I have a foodie confession; I went to La Farm Bakery in Cary three times in eight days. After reminiscing about my trip to Paris and craving a French macaron, I was on a mission to find an authentic French bakery. Perhaps it’s the European atmosphere that keeps drawing me back to La Farm Bakery or maybe it’s the amazing food and coffee. The café is always bustling with customers and the smell of fresh baked bread fills the air.

Similar to a French boulangerie, breads, pastries, tarts and other baked goods are on display as soon as you walk inside. Under the guidance of Master Baker Lionel Vatinet, breads are baked daily at La Farm Bakery. If you’re indecisive like me, you will certainly have trouble deciding on a bakery purchase. Thank goodness for the bread samples to help with the decision making process.

I highly recommend the white and dark chocolate scone and pain au chocolat, two of my favorite sweet treats. The pain au chocolat has a flaky crust that melts in your mouth. But wait, what’s even better is that this croissant is filled with Belgian dark chocolate. If you are looking for another treat, the white and dark chocolate scone is divine. Made with imported Belgian white and dark chocolate, this buttery scone is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. I planned on taking half of my scone home, which definitely didn’t happen.

Since we are on the subject of sweets, I’d like you to meet my latest indulgence. Close your eyes and imagine biting into a layer of rich, smooth chocolate ganache between two airy chocolate cookies. Elliot Acosta from eatRaleigh and I have embarked on the Greater Raleigh macaron hunt. Please spoil yourself with a chocolate French macaron (or three) from La Farm Bakery, you’ll thank me later.

You will definitely want to linger in the café at La Farm Bakery. Sip on a latte as you enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the café. La Farm’s coffee bar uses locally roasted beans from Counter Culture Coffee. The latte art is also incredible and the baristas have surprised me with a Rosetta, leaf and heart.

Bread and cheese are staples in the French diet and you can get the best of both worlds by ordering the croque monsieur. Layers of thinly sliced ham, gruyere and mozzarella are served on toasted La Farm bread. Perhaps the best part of the sandwich is the golden brown, bubbly cheese on top of the bread, which is coated with mornay sauce. The croque monsieur is remarkable and will make any cheese lover’s heart skip a beat.

La Farm Bakery is dedicated to using fresh local produce in all of their recipes when possible. With a menu changing with the seasons, you’ll have to pay La Farm Bakery more than one visit. Maybe you’ll love it so much you’ll go three times in eight days too!

Written by local Foodie, Kristen.