
Stepping into Maman and out of the busy First Canadian Place food court is like breathing a breath of fresh air. The bakery café has a simple, rustic southern French vibe that makes you feel like you may have stepped into a small piece of France. The concept is to bring southern French home-style cooking and North American childhood favourites together in one space.
It’s clear that a lot of love and deliberation went into this bakery. Maman is owned by friends chef Armand Arnal (Michelin star chef of La Chassagnette in France), Benjamin Sormonte (a hospitality entrepreneur) and Elisa Marshall (a baker and designer). For the Toronto location, they joined with Laure de la Moussaye and Othman Kacimi, friends from Montreal.
The group worked hard to bring French sensibilities to the second outpost of the popular SoHo bakery. Antique furniture was selected from France. Vintage cake stands holding tempting pastries dot the counters, while intricate blue floor tiles have been designed by a Toronto textile artist living in New York, and hand panted onto brushed concrete. The same pattern has been used on the to go cups, and the result is eye-catching.
Breakfast, lunch and cinq-á-sept (the Quebec after-work equivalent of happy hour runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.) will be served at the café. A dizzying array of pastries, both sweet and savory are available. For breakfast, buttery croissants ($2.75), chocolate chip brioche ($2.75) Greek yogurt and granola parfait ($5.00) are a few of the grab and go dishes served.
At lunch, an assortment of fresh salads and hearty sandwiches are available. Salads ($5.50) include tabule, potato salad, kale salad and many more. For a sandwiches, a traditional Croque Maman ($7.50) is covered with cheese, Parisian ham and béchamel sauce. On another sandwich, homemade focaccia is slathered with tapenade, roasted veggies and arugula ($7.50).
In the winter, lavender hot chocolate ($4.25) is sure to be a hit, but right now it’s the homemade lemonades ($2.75) that are popular. Toby’s Estate in Brooklyn provides the coffee, and tea lovers can find select Sloane teas.
You can’t leave Maman without trying a pastry. Start with their Famous Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookie ($3.50). Best fresh out of the oven (or anytime, really) these cookies are chewy with warm chocolate chunks and crunchy macadamia nuts. Pistachio, Orange and Lavender White Chocolate Blueberry cakes ($3.50) are sliced to order. Lemon and thyme madeleines leave their jar for $1.50 apiece.
Hungry patrons will be able to relax indoors at communal harvest tables that seat 20. Homemade iced tea or handcrafted cocktails are best enjoyed on their stylish outdoor patio that seats 40.