I first heard about Maman a couple of years back on Carly’s blog where she shared information about her baby shower. I had never heard of the restaurant prior to that moment but I immediately was impressed by how it looked from what I’d seen online. Aside from the fact that the decor looked beautiful, the menu sounded good as there were coffee drinks that seemed like unique flavors we wanted to try. They had numerous locations in New York, so we bookmarked it and said that one day when we were in New York, we’d stop by one of their cafes to try it.
Well, “next time we’re in New York” hasn’t happened yet, but sometime last fall we found out that Maman had opened a location in Ardmore. We knew we had to try it, so one weekend, we headed up the Main Line and made our way to the cafe that at the time had opened a couple of weeks prior.
decor
Maman describes itself as being a place that is a nod to their mothers (hence the name) from the south of France and North America. I would say upon walking in that I can see the how the inspiration of that ties into the decor. The environment is very well-decorated. It’s light, airy, with faux foliage hanging from decorative trees along the cafe space. It’s modern where it needs to be, but definitely rustic-inspired and it still has the home-like touches. As you wait for your coffee or food, you can peek into the window of this structure in the dining area where you’ll see the people making the food. The people working there are kind, informative, and patient with their guests.
HOW’S THE COFFEE & THE FOOD?
The day my husband and I visited, he got their mocha latte and I felt like experimenting with their pumpkin latte at the time. I wish I could remember exactly what the title of the drink was, but it was their take on the pumpkin-spiced latte and it had more than just your traditional pumpkin flavor in it.
Later, I tried their Evergreen latte and their Marzipan (I probably spelled that wrong) latte, which were both uniquely delicious. I think that’s one of the things that I truly enjoyed about their coffee is that the flavors were unlike anything that I had tasted before. The Marzipan latte was buttery and had a nice, creamy finish to it while the Evergreen latte tasted like winter in a cup. It’s hard to explain in words, but if you ever have an opportunity to try it at one of their cafes, I’d definitely recommend sampling that flavor if you’re up for trying something new.
The food is just as unique as their coffee flavors, but it’s also very delicious. I remember one of the items we ordered was misheard so I ended up trying their sandwich (unfortunately I cannot recall and cannot find the name of it on their menu, so I believe it was seasonal) with squash, dijon mustard, turkey, and cheddar cheese. I wasn’t expecting the flavors that burst into my mouth because I had ordered something else, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. In addition to their sandwiches, they also sell tartines, breakfast plates and pastries, so there’s a little something something for everyone who arrives there. For example, my husband wasn’t too keen on getting a sandwich or a tartine that day, so he grabbed a croissant and enjoyed every bite of it.
WOULD WE RECOMMEND IT?
We’d definitely recommend Maman. If you’re looking for a new place to try along the Main Line with unique, delicious flavors, this place isn’t too far from a lot of the popular stores and establishments in Suburban Square. It’s definitely not your run-of-the-mill coffee shop, so if you’re someone who prefers their coffee without a whole lot of seasonal influence, you may want to try somewhere else or you may want to stick to their regular coffee. Admittedly, we did not try their regular coffee, so I cannot comment on how that tastes, but if it’s anything like their seasonal lattes, we’re sure it’s delicious.
