As we have all heard numerous times while growing up, breakfast is the most important meal of day. While this may be true, once you get to college, you quickly learn that brunch is the most important meal of the weekend. Not too far from Grounds, tucked away in the Rose Hill neighborhood, you will find a small restaurant named MarieBette often overflowing on the weekends during prime brunch hours.
We previously reviewed MarieBette and its amazing bread, but the restaurant has more to offer than its bread. MarieBette is a charming European-style bakery and cafe that serves handmade bread and pastries as well as breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch all made from seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.
Although the wait for brunch at MarieBette can be slightly on the longer side, it is absolutely worth it. Of all of the places to get brunch in town, this is definitely one that I consistently recommend to friends and would visit over and over again.
Not only is the food incredible, but the restaurant itself is charming and inviting. When you first walk in, the smell of freshly ground coffee mixes with the sweet aroma of bread and immediately draws you in. The restaurant itself consists of two parts — a bakery and a café. If the line for brunch in the café is too overwhelming, you can still stop by the bakery and enjoy some coffee and pastries for little to no wait. But, if you do have a bit of extra time one weekend, brave the wait for a relaxing and delectable brunch.
MarieBette offers a carefully crafted menu containing all of the brunch classics from pancakes to quiche to baked eggs. It’s hard to go wrong no matter what you order but every time I go, I have to order the French toast.
Of all of the classic breakfast foods out there, I have never really enjoyed just eating eggs. I know they are a staple breakfast and I’ve tried them cooked all sorts of ways — scrambled, boiled, poached, over easy — they just aren't very appealing to me. But, take a piece of bread and cook it in eggs, milk and cinnamon, and it is completely irresistible. French toast is, at least to me, the best breakfast food and possibly one of my most favorite foods ever.
As it is one of my favorites, I would venture to say that I have pretty high standards for French toast. My mom passed along a very excellent French toast recipe to me, and I am quite content with it, so if I am going to order French toast at a restaurant, it has to be extra special.
MarieBette serves an extra special French toast. It is honestly so good that I wish I could eat it every day. It all starts with two very thick slices of freshly baked brioche bread. This bread is then turned into perfectly cooked French toast stuffed with banana cream cheese. It is served topped with Nutella butter and powdered sugar.
If you are not a banana or Nutella fan, this French toast may not be your favorite. However, I have convinced a friend who does not usually like bananas to try a bite and even she thought it was good. The banana filling is not too sweet, nor too overpoweringly cream cheese flavored. The tang of the cream cheese is balanced by the sweetness of bananas and once paired with the Nutella on top, it makes for the perfect combination. This French toast is decadent and absolutely delicious. Every bite is a perfect blend of bread to filling to topping, and you can even add syrup if you need some additional sweetness.
If you have never tried MarieBette and are searching for a new brunch spot, it is definitely worth a visit. The variety of mouthwatering options are generally affordable and the restaurant’s atmosphere is comfortable and casual with subtle nods to a European-style café. The stuffed French toast costs $10 and is definitely big enough that you could take home leftovers — although there is no shame in eating it all at once.
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