Chateau de Chantilly is a local French cafe on Metrotech Drive that opened in May of last year, and during its short time open has already made itself a nice comfort spot in the community. The prices are average and the wait times are actually really fast. Almost every time I’ve been, the wait is never longer than five minutes. 

We wandered around the shop for a bit, and it’s small but has a great selection. They have both sweet and savory pastries, with foods like pizza and Pigs in a Blanket being popular choices, so we opted for the pizza. We got two sweet pastries, a cream-filled donut for my friend and a strawberry and cream-filled croissant for me. We both agreed the cream was kinda too heavy and artificial, but out of all the food that was the only complaint we had, the donut itself was the perfect texture. The croissant was fresh and light, like the complete opposite of those dried-up Costco croissants. The strawberries cut the cream and bread nicely. It was agreed the strawberry croissant was a must-get, so we fought over the last bite. The tiramisu impressed me, too. A lot of times the biscuit isn’t soaked long enough, meaning you have a dry tiramisu that feels like it’s trying to suffocate and kill you with cocoa powder- luckily this was nothing like that. Most importantly- the chai wasn’t bland. All the ingredients came together really cohesively, so the food is worth the slightly higher price point. We left pleasantly surprised, most bakeries in the area just serve super dry and stale cupcakes or something. 

The atmosphere is what attracts most people here though, it’s quiet and well-decorated. The exposed brick and plants open up the small seating area, and the low lights give a relaxing look. The back even has a dim little library area, where you can sit on extra comfy couches surrounded by books (just make sure to not interact with the skater guys in their natural habitat). The displays are made with such care, the place is so well kept, and the front has a perfect sunset view- it’s a perfect place for photos. We thought it was a really cute spot if you wanted a relaxing meal and really pretty pictures with friends in one. 

I’ve been there about four times by now, and the tiramisu is still my favorite so I recommend that. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with any selection here. The place has become a popular spot for a reason, they deliver on their promise of quality pastries then go the extra mile with good service and an unbeatable interior. Chateau is one of the better bakeries I’ve been to in the area, and should be on everyone’s list of local places to try, if not for the strawberry croissant then honestly just to be an annoying teenager in the library seating area.