Opening three restaurants within two months is sort of a crazy thing to do, but that is what Chef Gavin Kaysen and his team is doing with two Bellecour locations and a new outpost in Naples, Florida.
I stopped in to the new Bellecour at 50th & France in Edina on Tuesday morning, where it was already bustling. The pastries are the same as what you saw in the former Cooks | Bellecour, but the hot food menu is different. The French onion soup that I loved so much at the original Bellecour in Wayzata is on the menu, as is a smoked salmon tartine that I tried for a light breakfast/lunch. Beautiful seeded toast with a light spread of fennel cream cheese ($15).
The design is much lighter with lots of light bamboo and tan colors. I dig the 12-piece map of Place Bellecour (the cafe’s namesake location in France) behind a lounge area with oversize chairs meant for lounging and maybe working as there are many outlets here, too. Gavin told me that was hanging inside the Bellecour in Wayzata, he’s kept it in his garage waiting to revive Bellecour. It looks perfect below:
Kaysen’s wife, Linda, is a talented interior designer, and she collaborated with Minneapolis-based Shea Design to create the vibe in here. With floor-to-ceiling windows, the cafe feels bright and airy.
The coffee shop opens at 7 a.m., and the menu expands at 10:30 a.m. with a breakfast sandwich, french toast, quiche, omelette, and more.
“This outpost of Bellecour is all about accessibility, community, and joy,” said Kaysen in a statement. “It’s a place where people can drop in multiple times a week for a casual morning coffee or a leisurely midday break.”
Bellecour will open in the North Loop as a more refined full-service restaurant, likely in early December. The Merchant Room will open to the public the second week of December as part of the Four Seasons resort, Naples Beach Club, in Florida.
Bellecour, Open daily 7 a.m.-4 p.m., 3934 Market Street, Edina, bellecourmn.com
