Croque Madame, Madame? Your Basic Guide to French Breakfast in Sarasota

Breakfast in France is called “le petit-déjeuner,” or “p’tit dej”  in colloquial usage.  Either form translates to “little lunch.”   And with good reason.  Unlike the U.S., breakfast is not considered an important meal in France.  Le dejeuner, or lunch, is their big meal of the day.  Breakfast, if it is eaten at all, usually consists of a small portion of bread and jam—a petit-déjeuner.

But since we’re in Florida, if you feel like starting your day with a healthy petit-déjeuner, you needn’t worry about finding one in Sarasota.  There are beaucoup de places all over town!  More than simply being restaurants that include a French item (or two) on an otherwise Anglo-leaning menu, the establishments that follow proudly identify as being French, and in most instances are owned and operated by French expatriates who moved to Sarasota to open them.

1.) C’est La Vie

The first of these that comes to mind is C’est La Vie, a morning mainstay in downtown Sarasota for decades.  Owned and operated by Christophe and Geraldine Coutelle, this charming bistro, cafe and patisserie—located at 1553 Main Street—is so authentically French you almost forget you are in Florida and not dining somewhere along the French Riviera. Indeed, the Coutelle’s goal in moving to Sarasota in 1997 was to bring an authentic French bistro experience to their newly adopted hometown.  More than once, I have found myself feasting on one of their fresh-baked baguette while simultaneously craving every pastry on display in the nearby dessert case.

2.) Mademoiselle Paris

Less than a block away, Mademoiselle Paris—at 1605 Main Street—specializes in quick serve breakfast for people on the run.  This is actually the restaurant’s second Sarasota location, the first being at 8527 Cooper Creek Blvd., near the UTC mall.  A third location, serving Anna Maria Island, opened recently at 9906 Gulf Drive.  The downtown branch is open for breakfast and lunch only, while the UTC and Anna Maria locations serve dinner Wednesday through Sunday.

3.) Blvd. Cafe

A few blocks north in the Citrus Square/Rosemary District neighborhood is Blvd. Cafe, whose menu offers a variety of croissants, omelets, and delicious renditions of the popular French sandwiches, Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame.

Not really a breakfast staple, a Croque Monsieur is considered more of a lunch item in France, where it is often served with a side of fries and simple salad.   The feminized version of the sandwich, the Croque Madame, enjoys more of a breakfast association by simply including a poached or fried egg on top.  The basic ingredients of both sandwiches, ham and gruyere cheese topped with a bechamel sauce on toasted brioche, are exactly alike; but thought to be too rich for French palates before noon.  After that, apparently, anything goes.

4.) South Sarasota

In South Sarasota, the Gulf Gate shopping district offers two choices for French breakfast—each a stone’s throw from the other. These are Lovely Square, at 6559 Gateway Avenue; and L’Opera Bakery Bistro, at 2336 Gulf Gate Drive.  Also in the vicinity, though further east at 5336 Clark Road (near Honore Ave), is Rendez Vous French Bakery, whose extensive menu of traditional French breakfast and lunch favorites is also available at a second location at 2117 Siesta Drive,  across the street from the Crossings at Siesta Key (formerly Southgate Mall).

5.) Bonjour French Cafe

On Siesta Key, Bonjour French Café, at 5214 Ocean Drive in Siesta Key Village, is the go-to place for classic crepes, croissants, omelets and made-to-order breakfast baguettes.