Absolutely delicious crepes! We sat on the sidewalk on a perfect day and enjoyed a savory ham & cheese crepe along with a sweet Nutella, banana and coconut one. The service was great. I would come back often if we lived here. read more

C'est La Vie - Sidewalk dining. - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

We stumbled upon this spot looking for some breakfast--it has great outdoor seating and is so very cute. We were greeted by multiple waiters and felt right at home as we sat down. I wanted to try something more French (bc why not when at a French spot??) so I got the Forestiére (crepe with bacon, mushrooms, onions and cream sauce)--my mouth is watering thinking about this again. The sauce really brings it all together and was very flavorful. You also have a few options for side (salad, potatoes or cup of soup). My SO got the American breakfast on a croissant and also loved it. Potatoes were pretty standard. I would love to go back and try some of their baked goods. Overall, very pleased with our meal and would suggest. read more

C'est La Vie - Forestiére - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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The pastries are memorable, the restaurant food is ok, and the counter service is French. We will drive for or stop in to pick up baked goods whenever we're downtown. read more

C'est La Vie Indeed -- enjoyed a languid lunch here on my solo trip to Sarasota and let me tell you this place is a must-visit! The fresh hearty croissant sandwich, delicious espresso and decadent pastries are just one part of the entire French dining experience. The wait staff go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable and check in with you often (but not too often so you can still enjoy your yummy meal). Grab a table outdoors, a good book and spend a lazy afternoon eating to your heart's delight -- it's the French way after all! read more

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Excellent service and food. Although I sadly did not try the pastries, they looked amazing. Can't wait to return!

My wife and I come here when we can for the bakery. They make a great Paris-Brest. They do make a version with praline ( seems to be a growing trend ) but they also have the hazelnut which is incredible. Their breads are fantastic, and as we discovered this visit, so is the food. We started with the Foie gras which was the smoothest I have ever had. It was full of flavor but not overpowering. The blueberry confiture added a surprising complexity to the taste. As for the brioche, it had a flavor that wats delicious on its own and yet when combined, subtly seemed to disappear allowing the flavors of their foie gras to shine through. My wife had the Croque Monsieur. To think of this as just ham and cheese would be a travesty. This came out oven baked and had an amazingly enjoyable blending of flavors. Although I am usually not a fan of Swiss cheese I have to admit what they use is exceptionally good. She took potatoes as the side which were incredible. I chose the goat cheese and leek quiche with the house salad. Starting with the salad, it was wonderful. Fresh greens with tomato and onion. The house dressing was a delicate combination with clear but not overpowering ingredients (just a touch on the oily side but that is the base so I'm not complaining). For the quiche, it was very enjoyable it did leave me wanting to try the bacon and Swiss instead. The house Chardonnay was incredible. I wish I had asked by whom it was made. The Bordeaux was average, I would choose something else next time. Keep in mind we sat outside in the afternoon heat (we had our dog with us) so my choosing red wine .... Not the wisest thing I've ever done. In cooler weather I would probably think differently. As you can tell they have outside seating (on the sidewalk, street facing) which is great in the cooler months. Also, a huge plus in our books, they are dog friendly! He had his water bowl almost instantly. Lastly the pastries. We did not have room for deserts however we did take home the pain au chocolate (chocolate croissants) and the Paris-Brest. Every one of the pastries we have chosen has been fantastic so no matter what your preference is it's bound to be great. I hope you enjoy as much as we did. Bon appetite! read more

C'est La Vie - Foie gras with blueberry confiture (jam) and toasted brioche bread - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Lovely place with great food and a chill vibe. Owners and waiter/ waitress are friendly. read more

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Disclaimer: This is strictly a review of the dinner service. I have yet to try they baked goods or breakfast, which is where it appears they likely stand out. This review is just to help Yelpers learn a bit more about the dinner side of things. Overall, we were disappointed by the overall quality and execution of the dinner we had at C'est La Vie. I think part of this disappointment is due to the fact that we came in with higher expectations, but the other part is directly related. For example, we did not expect diner-style dishes or foil-wrapped single serving butters with the bread. We thought it was going to be the kind of place that had their own homemade butter or high-quality whipped butter of some sort. Once we altered our expectations a bit, we found a few things stood out among the rest. The bread itself was very good. The Boeuf Bourguignon I got was also quite appetizing. It was a good example of a rich, classic dish and was paired with seasoned pasta. The steak and frites was a little too bland and undercooked for our liking, and the brie appetizer was a bit unappetizing. The greatest disappointment, though, was the creme brûlée. Half of the sugar top was burnt to a black crisp, and the custard underneath had curdled throughout. Even for a mid-level French restaurant, I would expect the creme brûlée to be at last someone on point. Though I wouldn't necessarily recommend this place for dinner, I would like to go back sometime to experience their breakfast and pastries. read more

Really great find on my visit to Sarasota. Amazing croissants & pastries. Great breakfast and super friendly service.

Had the quiche and salad. Not impressed unfortunately. Not sure if I would go back or recommend it to others.

Went there so many times with my daughter and grandson. Excellent everything. This time I had the Paris sandwich baguette. My daughter had the same as I and my grandson had his pancakes. Lots of times we come in just for a piece of cake and coffee after we're done shopping. It's a wonderful place. The breads are fabulous, the pastry just awesome, the food is yummy read more

My husband and I went here for dinner. We made a reservation online and were seated right away once we arrived. We sat outside and were provided a high chair for my son. Our server was very friendly and gave us excellent service, helping us with our requests. The owner of the restaurant came out and greeted us, as well which was a nice personal touch. The bread basket is absolutely delicious! We ordered a Caesar salad, which we split and wish we got our own... it was the best I've ever had, and I like Caesar! For dinner we got the ribeye with fries. It was perfectly cooked and delicious! All around great meal- ambiance, food, location, service! They have breakfast and amazing looking desserts which we'd like to go back for! read more

My husband and I recently moved to Lancaster County PA. We were at the farmers market across the alley way and decided to stop in for lunch. Big mistake! We were promptly scolded for not having a reservation and told if a sit was available at the bar we could sit there. There was so we did. The bartender/ waitress couldn't have been more rude if she tried to! My husband ordered a drink but I asked for a mock tail, she recommended one and I said yes, it was so sour I couldn't drink it. My lunch came and our food was delivered by a woman wearing an n95 mask as she tried to tell us what she was delivering but we could not understand her. Our food was eatable at best. I would avoid this over priced, want -to-be establishment. read more

Love everything the owners are from Paris if you love pastries go! It's amazing pain au raison my personal favorite!

This place is amazing, very friendly staff and clean environment the pastries were delicious definitely coming back

Always delicious Have your ordered the most delicious bush de Noel from them yet You must try read more

Pastries are amazing. Dinners not so much. Beef Bourguignon was extremely boozy. Not a hint of red wine I felt like it was greasy red wine in my beef stew. Also my friend had the lamb with African seasonings. Yuck. Not tasty. French onion soup had way too much stringy cheese on it that was impossible to chew or swallow. read more

Sitting outside and enjoying coffee and sandwich or dessert is a great way to enjoy Florida's 'winter'. I pretend that I am sitting in Paris and drink a cup of coffee, lol The pastries are still good. If you come mid day the selection might be limited. Recently they added dinner on the weekend. read more

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This is an excellent restaurant. Service was also excellent. So I have been there recently on three different occasions and cuisine was prepared beyond expectations.....! Highly would recommend to anyone looking for a special restaurant . read more

My husband had the Croq' Monsieur which was great. My crepe Paysanne only had 2 tiny pieces of ham unfortunately. The baguette was incredible. Very nice and friendly service. read more

you know you're there when you see a line of people outside the door. There is seating both inside (limited) and outside. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason on seating... Find someone leaving and ask if you can take there place. The table we found was right in front of a portion of the bakery case and right on the edge of the doorway to the outside patio. So not only was it busy with people coming in and out the door but I also had several people trying to see what was directly behind me... A little awkward but it didn't stop me. There were three in my party, I ordered a bacon, sausage & mushroom crêpe with the salad, we also ordered a single salad and a sandwich with the side salad. About 35 minutes later the food arrived, mine was good - nothing spectacular but good. The real star of the show was the almond croissant that I ordered after I finished my crêpe... OMG to die for. I honestly did not want to share it. I don't know that I would go back for the food, the wait was just too long... The pastries however I will be back for. P.S. No wait to order a pastry you just walk up to the counter, tell them what you want and pay. read more

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I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet (or maybe I did already, but if ever I'm gonna update it either way since I've been here recently after a while). This cozy café is my favorite sidetrip whenever in Sarasota, even when I'm full. Their pastries are very flavorful, and their croissants are the best! (they run out so this may be a hit or miss depending on the hour). I like trying a new pastry or two every time I go, and in our last visit I got myself a lemon tart. It was definitely tart, just the way I like it. I also had a latte that paired very well. Everyone was very pleasant and the guy at the counter even helped me pick out my pastry since I wasn't sure what to get initially. Parking is a little difficult depending on the day and time, but there are street parking spots nearby as well as a small parking area next to the building. Outdoor seating is quaint but is under a tree so be on the lookout for birds on branches who might drop something in your coffee, then you won't enjoy their fabulous coffee as much. Drop by when you're in Sarasota and take home a croissant or five, you will not regret it! read more

C'est La Vie - Lemon tart, Opera - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

ALWAYS consistently delicious. Service A+ !!! Setting is lovely outside when weather permits. Inside also lovely but quainter, takes you Paris. Fave stop for cappuccino and croissant read more

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Wonderful service and food. Love the crepes (although they should put more Nutella in there). Great coffee.

I've been there a few times for pastries and it really is one of the best places for sweets. So beautifully made. Simply delicious. Perfection!!! One negative and really just a comment to management, if you're going to close for vacation leave that information on an answering machine. Let those customers, that call you, know you're closed so they don't make a trip with friends and family to only be disappointed. Really, so disappointed. read more

Desserts were good. The chocolate was better than the fruity one. Both had too much gelatin in the texture. read more

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Large selection variety of different foods. The food is good. The service is really good.!

Just picked up an an Almond Chocolate Croissant and a Palmier ( crunchy sugar pastry) to go. Super crunchy and fresh. Very nice service and most of them even had a cool French accent to go with their smiles. The breakfast, lunch and dinner menus look tasty too. read more

C'est La Vie - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Bought the Passion Fruit cake and it was sooo delicious!! Wish I would have brought more. Service was good! read more

This is my go to spot whenever I go down to Sarasota. This place is a very quaint little authentic French bakery. All the staff have thick French accents, each pastry is equally delicious, and the coffee, well I'm not a big coffee drinker, but my fiancé loves it. The outside seating allows you to sit under some gorgeous trees. The inside, is a little darker but feels like a true cafe. Getting here means walking a bit. All the parking is far out and if you find anything close, it's probably metered. Check it out if you are ever in the area. read more

C'est La Vie - Store front - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

C'est la Vie est Quelle Domage! A friend and I went there for breakfast and ordered quiches. Both quiches were blobs of melted cheese on pastry with flecks of egg and bacon (Lorraine) and unrecognizable flecks of green and red (leek and red pepper). I had indigestion the rest of the day. A lot of folks bring their pets here, which is great, but there were shards of broken glass in the planting area near the tables. So you can come here and get a bad meal and have your pet seriously injured as well. The final insult was the up charge for using a credit card. Usually you see dual prices at gas stations or deep discount stores, not at bougie breakfast places serving inedible food at $15 a plate! Au revoir! But for its location, this place would be long gone. read more

Walked in on a busy afternoon and ordered the Paris baguette - for carryout- the service was quick - and the food was amazing - this is truly a slice of Paris in Sarasota - will go back often read more

Authentic croissants as big as your head! I will be back when I am in Sarasota. Quick, friendly service. We didn't have time to sit for breakfast but I will when we return. read more

Food was good, water is terrible. Tap water isn't safe to drink, especially when it smells like sewage. Service was really really slow and poor today, and they weren't even busy. Just didn't care to pay attention, or just didn't seem to care. It seems like the new normal for you guys to ignore certain customers. We have been coming here for years, but not anymore. Get your shitty attitude and crappy services fixed read more

My daughter and I had lunch here yesterday. Attentive service and deliciously flavored meals, finished with beautiful and decadent dessert we took home. Inside decor is showing its age and plates are old type melamine(?), but glassware was nice and heavy. Food and service makes up for it. Will be back when on another Sarasota downtown visit. Would love to see inside spruced up and the extremely loud silverware station moved away from diners. read more

C'est La Vie - Light and luscious lemon tart. Pretty and pleasing passion fruit dessert. Both were amazing! - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Mettre un pied dans cet établissement, c'est comme prendre un billet aller simple pour la France, sans besoin de passeport. L'ambiance authentique du lieu n'est surpassée que par la véritable expérience culinaire française qu'il offre. Leur pièce de résistance, le Panini Toulouse, a été un véritable enchantement pour les papilles. Dès la première bouchée, le panini a enveloppé mes sens dans une symphonie de saveurs parfaitement équilibrées. Éclatant de fraîcheur, chaque ingrédient a joué son rôle à la perfection, contribuant à une expérience savoureuse qui était tout simplement enchantante. Le pain, croustillant à l'extérieur et moelleux à l'intérieur, avait juste la bonne quantité de mâche. Les garnitures étaient à une température optimale, libérant leurs profils de saveur complets sans submerger le palais. Qui plus est, le Panini Toulouse était accompagné d'une salade en accompagnement tout aussi excellente. Fraîche et croustillante, la verdure et la vinaigrette étaient un contraste parfait avec le panini chaud. Ensemble, ils ont réalisé un équilibre culinaire qui était délicieux et satisfaisant. Je ne saurais trop recommander ce restaurant pour sa cuisine française authentique et son expérience culinaire exceptionnelle. Si vous cherchez un véritable goût de la France, ne cherchez pas plus loin. Bon appétit! read more

Stopped by for breakfast, on my recent weekend get away. I had the Scrambled eggs with potatoes and coffee. Everything was fresh and hot. The eggs were very fluffy and very tasty. I took a croissant to go. The service was great. Very conscientious. There is outside sitting on the Avenue, and dogs are welcome. read more

C'est La Vie - Scrambled eggs - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Great bakery and brunch menu. We like to eat here every trip to Sarasota. Always fresh.

Five of us went out for desserts and coffee after dinner The pastries were delicious as usual, other than one, the napoleon was not the best...the custard was just ok Also they need to get different coffee, it is quite bitter None of our party enjoyed the cappuccino nor the regular coffees Will we be back...yes read more

Guy who sells pastries is rude af We asked if we can have our croissants heated up, he looked at us and just said "No". Lol, ok. After I asked if chocolate almond croissant has almond filling (not only dry nuts on the top) and he took this question too personal. Played a cheap show that he is foreigner and not knowing English as we do; he was demonstratively removing all trays with croissants and showing them to us. Like what is going on. Pastries were good though. But service comes first. read more

C'est La Vie - French Near Me - Sarasota, Florida