France Cafe is a small dine-in French  restaurant on Foothill Blvd, right down the street from Clark Magnet High School. Upon entering the store, the customer is greeted with melodious French music and the aroma of freshly baked croissants. The owner Gerard greets his customers with a friendly “Bonjour” and smile. 

My friends and I had breakfast at France Cafe before school. The restaurant was compact, with only two indoor seating areas. We all sat around one table and enjoyed peaceful French music as we waited for our food. I ordered a strawberry crepe which was crispy and dripping in strawberry syrup. The service was top notch and the hostess brought a tray of lemon water to our table. The food took a while to arrive, but the quality of the food  made up for the wait. The portions were fairly large and the price was affordable; the crepe was $7.25. A popular  breakfast item on the menu was a variety of croissants: chocolate, almond, pistachio, and butter. 

Senior Anaia Elbaz is French herself, and visits France Cafe regularly.  “Their chocolate croissants taste just like the ones at the bakery down the street from my house in Paris. Eating at France Cafe takes me back home and  fills me with nostalgia.” 

A few weeks later, I decided to go back to France Cafe after school to have lunch. I ordered the Cream of Tomato Soup, which came in a bread bowl, served  with additional sourdough bread and a side salad. I was surprised with the amount of food that I received, which was more than what I had expected. The meal was only $8.00. There were also paninis and sandwiches available, as well as a Vegan Menu with Ratatouille Provencale and and Chile served on sourdough. 

Senior Gabriela Marcucci accompanied me on my visits to France Cafe, and had eaten at the restaurant numerous times before. “I highly recommend this place because the food is really top tier quality and the owners are very friendly. Not only does it serve authentic French food, but it’s also within walking distance to Clark which is convenient,” said Marcucci. 

I was impressed by France Cafe’s quality food and excellent service, and highly recommend Clark students (and others) to dine there someday. The meals were affordable and flavorful, with a variety of options ranging from soups and sandwiches, to dessert items such as crepes and croissants. France cafe is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 7 AM to 7 PM. Au revoir!