La Colombe is the anti-Starbucks. There are no sugar-free Venti lattes, no big comfy living room chairs and no pre-packaged salads or pillowy-looking muffins labeled "reduced-fat." It's an authentic European cafe experience, with a minimal menu and simple decor. Most Saturday morning regulars of the yuppie Rittenhouse square crowd are happy with nothing more than their copy of The Wall Street Journal and a cup of La Colombe's top-quality roast. But the cafe offers a small selection of delectable pastries that should not be overlooked. As the attractive barista pours your coffee into a hand-painted Italian mug, you'll be tempted by the bakery offerings in the small case before you. Give in and let the carb lover in you try one (or a few...). We did, and they did not disappoint.
La Colombe's muffins, danishes and croissants aren't made in house, but at the four-star Lacroix restaurant in the Rittenhouse Hotel across the street. Although the least classically European of the offerings, the banana muffin was incredibly moist with tasty chunks of ripe bananas. The top was beautifully browned and dusted with cinnamon and sugar -- it's the best part of a muffin, obviously, as we all learned from Seinfeld. The almond croissant was another favorite, the inside buttery and still a little warm with a hint of almond flavor, topped with toasted almond slices and lots of powdered sugar. You'll definitely savor every remaining flake of pastry left on the plate after the croissant is long gone. The cinnamon twist pastry also had the ideal balance of flaky and moist, rivaling that found at Dunkin' Donuts.
So relax and enjoy your coffee and carbs at one of the small wooden tables, catching up and rehashing the exploits of the night before. Even though the line reaches the front door, no one gives you attitude for taking up a table for too long at La Colombe. People seem to sit here all day, refilling their coffee cups (for 50 cents) every so often, reading, studying or clicking away on laptops. Take advantage of the European vibe, and forgo that egg-white omelet at Izzy's next weekend. Head to La Colombe, where a simple pastry makes the perfect breakfast. You'll also relish the fact that there are no fellow hung-over Penn kids hovering over you until you finish eating, waiting to snag your table.
La Colombe Torrefaction
130 S. 19th Street
(215) 563-0860
www.lacolombe.com
