A new full service cafe is coming soon to Uptown. Cafe Flore, 698 Washington Road, is patterned off the floral decor of famous Parisian cafes like Café de Flore.

The menu features locally roasted and European style coffee, homemade artisan pastries, breakfast sandwiches and avocado toast, as well as lunch staples such as homemade soups, sandwiches and salads.

Cafe Flore’s owner is Bailey Grabowski, who grew up on Kenmont Avenue and spent a lot of time on Washington Road. “Washington Road was literally in my backyard. I’m not even joking. We used to go through a hill in my backyard to get up there,” she said.

Grabowski spent 10 years as a barista and nine years in culinary management. Formerly with Grounded Cafe and Bakery in Green Tree’s Comcast Spotlight building, her goal was to expand to a bigger location.

When that office building cleared out during the COVID pandemic, Grabowski decided it was the perfect time to take over the business and start rebranding.

After a year of looking for the perfect Uptown spot, Grabowski settled on the former Poco Loco location.

“I’ve always been very familiar with the area and it just felt like the perfect place. Then, when I saw the ‘For Rent’ sign outside of my current space, I had to jump on it, so I did it immediately,” she said.

Grabowski expects to hold a grand opening sometime within the next two weeks. We’ll keep you posted!

Jan. 21, 2025 update: Cafe Flore is now open!