A new bakery run by a Greenwich family originally from France will have its grand opening at 146 Mason Street on Sunday, Dec 20 (soft opening Saturday, Dec 19).
Raphaël’s Bakery will operate in the space previously occupied by Mt Kisco Smoke House.
Raphaël and Charlotte Dequeker moved to Greenwich from France 18 years ago. Their three sons – Kelian, Bastian and Titouan – will all lend a hand in the bakery and coffee shop. Kelian studied computer science in college and set up the bakery’s website to accommodate online orders.
“I’m the third generation in my family doing pastry,” Raphaël said this week as the final touches were being made to the new shop.
He said when he was growing up there was a family pastry shop in Brittany, France.
“I remember my father getting up at 3:00am to go to work,” he recalled.
In fact, he said his first memory was of cutting strawberries on Christmas Eve. Later, he said he would work in the bakery on weekends and vacations.
Devotees of the restaurant Valbella in Riverside may know of Raphaël as he was responsible for their mouthwatering pastries since 2002.
“My parents moved her 25 years ago,” Charlotte said. “We were visiting when they said the restaurant (Valbella) would have you as a pastry chef.”
And while Covid has stymied many restaurant operations, Raphaël said the pandemic was the impetus for opening his own bakery.
“The stars aligned,” he said of the space opening up on Mason Street. “The minute we saw it, we knew it was the perfect location.”
The spot on Mason Street, next to Myrna’s and Doppio, has plentiful parking, including a row of metered spaces in front, and a municipal lot next door.
Raphaël said everything will be baked on site, using only the finest quality ingredients, including Les Moulins de Paris flour imported from France. Even the Bongard oven is from France.
“The focus will be on bread – baguettes, varieties of croissants and brioches,” he explained. “The plan is to offer the best baguette around.”
Coffee will be from Shearwater Coffee, which is organic and Fair Trade. Options include espresso, cappuccino, Americano, and drip coffee.
Raphaël said after working behind the scenes in the restaurant, he looked forward to interacting more with his customers.
Toward that end, the store is arranged for customers view the baking process and breathe in pleasing aromas.
“It’s as if you would find in a village from France,” he said. “That’s what we’re trying to duplicate.”
In addition to baguettes, croissants and brioches, Raphaël will make macarons. The menu features pistachio, chocolate and “Macaron à la rose,” which is a rose flavored macaron.
“Some people will come just for the macarons,” Raphaël said.
The French Viennoiseries include croissants, pain au chocolat, almond croissants and several varieties of brioche.
Pâtisseries include eclairs, chocolate chip and walnut cookies, and “Coco choco,” which is chocolate mousse cake with a delicate flavored coconut cream and a hazelnut crunchy bottom. Is your mouth watering yet?
Diane Roth from Allied Property Group, who worked with the Dequekers, said she encouraged the landlord to offer a favorable lease package.
“The idea was to help a local family from Glenville open up this wonderful bakery,” she said. “This is what creates a successful community of businesses.”
Raphaël’s Bakery
146 Mason Street
Greenwich, CT 06830, US
Tel. (203) 485-0450
[email protected]
Hours:
Monday closed
Tuesday 7am – 4pm
Wednesday 7am – 4pm
Thursday 7am – 4pm
Friday 7am – 4pm
Saturday 7am – 4pm
Sunday 7:00am – 2pm