Amelie’s French Bakery

Little surprised to see such a big bakery and coffee house within the city. We had some tough time in choosing the items from their vast collection. We finally tried half a dozen pastries and all of them were very yummy and delicious. Don’t know where they source their coffee from, but it was very fresh and flavorful. Their café au lait is definitely one of the best I have tried. I wish we could have spent some more time to hangout there.

Loved the original NoDa location, so I had been looking for an opportunity to check out the one uptown… Valentine’s Day provided me with that opportunity.
An assortment of French macarons was sure to score me more points than Russell Stover ever could. What’s more, my girlfriend is a tiny thing, so I was guaranteed to be the ultimate beneficiary of the gift (evil laugh).
I asked for one of each and ended up with 11 different flavors. They were kind enough to go and get me some flavors from the back which had just sold out in the counter and patient enough to explain which each one was. (In retrospect I probably could have figured out the flavor of the one with the coffee bean on top).
The macarons looked amazing… the colors were so varied and vibrant. More importantly, they tasted as good as they looked. Our favorites were the cinnamon chocolate ganache and the pistachio, but all of them had their own unique charm. The vanilla bean macaroon had a pink heart on it in honor of Valentine’s Day which my girlfriend really appreciated.
At over $ 2 per, you can definitely run up a nice tab with these little things, but the gratitude my girlfriend showed me more than justified it ;) Thanks Amelie’s!

Such a unique little café (it’s actually quite spacious) with a choice of counter seating, or if you prefer a cozy sofa to curl up in front of a faux fireplace, or perhaps you like a more face to face encounter, then take your seats at a café table and sit in a pair of lucite chairs… wherever you choose to sit, amaze yourself with all the lovely and quirky décor, from crystal chandeliers to funky Mona Lisa paintings, mini Eiffel Tower models, an upside tree growing from the ceiling, and so much more… it’s totally a date spot… hangout, and they even have a private party area on the upper level… the sweet delicacies taste amazing and the coffees are just as wonderful… the service is also just as fabulous!
We only come down to Charlotte on business 2x a year, but this newly opened establishment will definitely be on our to do list for every future trip… You must stop in, it’s like an art gallery you can sit and eat in, and just relax and enjoy the amazing atmosphere that Amelie’s has created…

I’ve been wanting to try Amelie’s for a while. I’ve seen them on Unilocal 4 years ago when I first came to Charlotte but I’ve never been able to make it to one of their locations. It was just my luck that I saw this location open on my way to the convention center and they were open late so I was able to go after my meeting. First impressions, this place is huge. It’s the largest french café I’ve seen. The atmosphere is great. The quirky french décor gives it a very charming feel. Everywhere you look, there is something that catches your eye. You can even see the workers preparing the baked goods through the large glass window into their kitchen.
We tried a few small desserts and coffee drinks. First was the salted caramel brownie. It tasted good but was very sweet. Honestly it felt more like southern comfort food than french café. Next was the cream puff. It was filled a custard type cream and covered with chocolate. It was a little heavier than I expected but I still enjoyed it. We tried the bite size key lime meringue pie. That was actually my favorite bite. It was perfectly tart and the meringue was wonderfully light. And lastly was a passion fruit jelly topped with dark chocolate. The citrusy taste of the passion fruit went very well with the dark chocolate.
I ordered a the 17 oz. French press dark roast coffee which was $ 4. It was good for 2 decent sized cups of coffee. They serve it with sugar and milk on the side. It had a perfect rich coffee taste. Made me want to get my own french press.
Overall this is a great place to hang out. Come with a group and share some desserts and drinks. They even have wine and beer.

From the time you lay eyes on this little French haven you’ll feel as if you’re in France (literally). Then you walk inside and become completely engulfed in French inspired décor from towers similar to Eiffel, baker’s in those tall puffy white hats tossing dough around in the glass window of the pastry kitchen, bonjour paintings, gold furnishings, candelabras and a salivating. The bakery case is filled with all kinds of delicious goodies: eclairs, cakes, muffins, brownie bars and the most beautiful macaroons EVER. I couldn’t help but order one of each flavor:
Mixed berry
Egg nog
Raspberry
Orange
Salted caramel
Vanilla bean
Honey butter cream
Pistachio
Lemon
Salted caramel brownie
Espresso
I wish I could say any single macaroon was better than another but truth is they were all splendid. In the mood for a light snack I ordered a goat cheese brioche (warmed) along with the latte of the day; Hazelnut Praline. It was so gorgeous I didn’t want to drink it in an attempt to preserve its presentation. It was even topped with sweet praline crumbs. The brioche was excellent, just enough goat cheese to compliment to crispy sweet puff pastry. Once my sweet tooth wore off I went back a couple hours later for lunch with a few dining partners. Their orders ranged from croissant sandwich to the Pick 2 option, consisting of ½ sandwich and soup or salad, I opted for the Spinach & Mushroom crêpe with side salad. All portions were small (typical for a French bakery) but very tasty. If you’re looking for a meal that will fill you up this isn’t it however, it is definitely worth stopping in for a healthy portion of quality food.
~Christy

If you are downtown near the city center/​convention center and want coffee and a pastry come here! The coffee was great and the pastry counter looked to die for. The decorations are themed, and place is all in all a cool spot. We had the quiche of the day. It was ham and cheddar. I had two pieces of ham in my piece, and my wife only had one. This made for a large slice of egg pie, which is not what I ordered. French Press YUM. Wife’s specialty drink was good too.

We stopped here for breakfast on our way out of Charlotte.
Oh Amelie, your croissants, I wish I could make them the way you do, alas it would be too much work, and I’m lazy. The croissant was just the way it should be, just the right amount of buttery and flaky, loved taking one home. I ordered a café au lait, although they call it another name, and that was made just perfectly. My quiche was fantastic, the crust was crisp and tender all at once.
The hubs had a breakfast sandwich, at first they brought him out the wrong thing, then very quickly went back to correct it and he had his sandwich. His sandwich was served on a croissant, yum! It was huge, definitely too much of an indulgence for every day.
This is a great breakfast stop, or drop in and get a few pastries to go from their vast selection in the pastry case.

This place is really good for breakfast food. And they serve beer and wine. A super cool looking place to spend time enjoying a cup of yummy coffee. I only have it 4stars cuz I wish they had. more food options.

I have been here several times. Macaroons are to die for! Should have gotten some to go! The line can be really long on Friday and Sat nights but it moves fairly quickly, so don’t let it detour you. Lots of seating because the place is massive. Think old warehouse decorated into French Café.
Food is fresh and always delicious! Service is good with a smile!

Magnifique! Sandwich croissant for breakfast is perfect for sharing and coffee is spot on. A must go if you live here or if you are just visiting beautiful Charlotte Uptown…

Great breskfest food, salads, coffee, dessert they also serve beer and wine. Open 24 hours what else can you ask for.

First trip to the new Amelie’s was for a lunch with a friend. As others have said, it is MASSIVE. I think I spent 15 minutes just looking around, trying to take everything in. We met at 11:45, and the place was already hopping, so we quickly got into one of the two lines for food (there’s a separate one for pastries). Unfortunately, although one cashier was working our line, two cashiers were working the other line. It was really inefficient, and we had to wait forever to order.
I got the turkey and brie on a croissant instead of a baguette, and my friend got the turkey and bacon on a croissant. Both were tasty, but both of our croissants were cooked just a little too much and crumbled into a million pieces every time we bit into them. By the end, we were brushing crumbs out of each other’s hair.
However, we were able to grab a seat in front of the huge window where you can watch the chefs make all their pastries, so we got lunch and a show. We also saw a ton of movers and shakers, so this isn’t the place to go for a quiet meal. As someone else mentioned, the wi fi was non-​existent while we were there; I couldn’t even execute a simple Google search on my phone. I love Amelie’s, so hopefully this was a rare iffy experience… looking forward to giving it another go soon!

This place is unique. The atmosphere is inviting, calm, a place you want to hang out and spend some time. Service is friendly, plenty of seating, good food and outstanding coffee. Can’t wait to go back when I’m uptown.

LOVE the Amelie’s in NoDa, so was very excited for this one to open closer to our home. Came here with the plan to eat lunch (turkey brie sandwich was delicious!), drink some French press (yum!) and do some work on my laptop.
Unfortunately, wifi was AWFUL (I came at 1:30 p.m., so maybe the lunch rush was to blame?), and when I did connect, everything moved at a snail’s pace. Had to leave because I couldn’t get anything done. Be warned if you plan on working from here. (I realize this is not a review of the food/​drinks, but part of the appeal of this huge space, I thought, was the ability to camp out for several hours working.)

Pastries are good, and coffee is okay. If your a coffee lover this is not your place. If your a pastry lover then it is. Also, some of the rooms were awkwardly quiet while other rooms where playing music in the background. Maybe your thing if your studying to sit in the quiet rooms, but I prefer music playing in the background.

Nice place to enjoy a cup of coffee and have small breakfast. Lot of seating. Friendly service. Visually nice to look at. Free WIFI. Delicious breakfast sandwiches (the croissant is buttery) Very buttery but good.
Time of Visit: Late breakfast
Wait: No line, short wait for food.
Price: $ 22 [ 2 breakfast sandwiches + 1 latte + 1 iced coffee]
Service: Friendly and respectful (a lot of ma’am and sir greetings)
Items ordered:
— Breakfast sandwich ($ 5.29) croissant, sausage, egg and cheese — The eggs was nicely scrambled and not runny or too hard. Add that to the buttery croissant and I’m a happy little camper.
— Breakfast sandwich ($ 5.29) baguette, gruyère (+.75), bacon, and egg. He enjoyed the eggs and that little extra crunch on the baguette bread.
— Small (dirty) chai latte
— Large iced coffee
Would I return: Yes.
Notes:
— You order your sandwiches & drinks as the counter. If you’d like a pastry, you pick it up by the pastry showcase and bring it to the counter.
— After order they give you one of those «buzzer» devices. Keep in mind it doesn’t actually buzz. You’re to pick a table and place it on the device so someone can bring you your items.
— Keep you eyes open when you see a server in your area. Turns out some table devices got mixed up and your table number may not match what they see on their end. Having your server bring food to someone else table or find him/​her wondering around annoucing your order number.
–As much as I LOVE croissants and buttery goodness, my body sort of opposed and left me feeling a little upset. Don’t worry, my body tends to veto unhealthy foods anyway. We’ve been in an on going fight for years now. Sadly I don’t listen.

People in Charlotte must not use Unilocal much. Only 17 reviews? This place seems to get a lot of business (but the lines move pretty quickly) and, I know why, it’s fantastic.
Walking into Amelie’s feels like walking into a (very large) French café. The food is freshly made and delicious, especially the breakfast sandwiches and salted caramel brownies. And, the espresso drinks were great; in particular, the café marcotter was amazing!
The atmosphere is very nice and the place is huge, so you’ll always have somewhere to sit. Definitely worth checking out.

Favorite Amelie’s in Charlotte! The area is huge and the décor is perfect. Lots of seating and comfy sofas to choose from. There’s a little area to buy small gifts too like cute mugs and shirts. The workers were super nice and helpful when I was choosing which flavors of macaroon to get. Definitely recommend the chocolate/​ginger and the honey.

I’m not typically the ‘hit the hip/​trendy spot’ kind of guy anymore. But Amelie’s new location uptown is just a great location. Amble seating, and quick friendly service, Uptown Charlotte has needed a location like this for a casual afternoon sit-​down coffee spot for a while and this place fits the bill perfectly.

First time in after a wonderful lunch around the corner.
We ordered 2 coffee drinks and some pastries. Waited 12 minutes for our coffees to be made. Small crowd came in after we placed our order so no excuse. One guy with one assistant making hot beverages. Won’t make this mistake again.
On the plus side the café is very inviting with French décor and plenty of seating. Make sure u prepare your coffee upstairs as there is no «station» downstairs if you need extra sugar etc… that could use a tweak.
Pastries were good.

Experienced morning meal at Espresso Business nowadays. Excellent services! Excellent and delectable meals! Will surely come back!

This is a relatively new restaurant bakery that’s been reopened from a previous location downtown. Great atmosphere and great menu. Ham and cheddar quiche was barely warm but cream puff was very good. Service was slow but very pleasant. So why am I giving it five stars? Because it’s not IHOP, Burger King, Wendy’s, or another boring fast food chain restaurant. It’s a great local spot and a refreshing alternative to something other than a fast food place that you can find anywhere. BTW, the pastries and breads are outstanding!

This place looks amazing, good hot beverages, but their cake was nasty. Felt like I was eating butter

Between the tasty treats and décor… I loved this place.
The first day I went was a bit confusing as I wasn’t sure what line to get in, but it all worked out. There were so many pastries to choose from and they all looked so delicious.
I got the:
— turkey/​bacon/​cheddar quiche= a bit charred, but very delicious and didn’t taste burnt. The crust was crisp and flaky, the egg base fluffy.
— lemon tea cake = chewy and moist with a light lemon flavor, which didn’t taste artificial.
— pecan pie = wasn’t excessively sweet and thick crust.
It was all so good that I returned the following day before my flight.
The décor was so darn cute! Between the chandelier made of pots and pans, mix-​matched furniture, striped walls, the large window where you can watch the bakers… it all felt so inviting, fun and like the kind of place I’d want to spend hours in.
This a great place for all ages and for all occasions! Between the tables inside, on the lower level and outside… there’s ample seating.

What a fun spot! We are in Charlotte for a family function and found this spot while wandering around the city. The food, coffee, staff, and vibe here are wonderful. I wish we were going to be in town longer, as this would be a daily spot!

Lots to say about the new uptown Amelie’s! Foremost: I am glad it’s arrived. My office is conveniently nested 22 floors above, so it’s nice to have a new joint for grabbing a cup of caffeine in the morning. That they sell pastries and (hooray!) wine* is icing on the cake.
That said, I have mixed emotions, which are due entirely to the fact that I «grew up» with the flagship store in NoDa. I spent many a’night crammed into the original, tiny space, reading a book that I didn’t understand, pretending to be way more hip than I was. It has a special place in my bank of young-​20-​something memories and that makes the standards to which I hold any Amelie’s location very high.
Specific to this location: certain aspects of the décor feel a little forced; while others seem very natural and suited to the Amelie’s brand. The service is still getting it’s legs beneath it, which is to be expected, but of the three times I’ve been in this week, two of those times came with flat-​out terrible service. And the food menu is more limited than I expected, and a bit pricey (no real surprise there, and for the occassional treat it’s totally worth it).
Still, it’s a nice change of pace in the uptown area. And poor service and high prices be damned: I will never not crave any given one of their pastries, sandwiches, tartines, and soups. The bar area is being executed nicely, too. I think the addition of booze (wine & beer) was a very wise choice, and probably my favorite part about this new location, but that could be because I’m a wino**
In summation: the Amelie’s brand is an endearing one, and I am proud that it got its start in the Queen City. I’m optimistic that, as this location grows into its own, and some of the new-​store-​shine fades, it will deveop it’s own rhythm and character, and turn into a new favorite.
*but not before 5pm, right, suuuuure, nudge-​nudge-​wink
**okay maybe not a bonafide wino, but kudos, Amelie’s, for offering a nice place to «wine» down (see what I did there?!) after a long day in the office

Love this place. Right in the heart of uptown. Delicious pastries, sandwiches and drinks. There are tons of places to sit and hangout. It’s decorated to the nines, gives such a cool vibe. You must go if you haven’t already!

It’s been several weeks since this location opened and I was surprised that they open so early on a Sunday. Came here to get breakfast/​coffee and work on my final exam. Busy for 9am on a Sunday morning but the Panthers have a home game so I assume that contributes a good crowd. Line system is a bit confusing. If you want anything from the pastry case + coffee get in the line along the case (furthest from the door). Service is very friendly, food is yummy (ate it too quick to get pictures). I had a blueberry muffin and a breakfast sandwich on a croissant with iced coffee. Everything was delicious! Plus there’s TONS of seating so I was able to find a quiet space to do homework. I will DEFINITELY be back soon!