La Brioche Bakery & Coffee

Becky D.

17 October 2026

My mom and I accidentally happened upon La Brioche, I was walking around in the Neon district in Norfolk and noticed the sign. A young couple who had just walked out if the shop told me it was delicious and I should definitely try it. Needless to say, when my mom arrived, I suggested we stop in and try the coffee.

The owner, (or at least one half of the husband-wife team) Jackie, was very friendly and helpful, and patient with us as we tried to decide what we wanted. At the time we went, about a month ago, they didn't yet have their ice machine so I couldn't order my usual iced latte. No problem, the hot latte was delicious! My mom likes her coffee wimpy, so Jackie have her a sample and when it tasted too strong, suggested that she add water to my mom's coffee to make it more to her liking. Jackie brought our drinks to the table and when my mom's was still too strong for her, Jackie gladly took it back and added more water to weaken it a little more. She wanted to make sure we were satisfied with our order, and we were! We also split one of their chocolate chip pastry rolls, buttery and yummy and not overly sweet.

We were there close to closing time but when closing time came, Jackie say down at our table and chatted with us, never rushing us to get out of there so she could close for the evening. We will definitely be going back to enjoy it again.

Heidi C.

12 October 2026

TL;DR - wonderful pastries and people, but not so wonderful space (wrongly advertised as being wheelchair accesible).

After reading all positive reviews, my mom and I decided to stop by to get ourselves some authentic French pastries. We got a baguette, a chocolatine, and an almond croissant. As for the pastries, I definitely will say they did not disappoint and are authentically French (per my parents, who had travelled to Paris before and tasted the goodness there). The baguette was wonderfully crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. Chocolatine was not smothered in chocolate, giving it just-the-right sweetness. The almond croissant caught us by surprise not only for its delightly flaky butteriness, but also for the choux cream filling inside! BUT, I think getting a full experience of having wonderful food also comes with having an atmosphere that accommodates the food. My mom has mobility issues and therefore needs wheelchair to move. We knew this place had seatings mostly on the 2nd floor so we just decided to get things to-go, which was fine. But even THAT was difficult, because the entrance did not have a ramp to slide into the building. This was problematic because the amenities listed on Yelp states this place is wheelchair accesible (screenshot attached). Sorry to say, it is not! Getting in and out of the building took about 10 minutes each, and my poor mom was upset by the experience...she first couldn't tell whether the pastries were good or not because she was so disappointed by the non-accomodating space. And I think if the space is not wheelchair accesible it'd be non-accesible for strollers too...I really did want to give this place six stars, but only if the space accommodated all types of people who want to enjoy some pastry+coffee time once in a while.

Dennis C.

7 October 2026

La Brioche is a new and authentic two-story French bakery that opened in March of this year.

It has broken new ground in Norfolk's culinary landscape with a number of authentic French breads, pastries, and sandwiches, some of which I have never seen before in the area.

Located in the NEON district of Granby Street, its bright pink exterior is sandwiched between the Push Comedy Theater and the Beauty Parlor by Q. Its space was previously occupied by the Parlor on Granby, the Granby Social Club, and the Island Canteen.

It is owned by Jackie and Yvan Devulder, a couple who moved to America from French Guiana a few years ago. Inspired by their vision to open a bakery, they settled in the city of Norfolk and found the NEON district to their liking.

Their passion for quality and authenticity shines through with their offerings. They bake their bread fresh from scratch daily with locally sourced organic flour.

"We try to make the same thing you can find in Paris and everywhere in France," said Yvan Devulder in a recent YouTube interview. Yvan is in charge of the baking and the training of the kitchen staff.

The first floor houses their baking area in the back and their counter and display case in the main area, showcasing a variety of dazzling and eye-popping delicacies. As you enter, there are two tables to the right and a display case of beverages to the left.

The second floor is a bright and airy space with an abundance of natural light provided by a large landscape window with a beautiful view of The Plot, which is the cultural centerpiece of the NEON district. It is here where most of their tables are located.

I have enjoyed the following so far:

A THOUSAND LAYERS: This is a classic vanilla custard French pastry known also by its French name as Mille-feuille. It is made with three layers of puff pastry and two layers of pastry cream, The top layer is dusted with confectioner's sugar and glazed with icing.

This one exhibited a light and airy texture with a flavor that was decadently delicious. It is one of their rotating specialties and not offered every day. If you see it on display, I recommend it most highly. My Rating: 5 Stars.

PEANUT MERVEILLEUX: The word Merveilleux is the French word for "Marvelous" in English. This is a small cake that originated in Belgium before making its way over to France. It consists of two light merringues that have been welded and covered with whipped cream.

The most common version is dusted with chocolate shavings, which was also offered in their display case. Two other varieties were on display, and the peanut version caught my eye the most.

Its interior exhibited a light and creamy texture that contrasted well with its crunchy peanut toppings. The result was a treat that was off the charts delicious. My Rating: 5 Stars.

RAISIN TURNOVER: Known also by its French name as Pain au Raisins. I ordered this one to take home with the intent to eat half and save the rest for later.

After one bite, I couldn't stop and devoured the whole thing. It was insanely addictive. My Rating; 5 Stars.

BLUEBERRY RASPBERRY TART: A variety of tarts have been offered during each of my visits, and this one especially caught my eye. Its fresh and buttery texture sent my taste buds soaring to nirvana. My Rating: 5 Stars.

BLT BAQUETTE: Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato in a Baquette Sandwich. This is one of their regularly featured baquette sandwiches. Others include Ham, Tuna, Italian, Chicken Salad, Brie, and a Veggie Mix.

The baquette was generously stuffed with bacon, lettuce, and tomato, all of which exploded with flavor and a delightful crunch. The baquette was a little tougher than I am used to and gave my jaw quite a workout. My Rating: 4.5 Stars.

Traditional French style baquettes are often known for being for their tough crusts. One English translation for the word baquette is "stick." According to 17th century French lore, wives used to beat their husbands with baquettes when they were angry.

BLT CROISSANT: Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato in a Croissant Sandwich. Other croissant sandwiches offered include Ham & Cheese and Turkey & Cheese.

This one was beautifully constructed from the inside out, visually highlighted by its beautiful crescent shape.

The bread for this one exhibited a softer and more buttery texture than the baquette. Once again, the ingredients exploded with flavor and texture. My Rating: 5 Stars.

Service has been most friendly and accommodating. If you want to enjoy your order upstairs, they will bring it to you.

I have only begun to tap the surface of the variety of the delicacies they offer, which are far too numerous to list here. Be sure to check out their Facebook and Instagram pages for more details.

In addition, they plan to offer something new every week. Each of my future visits will be a new adventure, and I will be eagerly looking forward to each one.

In the meantime, I am unable to hold back with this 5-star rating.

J David H.

28 September 2026

Just WOW and unexpected how awesome this super cute new French bakery in Norfolk would be.

Word of mouth has spread rapidly in just six weeks open. The loud hot pink on the exterior seems a perfect fit for the Neon District. The interior is small on the first level with kitchen and cases. A viewing area to watch the goods come out of the oven will be a kid favorite. Upstairs more roomy with tables to enjoy a latte and pastry.

My early Sunday morning visit found them brisk with customers. Parking is off street, or in the newer Plot lot across the street. There was minor debris on the walk up to their door.

The husband/wife duo that own are French transplants, most recently from Paris. The investment of one of the best commercial ovens speaks volumes to their commitment. The menu on the wall has the basics and other items can be rotated in such as sandwich specials. The prices tilt up, so be prepared to pay more. It it worth it, absolutely!

I had the opportunity to try a few things as they were just coming out of the oven. I found the tarts to be the best I've ever had and this comes from a huge tart guy. The buttery croissants are heaven and had a ham & cheese sandwich. Go early for best selection, they sell out.

Next visit will include a cup of coffee. Friends have told me the baguettes are a must! Expect friendly service and quality bakery goods.

Aiden S.

26 September 2026

Outstanding French bakery. One of my new favorite places in Norfolk.

This spot is very rustic. After you order from the fresh baked goods, go sit upstairs by the big windows. It's great.

Everything is top quality. The baked goods are fresh and delicious. I love the pan au chocolat - it is crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and stuffed with rich chocolate. The baguette sandwiches are also fantastic. Get the salami sandwich - it comes with salami, pepperoni, thinly sliced cured ham, red onion, tomato, and lettuce on fresh baguette. It's seasoned really nicely with dill. You can tell how fresh the baguette by the perfect texture of the bread. The coffee is also very good and goes perfect with any item here.

Come here for a perfect breakfast or lunch. Highly recommended. The downtown/Ghent area needed a place like this.

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