Ooo La La
European-style cafe sets up Dallas with espresso and late-night hours
A cafe concept from Atlanta is coming to Texas with a proposition so old, it feels new again. Café Intermezzo aspires to recreate the experience of an old-school European coffeehouse, with an elegant atmosphere, walnut bar, white tablecloths, and polished-brass espresso machine providing the ambience of 19th-century Europe.
The cafe will open its first branch in the DFW area in Plano at the Shops at Legacy, in the former Bachendorf's space at 7401 Lone Star Dr.; it will open in early 2018.
Café Intermezzo was founded in 1971 by owner Brian Olson who was inspired by trips to Europe where he encountered the Europäische Kaffeehaus (European coffeehouse) serving as a place to stop and relax. There are four branches in the Atlanta area, including one at the Atlanta airport. A location is also opening in Nashville in late 2017.
The vibe is kind of Moulin Rouge meets Le Fouquet's with espresso drinks, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, late-night hours, and a full bar. They're noted for having numerous drink options, from hot chocolate with hazelnut to caramel lattes. They put out an epic dessert display that includes cheesecakes, layer cakes, tiramisu, fruit tarts, and pastries.
There are salads, pastas such as tomato basil linguini, sandwiches like the Monte Cristo, and breakfast including benedicts, omelets, and French toast. The menu includes French onion soup, chicken salad on a croissant, six kinds of crepes, cheese plates, and charcuterie platters.
Serving as manager will be Javier Montemayor, who is in Atlanta learning the ropes. He knows the Shops at Legacy well; he was previously managing partner at Seasons 52.
"When Bachendorf's vacated that space a couple months back, the owners of Intermezzo decided it would be a good opportunity," Montemayor says. "Dallas was on their radar. It's a totally cool concept, and there's nothing else like it."
The cafe's goal: to fulfill everyone's needs, whether that's a quick pastry and coffee or a full dining experience.
