Ghyslain – Westport Village

OMG!!! Hands-​down one of my favorite lunch spots! I don’t think you can go wrong ordering anything on their menu or any gelato from the ice cream case. If you’re in a really good mood go ahead, splurge and get a bunch of truffles. If you’re in the doghouse get a bunch of truffles for your wife/​girlfriend. You will soon be forgiven for all wrong.

I stopped in here twice within two days and love it. Once was for carry out for cappuccino and some chocolates. They have a very nice selection of chocolates and gelato. The second visit was to actually have lunch and I must say the white chicken chili is unbelievable. It was recommended by my server and is probably the best chicken chili I’ve ever had. I also got pretty excited to see the selection of gourmet salts available on the table so I had some fun mixing and matching my dipping oil and bread. This is a great place for a casual lunch with a European flair. It’s also a great place to stop in for some dessert or for a quick sweet to go.

Decent neighborhood café with slightly above average food for the area. The space is a little large and service was just ok when I was there, though Ghyslain was very kind with our requests for substitutions. Their pot pies look especially tasty, so don’t miss that. Portions are enormous for breakfast orders and salads, so come hungry. Prices edge slightly higher for its genre in the Louisville suburbs.

Was satisfied with my first time to Ghyslain. French press was amazing. I had the breakfast croissant which was flaky and delicious. I’m not even a ham and cheese fan and I enjoyed. My boyfriend and I split the California salad with chicken breast which was excellent. The pecans make the salad. Very busy and under staffed but once you look past the service the food was good.
Server was less than desirable.

Are you ever angry at yourself because you didn’t try restaurant sooner? That’s pretty much what happened with my experience at Ghyslain.
I made my way here the way many first timers did.. . Wild Eggs was way too packed. Actually, my girlfriend and I walked across to the Olive Oil shop to buy a tasty balamsic vinegar and the woman there told us about how good the food was at Ghyslain.
We took her advice, I kind of wanted to try the place out already, and we walked across the parking lot.
While Wild Eggs was a hour wait. There was no wait here.
*Coffee And Pastry*
First things first. Anytime I go somewhere that has good coffee and delicious flakey pastries, I’m a happy camper. Which Ghyslain does.
We started breakfast off with a pot of coffee in a French press and an almond pastry. I had my eye set on the chocolate almond but someone ordered the last one right before me. Next time my elusive baked good, next time.
The coffee was strong and actually had flavor to it (not always the case at many restaurants) and the pastry was crispy and flakey on the outside but soft on the inside. Perfect.
*Breakfast*
My girlfriend ordered the classic breakfast and I ordered the sausage egg sandwich on brioche.
Both were delicious. Again the bread on both breakfast plates was perfect. Crispy, flakey and soft on the inside. I guess I would expect this at a place that bakes their own goods.
The red potatoes served with the meal were also really good.
Oh and we might have also eaten a crêpe. I know I know, I’m fat. Get off my back. It’s my cheat meal for the weekend.
We had the sweet crêpe which was loaded with fruit (bananas, berries) and nutella and topped with whipped cream.
The sweet crêpe was good but not overly sweet. Sometimes if you go to a big chain that makes crepes. They’re loaded up with so much sugar that you aren’t able to appreciate the different tastes of the other items inside the crêpe. There was enough nutella, but not too much, and complimented the taste of the fruit rather than over powering it.
As a sort of side note. I’ve read a few reviews on here and people have complained about the service. For me personally, I don’t need a person coming up every second to bug me with «everything ok?» As long as I have water and coffee and my food is brought to me, I’m good.
I’m also ok with the meal being a little slower, which it was. If I’m going to sit down and eat at a restaurant. I’m there to converse with the people around me, to hang out and enjoy the meal. To take in the experience. I’m not there to get my food shoveled into my face and get out within 30 minutes.
All in all, it was a great breakfast. The service was good, food was excellent and the presentation was well done. My girlfriend and I were both happy that we gave it a try. I’ll probably opt to go there opposed to Wild Eggs for a while. Flavorful coffee, flakey pastries and a solid line of delicious breakfast foods has me sold.
If you haven’t tried this place out yet. Do yourself a favor and do it.

While on a road trip, a friend recommended that we have breakfast at Ghyslain. Never one to doubt my friends, we headed there on our last morning in Louisville.
We were seated almost immediately. Our server started off strong, but things took a turn as the restaurant got more crowded and we were forgotten for a bit.
I had the breakfast croissant, which was heavenly. The croissant was buttery and flaky, a perfect foundation for the salty ham and creamy Swiss cheese. Quite honestly, it’s not something I would typically order, but I’m so glad that I did.
My husband had the French toast and said that it was good, though he didn’t share any with me. Rude. :)
He had a macaron before we left and we also took a piece of carrot cake with us. Both were really good, though I wish we’d eaten the carrot cake when it was more fresh (rather than riding in our car for several hours).

We’ve come in here for iced coffee and almond croissants in the summer before but never for a sit down meal. Their menu is great! We got the Quiche Lorraine and Italian Baguette. Both entrees were delicious! Well seasoned. Not too salty. The sides we picked were Mac and cheese and duck fries. The Mac and cheese came in a small pot and crunchy bread crumbs on top. The duck fries were crunchy and came with an aioli. Both were delicious!!! Wonderfully flavorful. Not too salty. Can you tell I don’t like a lot of salt? Haha
One warning. The food we ordered was very very heavy. The Italian baguette had pesto and aioli on it with cheese. The quiche as all quiche was very cheesy and buttery. Having the Mac and cheese and fries on top of that was a little too much. If you’re all about balancing your meal, I would get salad with a heavier entrée or a salad entrée with a rich side dish next time.
Service was friendly or neutral and fast.
Definitely coming back here!

This was my fifth visit here & I was disappointed. They weren’t crowded but the noise level made conversation difficult. I had the chicken pot pie which, in the past, has been very good. This time it was almost runny versus creamy.
I will probably go back but not very soon.

We visited the location in Westport village. It’s a cute little spot: very minimalistic inside with cute café style wood tables and a bakery display at the front with desserts beckoning to the masses.
The fare here is French and they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. We arrived at noon on Friday and breakfast was still on the menu which was great.
I ordered a Sprite which came to me in a refresco bottle (in my opinion the best kind) so I was pretty stoked to drink it. Their drinks come with nugget ice which is crunchy and fun.
My breakfast partner ordered the mocha. I’m sorry to say it really wasn’t worth the price. $ 4 for a very small mug and it was mostly foam. The flavor wasn’t very chocolatey or robust.
I ordered the Italian baguette. It included pesto, chicken, tomatoes, basil and Parmesan on a baguette. While the chicken was very tender and the pesto creamy and mellow, the Parmesan was thick, chewy and heavy. The baguette was fine but nothing out of the ordinary way.
I also ordered duck fries which came in a huge serving. They were tasty and the duck fat gave them a nice flavor.
I tried the BLTE and the «roasted red bliss potatoes.» The BLTE was very average. The potatoes were actually very tasty — seasoned very well with olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs– However, they weren’t all thoroughly cooked! Oddly, once they cooled off a bit, they were rather bland.
It took some time for our food to come out as well. The service was however very friendly and accommodating. The different salts on the table were a welcome novelty.
Overall, we were a bit underwhelmed. There was nothing exceptional about anything we ordered and for the price– which runs a bit higher than others places of similar fate– we were expecting better.
The desserts however are very rich and tasty and the gelato quality is excellent. So don’t leave without some sweets. They’ll make your trip worth it.

I really love the Nulu location and so I was looking forward to trying the Ghyslain in Westport Village. Unfortunately, I was a little less than impressed.
It was Saturday morning around 11 and they were a little busy but nothing too crazy. We were greeted promptly and seated but the hostess and server were not especially friendly or helpful. They almost seemed annoyed that they had another customer.
I ordered a dark roast French Press coffee that tasted so rich and lovely. I enjoyed every drop of it. The price was on point too– $ 2.73. We then ordered French toast with sides of bacon. They split the French toast order on 2 plates and then we each had 2 slices of thick cut bacon and a side of fresh fruit which was 90% melon. It was good, but nothing remarkable. When we got the check, the side of bacon was $ 4. A bit steep. Overall, not a bad experience but not the wonderful experience that I had at their other location.
My recommendation– if you can– go to the Ghyslain on Market Street and get dessert and coffee.

My favorite breakfast spot in Louisville. Great pastries, pancakes and French press coffee. Medium roast is one of the best coffees in town. Don’t forget their other location on Market.
We also use their bakery pick up desserts for events on a regular basis. Love this place

Best cobb salad in the Ville. The shallot vinaigrette was delicious without being overpowering. It was full of all the toppings that make a Cobb salad delicious. My daughter had the charcuterie platter and it was also delicious and had great variety, the pâté was spicy. The fig preserve was sweet and rich. It came with plenty of fresh
husband had the French dip and it was also delicious. Finished the meal with robust French pressed coffee and macaroons. The bourbon and Fleur de sal macaroon was specially flavorful.
On a previous visit the quiche Lorraine and French onion soup were authentically full of flavor. Definitely a new favorite!

This review is based mainly on the café menu items. I’ve had a variety of their chocolate and it has all tasted exceptional. I cannot say the same about their croissants however, especially when you compare them to Blue Dog Bakery.
I ordered the Croque Madame (panini type of sandwich filled with ham and cheese and topped with a béchamel sauce and fried egg) with green beans amandine and my boyfriend ordered the open faced Italian baguette. I was highly disappointed in my sandwich. There was practically no béchamel and the ham was all centered in the middle of the sandwich. The ham was really the only thing that saved me from not eating it because it actually had a good smoky flavor. I did feel like I was just eating a hot ham sandwich with cheese. My boyfriend said it was just okay. We both agreed we probably would not come back unless it was for something sweet.

As good as the Breakfast and French press coffee was I have to come back and try their extensive lunch menu. Great pricing for the quality of food you get, very fresh. Service was excellent, atmosphere was inviting.

So on a local Instagram page «EatLoveLouisville» (you should check them out if you haven’t already) I saw a post of a fried donut croissant topped with maple glaze and bacon… it was this that brought me in here. However I came with my daughter after school so they were no longer serving breakfast. The menu is wonderful, a lot of different selections to chose from for any time of day. We actually shared a Beet and Goat Cheese salad with a vinaigrette dressing for $ 11 which was so wonderful and tried the Crêpe Maricheire (pictured) for $ 13. I also ordered a French press coffee (dark if you please) and it was absolutely amazing! The service was impeccable! Pleasant, timely, and perfection! So happy I found this local spot!

My wife and had planned on going to Wild Eggs for brunch on a Sunday, but as we parked, we saw Ghyslain in Wesport Village and decided that we would rather eat there.
We waited about 25 minutes for a table, and gave our waiter our order 5 minutes later when he came to get our drink order. He told us it would be half an hour before our food would be ready. We had an appointment in an hour, and we didn’t want to be rushed, so we decided to just get some pastries from the display and head out.
We got a maple bacon donut, an apple turnover, and a piece of cheesecake. The turnover was pretty good, but small. The donut was very, very oily (we saw it before we tasted it), and had a very odd mouth feel as a result, although the flavor was good (maybe a bit too sweet). The cheesecake was very good.
Our waiter told us they were the busiest he’s ever seen it, and it’s normally not a problem to just walk in and sit down at a table, get food quickly, and enjoy a meal. And I would say I’d go back and try for better food and a better experience, except for one thing. As we’re driving away, my wife said, «How did that cost $ 20?» We started thinking about it, and I’m still not sure (I wasn’t given a receipt). I know my can of soda (yeah, the 12 oz can) was $ 2.50, and her café latte (which was maybe 8 – 10 oz) was $ 3.00. That means we paid almost $ 5/​pastry, which seems ridiculously expensive. I could go to State Donuts and get a dozen (much better) donuts for half that price.
Based on the lengthy delay (unusual for a bistro), the mediocre food (if I’m being generous in rating it), and the high price ($ 20 for a couple donuts, a coffee, and a soda), the most favorable rating I can give is two stars. The only reason it’s not one star is because I’m trying to be understanding about being unusually busy.

All my friends love Ghyslain on Market. I’ve only been there once for coffee and it was superb. So, when Wild Eggs had a 35 – 40 minute wait, we opted for Ghyslain in Westport Village, where we were seated immediately since they weren’t too busy.
My boyfriend and I reviewed the menu only to settle on the same thing, Red Velvet Pancakes. With that I ordered their dark brew coffee.
Ok, so I am big on getting my food in a timely manner. It could have been that I was STARVING but I was super cranky that I had to wait 25 – 30 minutes for food after putting in our order. It took 10 minutes alone to get my coffee.
I will admit though, when we got our food, it was very good! The cream cheese drizzle was amazing. I almost wish they gave me a huge side of that sauce!
I will try Ghyslain again, mainly because everyone raves about it, and hopefully we get our food just a little quicker.

This is my favorite place that we stumbled upon. I knew I was in love when I saw the assortment of macaroons. It’s a great place to go to for brunch or even a light dinner. I’m a big fan to go here for a small dessert & a pot of tea. & yes, on the way out, I will grab all of the macaroons thank-​you-​very-​much.
The only issue we’ve ever had was here at the Westport location. We went in one morning for brunch. It took awhile for our server to greet us. He was clearly frazzled. When he returned with my pot of tea & my boyfriends sprite, he ended up spilling the sprite all over the woman behind us. Normally anyone would be understanding about this, but he didn’t even apologize. Just walked off without regarding us or the woman he had just soaked.
Then he never came back after giving us our check. We went to the cashier to pay (& get my macaroons), but she told us we had to pay him. Just a bit frustrating, but maybe he was having an off day. Either way, I’ll still be back for more, Ghyslain!

4.5 stars.
This was my first visit to either Ghyslain restaurant, and I’m sold. The food was excellent. There are many options on the menu I’m looking forward to trying. The atmosphere was very laid-​back and relaxed.
I went on a Thursday night and it was deserted. This doesn’t bother me, but made me wonder if it was typical. It is probably more crowded for brunch/​lunch and weekends. There was one cook and one server taking care of the 3ish tables in the restaurant. The service wasn’t lightning fast, but it was adequate and contributed to the laid-​back, European vibe.
We ordered the Italian baguette with duck fries, and the French dip with gumbo. Everything was delicious. I will say, the French dip was pretty basic and didn’t taste special to me, so I probably won’t opt for that in the future. However, I devoured the Italian baguette, which was perfection. The bread was crisp and crunchy on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside. The duck fries and the gumbo were both great.
I can’t wait to try more!

Went a second time and the service was leaps and bounds better! The staff really makes all the difference!
I ordered the same thing since my gluten allergy limits what I can eat at this place. The eggs were done over medium this time (yay!), the bacon was cooked just right and the potatoes were delicious!
I brought a friend and we split a couple of gluten free desserts. Words cannot describe how AMAZING these treats were! I will add photos so you all can see how cute they are too! They taste as great as they look!