La Belle Epoque Cafe

I searched for a place to have brunch for a friend and I. We chose La Belle and are so glad that we did. I had the spinach omelette and she had the vegetarian panini and she raved about her choice as did I. The waiter was knowledgeable and friendly and attentive. Our drinks were delicious and we ordered the crème brûlée and crêpe suzette for desert and they were so delicious.
If you’re looking for a great brunch place in delco, I would highly recommend this place. We made reservations but they were not needed when we got there. The staff was wonderful, the food was delicious, and the drinks were perfect.

All I have to say is this place has THE BEST CHOCOLATE MOUSSE EVER. Sometimes I just come for mousse.

It had been many years since I had the chance to have brunch at La Belle Époque, and I am happy to say that the experience was still as wonderful as ever. When it first opened, it seemed charming and unique in its atmosphere, and although now that creperies are more popular Belle Époque still feels special with its large windows and sidewalk tables. In addition to numerous crêpe choices, there are several egg dishes and omelette so that are worth trying. I went with the mushroom omelette with potatoes and salad, and it all hit the spot. My friends’ section bacon was slightly undercooked, which our server kindly pointed out, and he insisted on bringing it back to the kitchen to cook it further. Belle Époque has a friendly atmosphere that makes you want to spend an afternoon over coffee with friends.

Everything we’ve had here has been amazing. No complaints here!

Wonderful experience for our party of six. Ronan our server was skilled, knowledgeable, and very personable. Food and wine were great and fairly priced. Overall a great night for us sitting on the deck on a warm spring evening. I will definitely recommend this restaurant and I will return.

Was excited to try this restaurant during Media Restaurant Week! Was very disappointed when our party of five was told by the manager that they were not honoring our request for the restaurant week menu even though I had a full page advertisement with dates and names of participating restaurants. As we had already ordered our cocktails, we decided to stay and have dinner (burgers for three of us, crepes for the other two). This place would have made more money on us if they would have honored the advertised «Restaurant Week» price of $ 30 PP for a three course meal. Needless to say, I will not go back… Retail 101: don’t let the customer leave with a bad taste in his/​her mouth!

I am in LOVE with this place. You must try it. The best French dip sandwich and hand cut fries I’ve ever had in my life. My server I can’t remember his name, but he is amazing I get him every time! And he’s the best! So curtious and does not rush you. Can’t wait to go back!

First let me say I am not a huge fan of French food. However, my dining partner wanted to try La Belle Epoque for the crepes, and I’m not one to turn down trying a different restaurant, so we went early on a Saturday and we both had crepes. I had the bacon/​brie/​fresh basil crêpe, my dining partner had the crêpe w/​goat cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and onions. My crêpe was OK. There was nothing at all wrong with it. It was expertly prepared, but it just was a bit heavy for me — all that cheese and bacon was a bit much — I took half of it home. On the other hand, my dining partner raved about her crêpe — and it DID look really good.
For dessert we both had the berry crepes, and they were to DIE for! Excellent mix of blackberry, blueberry and raspberries mixed together, almost like a jam or pie filling. The crepes were perfect, and the whole thing was topped w/​a little whipped cream and some powdered sugar — outstanding!!!
The service was very good. Our waiter was knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. The physical building is a bit older, but the silverware, plates, glasses, napkins and tableclothes were immaculately clean.
As I said, I’m not a fan of French food, but if you are, or if you want to try it, this is a good place to go. The prices were reasonable, and there were alot of good-​sounding things on the menu (way more than just crepes!)

Best mussels ever! Entrees (we had salmon and filet) were both great! All of their sauces are phenomenal.

We went here for lunch and it was great! Fresh and light food. Left feeling satisfied for the money. The location is excellent as well. We went for dinner, but we’re not impressed. The soup was cold (French onion) an shad to be sent back. The rest of the food was sub par. Great ambiance, but I would recommend having a glass of wine over a late lunch instead of dinner.

As a Media local, I adore all the little spots it has to offer and this one, La Belle. I’ve tried and tried on multiple occasions to give it a chance and I have been let down. The staff is friendly, but they do take their time. It has taken over 20 minutes for us to get our drinks the three (3!) time’s I’ve given La Belle a shot. Then when I ordered my go-​to brunch favorite, eggs Benedict, they were over-​cooked and dried out every single visit. The pricing is ridiculous for the below average food. A mimosa is $ 10 and is nothing special. I wouldn’t mind paying for quality, if the food was quality but it isn’t.I doubt I’ll be back. Finally those accents… Rock On, Posers.

Stopped in here for brunch today a little after noon. My party of 4 was seated right away without a reservation, which was nice, considering it’s a Sunday. The atmosphere of the restaurant is cute and they try and make it seem as French as possible. The menu has a large variety for brunch with options ranging from omelettes to crepes to burgers & french dips to french toast and etc. I was very impressed with the length of the menu! I ended up ordering the spinach omelette, which had spinach, roasted peppers, tomatoes, and goat cheese. It also came with roasted potatoes and a side salad. Everything on the plate was phenomenal! The omelette was cooked to perfection and had just the right ratio of each ingredient. The roasted potatoes were seasoned perfectly and the side salad was a nice touch instead of the usual toast or breakfast meat. Overall, it was a good meal and i’d come here again if i’m ever in the area. I’m only knocking it down a star because the service was kind of slow and it seemed like our waiter was struggling to manage all the tables he had. Also, I was brought hot coffee when I asked for iced, but our waiter quickly fixed it for me once I alerted him of his mistake.

It was not that good. The French onion soup was missing something, don’t know what but something. The pear soup was cold and refreshing if a bit bland. The Poulet Roti was way too salty. The ratatouille was average. The Canard a la Framboise tasted rather average. The crêpe suzette was the only really good item we ate. This place wasn’t cheap so all in all, it’s not worth the money.

Went there for dinner during «Dining Under the Stars». Got seated around 6:50pm and placed our order within 10 mins. We both ordered the special which was halibut ($ 28) and the ribeye steak with robster mash potatoes and veggies ($ 33). The wife loved the halibut and the steak was awesome with the lobster mash potatoes. I asked for medium rare but it came out medium, the steak was still very good. We both had some wine and i had a beer. The bill came up to arou d $ 100 w/​o tip. I docked 1 star cuz it took 45 mins to get our food. A waiter did update us with the food saying it was only 3 mins out but still ended up being 10 until we got it. Understood it was during «Dining Under the Stars»

Hands down, a must try if you’re in Media for dinner. As a guy who doesn’t necessarily dine on French food a lot, I had my reservations, but this was a A+ experience from top to bottom with some fantastic food and service, as well as a great atmosphere. This is one spot when done right, you won’t be regretting in the future.
Atmosphere — On the corner of State Street sits the Café. On a warm summer night, we entered passing by diners eating outside to eat indoors at a charming small café. A full bar of wines and beers, as well as velvet curtains greeted our arrival. A few adorned paintings, and some fans to keep the summer air circulating really helped us to enjoy our seat and view of the people walking own State Street.
Waitstaff — Our waitress did a fantastic job throughout the meal. She made some great recommendations for the older diners in our party, as well as brought food out with other runners in a perfect timing for each plate. The runners were also very attentive in bringing extra water, drinks, and bread as needed for us to enjoy our meal.
Food — The highlight of my review, the food here was no less then outstanding. With a large party, we had an option to try many foods. As a table, we went with the red mussels. To put it bluntly, these are on par with some of the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve tried mussels all over the world. Hands down, phenomenal texture and flavor, as well as an amazing sauce to dip bread in that was flawless. My compliments to the chef here. We also went with a cheese board with fresh options, and a beet salad which was great on a warm night. My meal came as a part of the price fix menu which included a chicken and dumpling soup which was very nice, a normal dinner size portion of the salmon with a maple bacon crumble and glaze which was fantastic, as well as desserts. For the table, desserts included sweet crepes which were delicious, a chocolate molten cake which was very good, and a crème brûlée which two diners enjoyed very much. In a party of six, we couldn’t find one bad item or meal that anyone ordered.
Intangibles — Couple things to consider here, the bathrooms are a bit awkward if you need to use them, and are down a steep stairwell. They did have the ability to use a connected bar next door as well which was okay. Parties of six or more are automatically charged a gratuity, so don’t let that surprise you if you decide to go. Restaurant is very small, so plan to make a reservation if you’re going.
Overall — La Belle Epoque is one of my new favorite restaurants to go back to in Media, and this is coming from a guy who was hesitant in the first place. Guys, this is a great date spot, and won’t necessarily break the bank if you’re trying to impress your date. Atmosphere, Service, and Food trifecta was top notch, and this is one of the most highly recommended places I can make on Unilocal.Well done to the staff and chef, I look forward to being back very soon.

After several months this year, the restaurant seems to have changed considerably, especially when it comes to service. Usually the waitstaff is pretty decent if not great, but the past few times I’ve come here, the waiters have been completely unfriendly, absent, and even bored looking. Like they’re getting paid for standing around talking in the back, and they’re serving because there’s nothing else to do.
Lately, the food has also seen a drop in quality, the meats dry, salads peppered with mushy greens, and the potatoes not fully cooked. The wine is good as always, but the waitstaff really have been keeping me away lately.

Initially I did not have high hopes for La Belle Epoque — having read the menu and passed by many times — it just never appealed
French food? Not my fave.
Meanwhile, we went here last night and had very good service and EXCELLENT food.
And the best part? One of the tastiest French 75 cocktails ($ 10) made to perfection.
The only food downer? The French Onion Soup which had way. way toomuch rosemary — as in sticks ‘n twigs of it. (Not salty though — and served in a Big bowl for $ 8).
The best part? Both entrees– mine and DH’s. He had the Duck confit crêpe — which I tasted and we both loved. I had the duck with raspberry sauce — cooked to perfection (I like my duck with plenty of quack still left in it). The haricot vert and fluffy (buttery-​chivey) mashed potatoes were also divine.
I shall return. And I will bring our 9 year old — she loves duck,
Very pleased!!!
Nice place for a date night, too. Much smaller inside than I had imagined.

Really disappointing. The seared tuna was way overdone, although our waiter adamantly assured us that it was medium, though it was pretty well done, and did not even offer to replace it. He was also very curt and unfriendly toward us): We also tried the Basil Gnocchi, Escargot, and Salmon, which were all okay, nothing to note haha. The décor is also dusty, and the service subpar, seeing that I had to go get the check myself after the episode with the tuna. I would definitely recommend going to another restaurant if you are in the area!

Visited: Sunday — February 16, 2014 — 6PM
The menu offered a decent variety but I chose the thirty dollar prix fixe. I ordered the soup de jour — lobster bisque. The soup was barely warmed but tasty.
I ordered the Onglet a l’Echalote (hanger steak, shallot sauce, and fries). The fries were limp and clearly reheated. The hanger steak was slightly tough and overcooked. The shallot sauce was unremarkable.
The choice of dessert was crème brûlée or chocolate mousse. I said surprise me. The server surmised my facial expression and determined his course. The server quickly returned with a pre-​made, refrigerated mousse. The mousse was tasteless. Evidently a brief pass of a torch to braise the top of a sugar-​topped cream (crème brûlée) was unreasonably difficult. No one asked if I wanted coffee or tea.
The service was good but, the overall experience was very disappointing.

Really like this place for something different in Media. Been here about 10 times since they opened years ago. The food is always fresh, well made and a pleasant difference in a town full of restaurants that are starting to blend together anymore.
Note to owner: Please train staff to not spray Fantastic onto tables to clean them. Third time I’ve gotten a noseful of it while I was eating. It’ll get just as clean if the busperson sprays it on the rag in another room and comes back to wipe the table. The place is just too small for cleaning solutions to become airborne.
Today our serer Robert was very good. Attentive and not overbearing. He suggested the ginger cocktail as it was a «party in a glass» and it was. My friends will return for that alone.
We had La Lanard (sic) — a duck, walnut and fontina crêpe which was awesome served with side greens. The Eggs Benedict with side of asparagus and potatoes– Also very good. Both of us had the French Union soup which we adored.