Renaissance Pâtisserie
Review! Charlotte, North Carolina // French viennoiserie + patisserie + boulangerie + cafe // feels like Europe
The ELEVATOR PITCH
He’s the wise elderly French man that has Parisian chic running in his veins; wardrobe bursting with black & white, sunshine yellow & marble elegance. He has humble origins as a stand at the Farmer’s Market, and like many entrepreneurs, has since become integral to the community through the loyal support he has built around his business and brand.
And with those years filled equally of grit and celebration, comes a knowledge of the importance of the long-game and the marathon. New viennoiseries may be sprouting like wildflowers–challenging the status quo, keeping him on his toes, and encouraging innovation–but his eyes only twinkle with amusement, his heartbeat doesn’t even quicken. These young ‘uns know the hustle, but they don’t know sabbath. Churning out limited flavors on the weekends is just as important as creating an environment where people are able to comfortably gather over cake and connection.
Renaissance Pâtisserie is your destination if you’re looking for French classique. Whether that looks like the perfect treats to order for a special occasion or to eat a slice-of on their patio with a friend and a latte, or to teleport to a European street-cafe dining atmosphere without buying a plane ticket, or if you’re looking for a restaurant that offers both light breakfast bites (they have some of the best croissant sandwiches) and heartier lunch yummies (the beef bourguignon has so much flavor and such tender beef), the Renaissance Pâtisserie team really has given you so many reasons to come and spend some moolah. 😌
& here are some pastries:
Reviews on the munchies pictured above:
French Flan: a silky texture, reminiscent more of cheesecake than flan. Think a Basque cheesecake but with a crust! (rating: 7/10)
Peach Brioche: peach filling is between all of the brioche rolls, the flavor wasn’t too stand out for me, could’ve had more peach and less brioche, but the shape is cute! (rating: 3.5/10)
Chai Latte: a generous portion, but more on the sweeter side with a strong chai concentrate flavor. Don’t come here for a naturally flavored chai, but do if you’re looking for something more indulgent! (rating: 8.5/10)
Almond Croissant: double baked—they take day-old croissants, load them with almond cream (crème d’amandes), top with almond cream & almond slivers, and bake them again! They are crunchy and have a good almond flavor, but the twice-baked-ness gives it a stale texture that I’m just generally not a fan of. (rating: 7/10)
Pistachio Macaron: pistachio flavor is not too strong, with a larger hint of almond extract than I would’ve preferred. The look of the macaron is decent, but the cookie was more crackly than I preferred (could’ve been the day!). (rating: 5/10)
Plain/Butter Croissant: buttery, soft, melt-in-mouth; layers are moist. Best enjoyed on its own versus dipped in your beverage! (If you’re looking for drier & more structured laminated dough pastries, go to Vicente!) (rating: 8/10)
St. Honoré: pâte à choux and puff pastry held together by liquid sugar, topped with a creamy icing. It’s not too sweet, but since it’s served fresh from the fridge, it’s cold to the mouth and the texture was a little stale for me. (rating: 4/10)
Raspberry Lychee Macaron: the flavor profile was accurate, but it was this dessert that taught me I prefer my macarons more bite-sized. The cookie is just hard to eat when there’s so much in the middle, and I’d rather not fork & knife it. (rating: 5/10)
Opera Cake: my first Opera Cake (“L’Opéra”) and boy did I enjoy the flavor profile. It’s the kind of chocolate-y that isn’t overwhelming but is very much present. The coffee buttercream wasn’t overpowering and played well with the other elements (I could always handle more coffee). Sad notes: the cake felt crumbly and dry and the buttercream was a little too cold (I could’ve left it out a little, but who’s going to wait), so the layers felt more disparate than homogenous (like when you take a bite, it almost felt like biting into a chocolate candy with a side of cake versus a melt-in-mouth Cake™). (rating: 8.5/10)
Passion Fruit Gâteau (I know it’s one word, but they listed it as two!): the texture of this is similar to a cheesecake where the cake body doesn’t have a lot of flour, but it also doesn’t have as smooth a consistency as what you’d expect from a crème brûlée/tart filling. There seemed to be coconut flakes speckled throughout, which didn’t add or take away (I could’ve done without them, though), and the passion fruit tang is very strong (huge LOVE). I would’ve enjoyed the cake as a whole a lot more if it was the consistency of a crème brûlée! (rating: 7.5/10)
Kouign Amann: originally was going to order the pain aux raisin but saw a sign featuring this classic pastry next to the registry and the marketing got to me! Renaissance Patisserie is “proud to be the pioneer of Charlotte’s own Kouign Amann,” a pastry originating from Northern Brittany, France, and they caramelize each flaky layered croissant dough here. To me it came off very dense, and the layers were almost stale, so not the way I prefer my kouign amann’s if I’m honest (which would be tender and flaky and moist). (rating: 5.5/10)
Chocolate & Almond Croissant: the body of a twice-baked pain au chocolat that’s sliced in half with frangipane piped next to the chocolate piece. The chocolate overpowered the frangipane, so it really just tasted like a pain au chocolat decked out with chocolate chips and almond slivers to me (my husband felt like the almond came through though, so don’t let me deter you!). Not bad, but not something I personally need again. (rating: 6/10)
Vanilla Cake Pop: cute, but the frosting shell tasted like pure sugar (it’s also more like a ganache texture, not hard & crunchy) and the vanilla cake portion is also super sweet. Not my ideal cake pop or dessert—way too sweet for me. (rating: 1/10)
this is what your lunch can look like!
Honest reviews on the munchies pictured above:
Scrambled Egg & Cheese Croissant: it’s everything that makes a typical croissant sandwich that’s wrapped up in aluminum foil great, but that take a notch higher with the excellence it is served with (in both technique & ingredients). It had a great ratio of egg to croissant to cheese for me. (rating: 8/10)
Florentine Quiche: a very wonderful portion size (some restaurants can serve the most measly quiche slice). Their quiche is on the “wetter,” silkier, and creamier side of quiche with the spinach up near the top. I prefer my quiche drier, more egg-y, with the additions evenly interspersed throughout, hence the lower rating, but don’t let that deter you from ordering! (rating: 6/10)
Beef Bourguignon: makes for such a hearty lunch. The beef is very tender, the flavor had depth, the veggies perfectly cooked, and paired with the side of bread and fries, absolute perfection! Better than a lot of beef bourguignon I’ve had at fancy French restaurants for dinner. (rating: 10/10)
Pommes Frites: McDonald’s fries but better—no-joke, this will officially be my go-to place to satisfy my fries cravings 😍 (rating: 11/10)
Croque Monsieur: quality deli meats paired with cheese, in betwixt sandwich bread that can hold their own, warmly tucked under broiled bechamel. It’s a decadent experience worth every bite in texture and flavor. We were thinking next time to order the Croque Madame, which comes topped with a running egg! (rating: 9.5/10)
Cortado: a classic espresso with a touch of steamed milk; my friend really enjoyed it!
and more from the café menu…
honest reviews coming your way 👇
Bacon, Brie & Apple Croissant: the croissant itself was a little on the drier end (which I was surprised with since typically the regular croissants here are SUPER buttery) and not as flaky crispy. But! Loved how thin the apple slices were, paired with how thick and chewy the bacon was. Could’ve had a smidge more brie to hold everything together better. (rating: 7/10)
Paella: a September special, very generous on the chicken drumsticks (like 3 segments!) and the rice was super flavorful. Very satisfied as a lunch portion, but not like traditional paella in the sense that it didn’t have any crispy rice bits and felt more like risotto. (rating: 8/10)
Tiramisu: this one felt like 90% vanilla mascarpone cream and 10% the espresso soaked cake, where I’d prefer more of a 50/50 ratio. Sweetness levels were good! (rating: 4.5/10)
the RÉSUMÉ
address // 6401 Carnegie Blvd #4a, Charlotte, NC 28211
operations // Wednesday - Thursday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Friday - Sunday, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM; Monday - Tuesday, CLOSED.
⭐ owner & head chef, Sylvain Rivet, opened this location in 2018
logistics // they have plenty of parking in the lot right out front (Specialty Shops in South Park)
vibes // very warm and friendly, I’ve spotted folks of all ages; it’s great spot for a classy date. Fun fact, the Alliance Française de Charlotte meet here once a month if you’re looking to get connected with those interested in French culture or know the language.
amenities //
outdoor covered seating + tables available
2 public bathrooms (no changing tables)
water is available for self-serve
while they have a free public WiFi with password posted, it doesn’t seem to work 😢 (and if you’re looking to work from here, it can get a little cramped with the small tables and bustling storefront)
power outlets are available along the walls
menu //
beverages ($2.50 - $5.50): coffee + espresso, tea, chai, libations (wine + cocktails + beer)
viennoiserie items ($3.50 - $5.50): croissants + danishes (with vegan options!)
patisserie items ($4.00 - $8.00): Mille Feuille (Napoleon), macarons, cream puffs, eclairs, tarts + tartelettes, variétés de gâteaux (fraisiers, Opera cakes, Saint Honoré, etc.)
boulangerie items ($5.00 - $15.00): baguette, sourdough, etc.
bakery items ($3.50 - $5.50): scones, muffins, cake pops
mains ($12.00 - $20.00): quiches (Florentine, Lorraine, Provençal), salads, sandwiches (Croque Madame + Croque Monsieur options), Beef Bourguignon, Coq au Vin, Pommes (fries), soups (Ratatouille!)
recs //
For a tasteful sugar high: order the chai latte with the almond croissant
For the a chocolate fiend: order the Chocolate Brownie Bombe
For lunch: you can’t go wrong with anything, but I really enjoyed their beef bourguignon. The beef is so tender with great flavor.
site // Renaissance Pâtisserie
(updated April 2025)
more on Renaissance Pâtisserie 👇
That peach brioche is so cute I could just eat it up :P
THAT MACAROON 😩💜🩷