Horace

Cinnamon rolls and pistachio buns, freshly-squeezed juices and specialty coffee, baby changing tables in the bathrooms… On a peaceful street in the center of Bordeaux, this eatery that opens at the crack of dawn is a major trump card for parents on the verge of a nervous breakdown and groups of friends strapped for cash! Who’s behind this quality spot with its blue zellige tiles, verdant plants and jars of homemade pickles? Bordeaux-native Laurent-Pierre Bordonet, the former cellar master in Pessac-Léognan, who learned the ropes under Parisian coffee roasters to pull quality beans on his Marzocco machine or make pour-over coffee with a Chemex. Not to mention how he spoils us at lunchtime thanks to chef Dylan Belmas (who used to work at the nearby Mama Shelter) with a fresh and much more locavore selection that your typical grain-heavy salads and boring bowls. As the (copious) dish of the day for example, there were Basque pork chops served pink in an herb crust with orange and purple carrots, plus roasted apricots, slow-roasted shallots and fennel mousseline, all packed with flavor and a zhoosh of salsa macha (a chili and peanut sauce) with just the right amount of spice. Finish it off with one of the house pastries available all day long, and you’re good to go! // Kelly Slatée

FEELING THIRSTY? : A short selection of organic wines (including a Bergerac blanc from the Château Barouillet, €6 a glass and €25 a bottle), along with craft Effet Papillon beers (€6 for 330 ml), freshly-squeezed juices (€5-6), Gautama teas (€4.50), chai, matcha and golden lattes available hot or iced (€5), and coffees roasted locally by Oven Heaven (€2-4).
PRICE: : Dish of the day €16-17, à la carte €25-30 (from Monday to Saturday), brunch €26 (Sunday).

Here, little ones eat the same dishes as the adults, with portions adapted to suit, there are child-approved drinks, high chairs and a changing table in the bathroom, plus a reading corner… It’s a kid-friendly affair! Babies and big kids alike are welcome here, so the taste of their times can be as good as ours.