Le Petit Mitron

A non-traditional work schedule sometimes has its plusses. A day off during the week can be perfect for doing the things that everyone else saves for the weekends. Sometimes though, it can bite you in the ass. Take today for example. It’s the Fourth of July. The whole country is on holiday to celebrate the birth of the nation or perhaps just to worship the charcoal grill and picnic table. It’s also Wednesday. As that’s my regular day off, it’s the (bad) luck of the draw that I miss out on an extra day off. To take my mind off of it and to make the day a little special, my wife and I headed out for a short ride this morning, dogs in tow, to Narberth's Le Petit Mitron.

Narberth is a strange town – its own independent, crunchy little enclave surrounded on all sides by the blue bloods of Lower Merion Township and the eastern Main Line. It seems an odd yet somehow perfect setting for Le Petit Mitron, one of the closest things the Philadelphia area has to a real Parisian pâtisserie. The selection of branded candies and cookies, imported chocolates and an overly ample floor to counter ratio mark the shop as clearly American. But the qualities of the items crafted in-house bring it pretty darn close to the real thing. Proprietors Patrick and Isabelle Rurange and their young, amicable staff produce a lovely array of pastries and artisanal chocolates. Their traditional baguettes, rolls and other loaves are baked daily from dough imported from France.

Grab a proper cup of café au lait (brewed with La Colombe beans) and a buttery croissant – or perhaps the more decadent double almond and chocolate croissant – and your day is off to a good start. Just don’t miss the lovely Napoleons, Opera cakes and fruit tarts for later.

Le Petit Mitron
207 Haverford Avenue
Narberth, PA 19072
484-562-0500