Le Petite Patisserie

Tucked up in the theatre end of Little Bourke Street amongst the oysters and the parmas is the tiny Le Petite Patisserie – the little pastry shop. This new cafe lives up to its name, the front room is a narrow space with one small table (that was snatched up by a hungry French taxi driver), and a little further in there’s more seating down a small set of stairs, surrounded by fresh flowers and French baking books.

Word of warning: the name is not the only thing that is le petite here – the menu is also on the small side. They had three items on for lunch making it a rather easy decision. If you don’t like the meatball baguette or savoury pastry then soup is your only other option, however the menu changes daily to suit the kitchen.

I sat down and ordered my soup and a bottle of peach soda and pondered the atmosphere. Would you bring your boss here to broker a deal? No. Would you bring your sweetheart here to propose? Despite having a French window scene painted on the wall and pretty pots of flowers, no. Would you bring Aunt Flo here for her yearly pilgrimage to see her Melburnite niece? Bingo.

Despite feeling a little like a cafeteria (Elton John on the loudspeaker didn’t help) the small selection of food is clever. Yoghurt, cumin and chickpea soup was surprisingly tasty thanks to generous pearls of barley swimming on the bottom and topped with a rich burnt butter. For a pastry shop, I would have liked something a little more imaginative then the unbuttered white bread that came with it.

The counter is full of traditional French pastries, and if you are ever stuck for ideas as to where to satiate your pistachio Madeline soaked in syrup craving, then Le Petite Patisserie is your place.

LE PETITE PATISSERIE
24 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
9663 4484
Open every day 6am – 6pm