Heritage Bakery brings a cozy French cafe vibe to their corner of town, tempting customers with the classy experience of homemade treats and fine china. Pinkies out, folks.
You can find this French-inspired cafe tucked in the front right corner of the visitor’s center downtown on 212 S. Main St., separated from the various maps and tourist info by a wall covered in toile de jouy. The red-and-white wallpaper depicts pastoral scenes of vintage country folk going about their idyllic lives as if nobody’s watching. Repeated on delicate plates around the room, the pattern celebrates the “heritage” of 1760’s French decorative style, a familiar favorite of most Baby Boomers.
Heritage Bakery is larger than a hole in the wall, but not by much. The space is cozy and intimate, meaning small with limited seating, so do not bring a party of 10 without letting them know first. Parties of one to four seem to be common, with most tables filled by 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday.
The cafe displays their menu on chalkboards hanging behind the counter. Breakfast, lunch, and kids’ options range from sandwiches to soups and salads. Every treat is made fresh daily and displayed in their pastry case for your viewing pleasure: shortbreads, sticky buns, macaroons, cupcakes, muffins, and various types of croissants, the options changing daily. Just make sure to wipe your drool off the glass.
I ordered the quiche of the day, snagging the last slice of the goat cheese, onion, and pepper quiche. My companions chose two of the croissant-based breakfast sandwiches, one with bacon, egg, and havarti, the other with spinach, egg, and havarti. Adding a cup of coffee and a pot of tea, our dine-in total came to about $26 for three.
The room feels full of life. Each cherry table hosts a small vase of pink mums, viney plants dangle from the light fixtures, and floral patterns climb the sides of teapots and teacups around the room. Outside the window grows a garden, the tri-colored beech stealing the spotlight, ready to bloom. Children’s books rest in the window sills for nostalgia and easy entertainment.
The windows are huge, flooding the room with daylight that makes for excellent photo opportunities, which most patrons take advantage of. With food so photogenic, it’s hard to resist the urge to document the occasion. Our food comes on polka-dotted turquoise china, orange wedges neatly under the toasted entrees. Our Bigelow tea is served in a large floral pot and mis-matched cups and saucers.
My quiche was just what it should be: firm, eggy, sweet on the finish, and stuffed with gooey goat cheese and veggies. The crust flaked just right, adding a nice crunch to the soft custard filling. The croissant sandwiches looked good, too, the crisp layers of butter audibly crackling with each bite.
With staff as warm as the pastries, free in-house coffee refills, soft jazz, and good natural light, this place might be a good daytime study spot in the coming weeks. The cafe is open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Occasionally, Heritage Bakery hosts high tea specials on Sundays, which require reservations. During these events, you can choose between four options, ranging $6-18 per guest, and receive a selection of finger sandwiches, desserts, scones, butter, and jam with a pot of tea. The next Sunday teas this semester are Mar. 25 for Irish Tea and Apr. 8 for Easter Tea.
Keep this spot tucked away for a rainy day, a special date, or whenever you feel that classy instinct floating your pinky up in the air.
