hot. Recommend checking this out when you are craving solid sandwich option or want to hang out casually for the night.

I cannot believe I haven't left a review for Alpin yet! We love this place so so much! The food tastes intentional made with real and delicious ingredients. The staff is incredible, always welcoming and the bartender makes amazing drinks. Moving from LA to Ocala this place feels we are in Silver Lake or Los Feliz. The atmosphere is a vibe, happy and relaxed. They have an outdoor patio but we always sit at the bar.

Taking a much needed break, we ran off to Gainesville, FL (about 40 minutes from home) and wanted to explore some we chose Alpin Bistro in downtown Gainesville. It was a Tuesday night, so we did not worry about crowds. We were seated right away and took our time looking thru the French cuisine based menu. Our table was tucked away from most of the dining room, so it was fairly intimate through no request from us. Perfect! We each ordered a Tapas one a balsamic Brie and the other a chorizo flambé made from pigs at least two years old, who had feasted on acorns (I don't make this up - that's what the menu said). Both were absolutely delicious! Four our entrees, we had the Croque Forestier and the Croque Saumon! Divine! Neither one of us could finish our meals but a pistachio creme brûlée had to be ordered. I wasn't too thrilled with that, but my wife enjoyed it. An excellent outing! Truly delicious!

The food here was absolutely delicious! While it is quite pricey, I had plenty of leftovers for a second meal so it was definitely worth it. I ordered Le Croque Forestier, and it was so tasty. The ingredients tasted high quality, and it was loaded with them! The side salad was a nice addition as well since it is a heavier dish. The ambiance is very nice and cozy as well. The service was great and fairly quick. I will definitely be back to try more items!

I was there for dinner recently and had superb onion soup and croûte-lardons. In addition, my waitress provided excellent service and advice and was very pleasant. I'll be back!

Fantastic service. Fantastic food. The outside seating makes you forget you are in Gainesville, FL. Full of charm, and great vibes. This town is extremely lucky to have Alpin Bistro.

Dropped in for a light brunch when in downtown Gainesville. Yelp said it closed but this Sunday it was open. I chose a small plate Ricotta Cup with French bread and a glass of red blend wine. It was wonderful and hit the spot. Wait staff is excellent. Ambience casual for brunch. Indoor, outdoor and bar seating available. Looking forward to returning for dinner. Prices very reasonable.

Overall: I do like Alpin after my lesson learned from a while back about never using a credit card. Ambiance: it's small but it efficiently uses space in my opinion. Service: It has been better the last few times that I went but still expect some slowness even on not busy nights. Food: It's good! I went with a friend who had a lot of allergies and I will say they tried to be as considerate as possible but it was a little difficult so make sure to let them know! The salmon croque is my go-to because I don't eat pork. It is always delicious!

Boutique Café that can easily go unnoticed. It truly was a phenomenal experience to find this place amongst the college scene. Classy place to go.

Alpin is probably one of my top five favorites restaurants in Gainesville. Alpin has a small, but delightful menu with a large assortment of fancier sandwiches (Croque monsieur variations), soups, and salads. They also have a great wine and cocktail selection, and a happy hour cheese and wine special. The desserts are phenomenal, with my favorites being the seasonal crème brûlées. Service is also good, but be aware it's a smaller space and you might have a wait.

My favorite place to take job candidates or friends for an intimate dinner. Love the outdoor space (love it more when it's not blistering hot, but whatever). Great French food, attentive staff, welcoming atmosphere. So glad Alpin Bistro is in Gainesville!

While the service was a bit slow, the server's knowledge of the specials really helped. I got the Norwegienne crepe, which featured salmon, goat cheese, onion, capers, and egg--albeit a little too dill-heavy, though it did complement the goat cheese. The Croque Madam was good but was a bit heavy in sauce and cheese. The egg would have been better if it was soft boiled. The Parisienne crepe was just okay. The interior is cute, featuring a large communal table in the middle along with more private outdoor seating. Prices were reasonable, and I loved the mix of savory and sweet options--definitely planning to try one of the sweet dishes next time.

The environment was relaxed but nice, and the staff was attentive. The espresso martinis were excellent, and the croque madame was a large portion, as was the quiche. The appetizer balsamic Brie was relatively small but flavorful.

A cute French restaurant, perfect for date night. The staff is friendly. Open kitchen in the middle of the restaurant. The croque de madame and monsieur sandwiches were amazing. The charcuterie board is amazing with choice of gruyere cheese and Brie with fresh fruit (pear, strawberry and grapes). Happy hour from 4-7 PM with discounted wine and small plates. Highly recommend.

This place is perfectly located in downtown. It's a nice fusion between your typical French cuisine and also a bar to hangout with friends or a date. The atmosphere was quite casual, but the food they served made you feel a little more bougie. I got the salmon quiche, which included a side of salad. The quiche was tasty and savory as it should be. I'm not a huge fan of beets and the chef was overly enthusiastic and poured beets all over my side salad, which I was not a fan of. We also got a cheese board, but they ran out of jam for the night. The cheeses were good, but would have been even better if they had the jam. Overall, I was satisfied with my food, but could see a little bit of room for improvement. This place is relatively small and can be easily missed if you are not looking carefully. There is a parking garage next to this restaurant. If I remembered correctly, it was only $5.

Overall a 3 star, service is a 4 star. Start with the escargot-2 .5 star, onion soup- 2.5!star. Had the salmon and meat quiche both were very good 4 stars. Finished with the mousse 2.5 stars

We had a lovely stop here for drinks. Our server Robin was wonderful and they have a great wine list. I had a white bubble champagne-like wine from France and my son had an old fashioned. We sat at a table on the sidewalk though they also have outdoor seating around the side.

Came here for a birthday celebration. Was told no reservations. Walked in for a wait of 1 hour. We returned to our car, waited over a hour and a half before we left. They never called us. We finally ate, and made it home they still never called our reservations. Completely forgot about their guests.

A fun little French cafe in the heart of Gainesville! My classmates and I came here for some wine and food. It was very delightful with summer in session (lot less busy). I ended up with the fish and wine for two (small plate) and a croque madame. The croque Madame was delightful and very delicious! Service was a little lacking especially since it wasn't too busy. Definitely will try to come back.

The food was delicious but the service was atrocious. After claims of "no reservations" and waiting in line for an hour and a half, they forced us to sit outside when there was a large amount of open seats inside, claiming there were "reservations", when the couple ahead of us got to sit inside. It was a chilly night, and they wouldn't even turn on the heater without being asked. The hostess (dark hair and tattoos) was absolutely unprofessional and rolled her eyes at us repeatedly. Ambience is nice as well but not worth the wait.

Food was absolutely amazing!! Everything was delicious, drinks were good too. Service was a bit slow, but definitely worth it. Would highly recommend.

We were seated on the small patio quickly. The patio was quaint but noisy with the nearby air conditioner cycling on and off. Our server brought water and we ordered wine while we perused the menu. The wine arrived, my wife had a Chardonnay and I had a Sauvignon Blanc. Unfortunately neither of enjoyed our wine, perhaps we should have ordered a bottle of better quality. Our server was patient and answered all our questions as we had not dined there before. I ordered a Croque Forestier and my wife had a Croute-Lardons. The salad that came with both entrees was refreshing and visually appealing. Unfortunately our Croute/Croque were very dry with very thick mornay sauce. IMHO the bread to filling ratio was wrong, the sourdough style and it being cut to thick contributed to its exceptional dryness. The mornay sauce was also extremely thick which made the sandwich more like a brick of warm cheese. The sauteed mushrooms on mine were good. My wife asked for crisp lardons for hers but they did not come that way. Maybe if we were to eat here again I would stay clear of the "sandwiches" and try some of the other offerings which looked good.

Went for pasta night! Had tilapia ravioli that was unlike anything I have ever tried. Great quiche too! Super cute and unique place to go and eat. Great bar menu as well!

BEST PLACE 4 EVERYTHING GO there NOW or be SORRYYYY LOLOLOLOL I love the soup. I love the crackers. I love the bathrooms are clean. I love the fine dining atmosphere. I really love everything here. I love the tentative weight, staff love just sitting outside smoking. Really you can't go wrong if you go here you just gotta go here all the time because they have everything they did slip up. They let me out the door without my crêpes one night but I'm gonna let that slide.

Yummy little bistro in downtown area. Happy hour and delicious gourmet dishes. Did I mention wines, champagne, and specialty cocktails? Shhh!

I came here with three friends for brunch on a Saturday. Without calling ahead, we had to wait at least 45 minutes for a table. So if you decide to visit, make sure to reserve your table ahead of time on their website. This bistro offers authentic French staples. I ordered the croque salmon, which had lots of salmon, capers, parsley, and lemon. It came with a side salad that had a tasty lemon vinaigrette dressing. It is advisable to get to Alpin early, especially on the brunch days, as some members of my party had to keep being informed by our waitress that the kitchen had run out of some ingredient of the dish they ordered. Overall, Alpin is a unique dining experience in Gainesville. Stop by take a step outside the swamp and into this French bistro.

What an absolute gem Alpin Bistro is! All of the staff was so warm and inviting from the minute we walked in, until we departed. We opted to enjoy the cozy outdoor seating for our first dining experience here. For drinks, we had the strawberry and black currant diabolos that are made from house made syrups. They were light and refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness to compliment our meals. We selected the Croque vegetarian and the French onion soup, which were both phenomenal. Every bite was so balanced and cooked to perfection. We ended our night with the matcha crème brûlée and an apple tart. I believe they used quality matcha and prepared it correctly, because it tasted lovely and free of bitterness. The apple tart was delightful and beautifully arranged. I don't think you could go wrong with any dish on their menu. We have already decided that we will be back soon fo brunch!

I wanted to like this little bistro but can't really recommend it when all is said and done if you are coming for dinner. The menu is basically glorified toasted cheese, aka croque monsieurs. I liked the traditional ham and cheese croque monsieur that I ordered which came with a simple and small side salad. My dining partner had the opened face variation which she didn't really like. The side salad is ridiculously small. She ordered the option of walnuts on the salad and she got one walnut for a $1.50. The waitress was very good and attentive and apologized for the ridiculous salad size. It literally comes in a shot glass size stainless steel bowl! The ambience on the patio and the front of the restaurant is mice but the back of the restaurant is kind of ugly and needs some attention. If I go here again I would probably jest treat it as a wine bar and skip the food.

This first time I walked in Alpin, I was greeted with the most beautiful ambiance and pleasant staff. My close friend and I sat at the bar area, and were served the best drinks and dessert I could imagine. We tried the desserts de jour offered that day, including an orange blossom crème brûlée, and an amazing chocolate mouse. The crème brûlée was to die for, and the tartness of the orange perfectly balanced the sweetness of the caramelized sugar. The presentation was beautiful, and really added to the whole vibe of the restaurant. They have a romantic and cozy outside seating area that is perfect for special occasions too.

The ambiance is probably the best part of this place. It feels like you're not even in Florida. The patio outside is super cute. The dishes are unique and delicious. The Brie plate with the nuts and fruit are such a great combination. The beverages are different than your typical Moscow mule and jack and coke which I appreciate. There an element of surprise with the menu- not your typical menu which I also appreciate. I only gave it a 4 because al thought the menu has an element of surprise without pictures it's a bit difficult to know what something would look/taste like. The service was friendly attentive and fast.

Worst service imaginable. Restaurant closed at 10:45 on game day, their closing time is listed as 11 PM The hostess in the past has done her best French impression and is just rude They need to bring back Nester.

Excellent food, great service, and dreamy atmosphere! When the weather is right, sit outside!

Alpin is such a sweet little spot close to downtown. It's a very cozy atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor courtyard seating. I initially fell in love with Alpin because of their French onion soup which is on special. Most recently I tried their croque with salmon. The ingredients are so fresh and you can taste the difference! Their serving sizes are quite large so it's best to split the mains and sample the variety of goodies they offer. Highly recommend a visit!

My recent experience at this restaurant left much to be desired. The service was a letdown, and there was a messy mishap that added to the disappointment. The menu didn't offer much variety, which was a bit underwhelming as half of the menu was unavailable. This is absolutely not a place to go if you are dairy intolerant. Nevertheless, I decided to order a bowl of soup and the Chorizo appetizer. To my surprise, the soup portion was incredibly small, which was fine. Unfortunately, things took a messy turn when the waitress accidentally spilled the hot liquid from the Chorizo dish on me. It was quite a surprise, and I ended up with a bit of a mess on my clothes. What made it worse was that they didn't provide any warning about the dish's temperature as I reached to grab it from fully spilling on my clothes and burned my hand. They handed me some napkins and a small cup of water to clean up. On top of that, my friends ordered wine, taking advantage of the "buy one get one free drinks" offer. However, despite reminding the waitress multiple times, they never received their second glass until our meal was finished. To make matters worse, when the bill arrived, we were charged for all the glasses, which was definitely not what we expected. Overall, the service was disappointing, and the mishap with the spill added an extra layer of frustration. While the food itself was decent, the lack of attention to detail and the underwhelming response to the incident left a sour taste in our mouths. If you're looking for a smooth and enjoyable dining experience, I would suggest exploring other options. There are certainly places out there with better service and a greater focus on customer satisfaction. We were surprised how much the mood changed after the spill and the standoffish manor of the staff, the atmosphere is overall nice however.

I have lived in Gainesville for eight years and had no idea that this place existed. It is amazing. Everyone in my group got something different and loved their food. I will definitely be back.

This place had amazing food, but sadly the service was lacking, but only near the very end of the night. The night started out well - our server was very knowledgeable about the menu, and gave us several recommendations. We ended up going with a goat cheese dish to start as an app, and then split a quiche of the day which has veggies, potatoes, and several cheeses. Finally, to top the evening off we split a bottle of Chianti and had a basil creme brûlée which was off the chain. I can't complain at all about the dinner, I only wish we had come to dinner earlier as there were several specials that they had run out of as the evening progressed. However, the ending of the night was just rough. Around 10pm, before we had ordered dessert, we witnessed our server just leave the restaurant, apparently his shift was over. We waited a while to see if anyone would come by and take over service, but when no one did I got up and went to the bar to ask for a dessert menu. We checked it out, and waited for someone to come take our order (as I assumed by coming to the bar I had made it clear that we needed service... obviously this was not the case). Mind you, the bartender was downing several glasses of Rosé while working. I could care less about you drinking on the job, as long as you provide good service. Anyway I walked back to the bar, placed my order. Dessert was solid as stated above. Then I had to come to the bar to obtain my check. When I got my receipt, the bartender (I imagine slightly drunk by this point) charged me for the wrong tables worth of food, and didn't include the itemized bill when she gave our check back. I had to go ask her to refund our money, and then re-swipe the proper amount. It was entertaining to watch her perform these tasks while inebriated, I'll give her that. Anyway, this really ruined the whole vibe of the place for me. I'll be back to give them another chance, but Alpin should probably consider looking into their customer service, especially on a Saturday night. Pros: Food Cheese Wine selection Cons: Service

Much more than drinks!! I've never had a dinner with so many ooh's and aah's. Friday night on Gameday weekends in downtown Gainesville is BUSY, so we found Alpin purely by chance, searching for an availability. The wonderful staff seated us immediately and impressed us through the evening. They were charming and guided us through their diverse options. We had a group of three: Foods: French Onion soup, Classic Cheese Board with Brie and Guyere, Le Croque Monsieur, Quiche (bacon and pumpkin). Drinks: Papillon 75, Pink Panther, Draft Beer (Belgian super pils). Every item delighted! The bread used in the soup and on the Cheese Board was salty and fawned over. The atmosphere is intimate (seating indoor at tables or at the bar; lots of outdoor seating also) and the jazz music was loud enough to give your conversation privacy from others. We think it's suitable for large parties or couples/singles; and all ages. We will be returning! And soon! Try Alpin!

Loved the cute and cozy atmosphere! The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating as well when my friend and I went. My favorite dish was the charcuterie board with the chorizo, apple, and cheese spread. The saltiness of the chorizo balanced out really nicely with the fruits/sauce. I do wish the portions were larger, given the price, but aside from that, I would definitely recommend this place!

Just recently tried Alpin for the first time. Went for brunch and the food was some of the best I've ever had. Must try the Nutella crepe and the croque madame.

Alpin has a great selection of white and red wines (reasonably priced). Pair the wine with one of the many charcuterie boards which are assembled to perfection. The service is also great which adds to the overall experience. No worries if you can't pronounce the French items, they will help you. Alpin is perfect for a romantic evening or simply to gather with friends and family. Unique option in Gainesville.

Our friends rave about Alpin and we finally had the chance to stop in while visiting Gainesville. We had an absolutely delightful experience. There was a bit of a wait, but faster than the estimated wait time. We sat on the patio for brunch and our server was so nice. She greeted us immediately and we had drinks before we knew it. The patio was quiet enough for conversation and felt tucked away. The ham/cheese buckwheat crepe is amazing! We tried a couple different ciders that we also fantastic. Highly recommend this place and we will definitely back our next visit in Gainesville (hopefully for dinner to try the rest of the menu)!

Delicious drinks, food, and atmosphere. Not the comfiest seating arrangements and service is slow. I had the French onion soup which was quite delicious. The escargot was not particularly impressive. You can tell the restaurant cares about high quality ingredients and presentation. Just be prepared for a long wait for food.

Alpin currently did not offer any seating due to social distancing concerns, but thankfully you are still able to get takeout and if you order ahead and bring a car, they bring it right out to your car! They also give you packed cutlery if needed and were very friendly. For takeout I got a charcuterie plate with cheese, apples, grapes, chorizo, and baguette bread. They packed everything up in a box and there was plenty of food for two! It goes perfectly with red wine. I also got the quiche Lorraine which was cooked perfectly and was so flavorful. It also comes with a side salad and dressing. My friend also got a veggie quiche but it was a bit burned on top. The filling still tasted good and it also came with salad. I'm super glad that Alpin is still open and hope that they continue to stay strong through the pandemic!

My first time here was underwhelming and I'm in no rush to return. I had a drink at the bar, wine, and the chorizo appetizer. Positives: the pastis was reasonably priced, the chorizo was good, and the wine was ok. I didn't order any croques or quiches but the ones at the table next to me looked amazing and the specials all sounded great. They also have morcilla. For these things, I will likely return. Negatives: I assume the owner is French or Swiss and likes their pastis a certain way. But having lived in Paris for three years and Europe for nearly a decade, I've never had pastis with so much ice. The least you can do is ask before serving a drink that is difficult to actually drink because of the amount of ice and in a glass that makes it even harder. The server was nice but forgot our dessert order (which we didn't end up getting to eat), forgot to bring us wine we ordered for half an hour, and brought the wrong plate. I'm not sure if the server is new but this was ridiculous by the end. My biggest issue was that the wine selection is way overpriced. 58 bucks for mediocre pouilly fume and 40 for a beaujolais villages is like a sick joke. It just gets worse from there in terms of the price quality ratio. There are no decent wines at the 30-35 dollar mark. The 32 dollar Chardonnay is a 20 dollar bottle at best in a restaurant. And the worst part is that the glasses came out twice smelling like dirty water. If you're going to sell overpriced wine, at the very least, don't do it in a glass in which the overwhelming aroma is dirty water. Maybe the import taxes make it hard to sell wine cheaper, but there's no excuse for that smell. I would return for a pastis (1/4 ice) and a croques and likely be very happy with the outcome.

I recently went here for dinner with my partner and we both loved it! The atmosphere was fantastic and so was the food. It was nice to try European dishes that are not so easily found in Florida, and to have good wine paired with it. I am not a wine expert by any means but that's ok because the staff offered recommendations which I enjoyed. My favorite part of the meal was probably the Brie appetizer! And the seasonal desserts are also a must try!

Everything we've ever eaten or sipped there has been delicious. It's definitely hipster, but in a good way. In cooler weather, their little patio is nice.