Cocotte

Description: Authentic artisan French bakery and cafe in Cornelius serving a pastry case full of laminated favorites like croissants, pain suisse, and a cinnamon roll, plus macarons and classic patisserie. The menu goes beyond sweets with breakfast items, quiche, baguette sandwiches, and cheese and charcuterie boards, so it works for a quick pastry run or a slower sit-down lunch. Espresso and signature lattes round it out, and the overall vibe is a European bakery stop that feels more like a destination than a convenience pickup, especially if you arrive early before items sell out.

Comments: Shout out to Alicia S. for finding this spot and being the source of all this good information! This place is so authentically French that some of the staff speak French, one of the owners is French, French conversation hours are hosted here by local language academies, and most people who've visited praise the food and pastries for being legit French (sorry Amelie's, I love you as a place to hang out but there are Frenchier French bakeries around town).

Another thing to love about this place is the teas. They serve Harney & Sons, which is about as good as it gets when it comes to tea brands used by businesses. The place is co-owned by the couple Alexandre Darbousset and Angela Yeo. The two spent years planning the bakery after moving to the Lake Norman area and noticing there were no authentic French bakeries around. Alexandre brings traditional French baking techniques to the business, and they even source their flour from a French flour mill, Grands Moulins de Paris, to keep things legit. Also, while it's not a traditional French pastry, they have cinnamon rolls, which I deeply appreciate 🙌🏾🙏🏽.

Speaking of authentic French bakeries in the Charlotte area, another one worth checking out is Mado Bakery and Cafe in Rock Hill. It's owned by a West African couple that lived in France for years before moving stateside. It's also great!