A thoroughly French café with undertones of California vibes, Emilie and the Frenchies was opened recently by Mary Jane Dean and her childhood friend and business partner, Céline. They originally met as teenagers when Céline stayed with Dean’s family as a foreign exchange student, developing a special friendship and a shared passion for Santa Cruz’s café culture.
Pen pals who visited each other periodically, they hatched a plan to open a French-style café together as a counterpoint to a successful American-style café in Nice, France, where Céline is the owner and executive chef. That plan came to fruition less than two months ago in Aptos and is run by Dean, who was born and raised locally.
She describes the space as decidedly French chic with an open kitchen, striped wallpaper and plentiful pops of artichoke green and floral pink colors. The menu is hand-crafted southeastern French-inspired salads, sandwiches and pastries. The salad highlight is a classic niçoise, and they also offer the pan bagnat (“bathed bread”) sandwich, essentially a niçoise salad named so because it’s served between two slices of tomato-rubbed bread. Pastries include madeleines (a light, buttery cookie/cake hybrid), the gluten-free financier (perfect with a cup of coffee) and the vanilla-flavored Nutella muffin with chocolate hazelnut spread spiraled throughout. Artisan coffee offerings track with French espresso beans and French flavors.
What’s your role at Emilie and the Frenchies?
MARY JANE DEAN: First off, as a local liaison that knows not only the town and the people, but also the importance of community. My background in retail management in large cities has taught me the level of excellence that you should have as a successful business, and my community-minded upbringing in Santa Cruz has brought me back to a community that I love supporting. Céline and I are excited, honored and grateful to share her authentically French cuisine.
Describe your business goals.
We make fresh food that is not fussy and generously portioned, healthy and primarily made with local ingredients. For us, we really focus on our specialty items that you can’t find anywhere else, made in-house authentically and intentionally French in every way. We want our café to be like a mini vacation to Nice, France, and to show our guests the real warmth and kindness of French people and their food.
7564 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 831-661-5139; emilieandthefrenchies.com
