Vicente Bakery & Bistro
Review! Charlotte, North Carolina // coffee + viennoiserie // feels like Europe
The ELEVATOR PITCH
If Vicente embodied a person, he’d be tall & suave, with a firm handshake, eyes that sparkle with innovation, and a transparency that makes him so easy to talk to.
Upon walking in, your eyes immediately shoot to the sky-high ceilings, then you’ll ping-pong around to the other industrial accents: cement-block walls, black & white checkered floor tile, metal stools, exposed light bulbs, welded tables, blackboard menus, open glass pastry displays… Each element is sharp and cold, juxtaposing against the warmth of the sunlight flooding every crevice, the kindness of the staff who are full of smiles, and the fragility of the pastries donning their flaky butter dresses and intricate accessories.
Then the open production kitchen comes into view when you’re in the queue, breaking down any barriers that would’ve existed between you, the customer, and the staff. Suddenly, you’re no longer an observer but a participant of the meticulously choreographed dance that is running a bakery of yeasted, laminated doughs.
And the head choreographers? They can be spotted frequently on-site. Sam & Guillermo (Sam is the master pastry chef!), the owners of Vicente, have North American and Venezuelan roots, a dash of Argentinian lived experience, and such a unique story. If you’re ever stopping by, be encouraged to get to know them.
Vicente currently sells the most authentic croissants in Charlotte proper, so if you love pastries you need to try them out!
what we’ve gotten to try from the menu! honest reviews below :)
Ham & Cheese Croissant (menu staple): I love Vicente’s Ham & Cheese for the sole fact that the lamination air pockets are BEAUTIFUL (no cavernous emptiness here!). What would make it my all-time favorite though, would be more flavor in the ham and cheese. It felt a little bare-bones in seasoning zhuzh compared with other ones I’ve had around Charlotte; but the structure of the croissant dough still makes it worth ordering! (rating: 7.5/10)
Dulce de Leche Croissant (menu staple): Caramel things are usually not my first pick, but these are supposedly a classic so I stepped out of my comfort zone and by golly, it was delicious! Not too sweet, and almost faintly reminded me of chocolate… highly recommend this, especially if you love dulce de leche! I could see this pairing SO well with a coffee. (rating: 9.5/10)
Spinach & Feta Danish (menu staple): it’s the kind of spinach-feta combo that is like 80% feta creamy and 20% spinach; a yummy savory (with a great amount of filling to boot) that we always lean towards if none of the specials pique our interest. (rating: 9/10)
Almond Croissant (menu staple): the first time I’ve seen an almond croissant in danish form, and I gotta say, I don’t think I enjoy the danish vehicle for the almond croissant concept. There didn’t feel like there was enough frangipane, and it was all lumped in the center versus evenly distributed. The frangipane is relatively almond-y, but felt like that flavor came from almond extract perhaps? The almond slivers weren’t toasted enough to give off that “delicious toasted nut” flavor, but were crunchy and crisp. Not my favorite from Vicente, but at least it wasn’t overly sweet! (rating: 4/10)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Croissant (menu staple): the first “Le Crookie” in Charlotte, and it’s a delight to eat! The cookie dough isn’t too sweet and is soft and “sandy” (“sandy” like raw cookie dough, so like a pleasant “sandy”). The croissant shell is Vicente’s classic structured layers that lean more “dry” than “buttery.” I love how Vicente’s take on this croissant x cookie hybrid is not overly indulgent, making it a worthy candidate to pair with your morning coffee! (rating: 8.5/10)
Tomato & Cheese Danish (special): felt like what I would imagine the viral tomato puff pastry tarts to taste like. It had the savory flavor of a mini pizza, but more refreshing and light with the juicy tomatoes, pesto notes, and flaky croissant dough as a crust. And I loved how much cheese was broiled and blistered on top! (rating: 10/10)
Hot Honey Monkey Bread (special): wasn’t sure what to expect, but was met with surprisingly a lot of flavor! There was hot honey cheesy subtleness woven throughout the bread (the spice was “barely there”), so eating it plain it was decent. But you can totally level this up by using it for a breakfast sandwich or lathering it with butter. (rating: 7/10)
Cappuccino Cruffin (special): every weekend, Vicente has a different cream-filled cruffin, and this time it was a lightly sweet, airy-bodied cream with the exact cappuccino flavor essence that my mom’s favorite cappuccino cake from Golden Delight Bakery carries. Needless to say, this was a winner for me! It scratched my brioche-doughnut-with-cream itch. (rating: 9/10)
Blueberry & Cream Cheese Danish (special): every weekend, Vicente also offers a different fruit-filled danish (either compote or whole fruit). This blueberry compote felt so genuine and full (like no fillers and was just pure blueberry), and it slept on a cream cheese mixture that was the perfect blend of tart and sweet. Amazingly executed, I didn’t feel “desserted out” at all. Count on Vicente to make sweet pastries that even a girl with a strong savory breakfast palate (me) can handle and love! (rating: 10/10)
Breakfast Sandwich (menu staple): you can always choose to order a breakfast sandwich anytime before 11:00 AM; and here’s what I chose to have on mine! I was super satisfied with everything on this: the bacon was crispy but not burnt, the egg was flavorful and cooked to the perfect level of doneness, the cheese was melty, the dijonnaise added the perfect amount of richness, and the house made croissant was tender and slightly crispy with a satisfying “give” when you bite into it. My only mini critique—wished there was an option to add caramelized onions or arugula or some other awesome veggie to round the whole thing out! (rating: 9.5/10)
& many other bakery visits ❤️
the RÉSUMÉ
address // 2520 South Blvd Suite 108-B, Charlotte, NC 28203
operations // Tuesday - Sunday, 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM; Monday, CLOSED.
logistics // they have limited garage parking right behind the store & street parking available right in front of the store; but the highest parking success rate for me personally is parking in the lot near Penn Station and Stable Hand and walking over!
⭐ come earlier than later, than have sold out before! Pastry offerings sometimes vary depending on what time of day you’re visiting
vibes // younger crowd (20’s - 40’s with young kids); the crowd turnover is high since there’s limited seating + everything is served in to-go containers; lots of natural light comes in courtesy of the floor-to-ceiling windows
amenities //
2 public bathrooms (no changing tables)
free public WiFi with password posted, but no power outlets available so don’t plan to stay long
menu // flavors have Venezuelan and Argentinian roots
beverages ($4.00 - $6.00): coffee + espresso, cold brew, chai
viennoiserie items ($14.00 - $17.00): various croissants & laminated dough creations (they have a base menu that’s consistent every day + tons of specials on the weekends)
bakery items ($14.00 - $17.00): scones, brioche, muffins, cookies, brownies, alfajores (!), etc.
mains ($10.00 - $14.00): flatbreads, empanadas, & lunch/breakfast sandwiches
recs //
their weekend specials are always worth the try
the breakfast sandwiches are LOADED and so warm and satisfying
every pastry is true to flavor, and by-golly, the croissants are all things flaky and buttery, with no empty caverns inside… you really can’t go wrong with anything here!
site // Vicente Bistro
~ cath!!
Love that *whoa* at the end XD
I'm gonna need to experience this firm handshake for myself...