Charlotte Happenings is your monthly guide to events and things to do in and around Charlotte, NC.
Issue link: http://charlottehappenings.epubxp.com/i/706014
For the best savory selections Jack Parrish has sampled croissants from all over the world, but the croissants inside Sunflour Baking Company are his favorite. He admits his partiality; his wife, Umarin, is the pastry chef. Aer relocating to Charlotte a few years ago, the Parrishes purchased the bakery, which opened in the Elizabeth neighborhood in 2009 and expanded to a second location in Dilworth earlier this year. "When people come to visit, we like to create an environment that's like a sanctuary where everyone can come and enjoy great food and great company," Jack Parrish says. In addition to sweets, Sunflour serves sandwiches for breakfast, lunch or a light dinner. e breakfast menu's No. 4—an egg, bacon and cheddar sandwich—is one of the biggest sellers. It comes on house-baked bread, a cheddar biscuit or croissant. e sandwich pairs well with a cup of java from Counter Culture Coffee, roasted in Durham. For the best atmosphere Part bakery, part cafe, part art gallery and part coffee shop, Amélie's French Bakery is a NoDa neighborhood destination. e company also operates bakeries in: Uptown; South Charlotte; Rock Hill, South Carolina; and Atlanta, Georgia. e NoDa original remains the flagship and the only location open 24 hours, 365 days a year. When you step inside the NoDa store, your eyes dart from the bakery case to the chandeliers made of pots and pans to the chalkboards that feature mouthwatering menu items scrawled in loopy cursive. Colorful, eclectic furniture and artwork fill the interior. "It's definitely a quirky feel," says Stefanie Haviv, Amélie's marketing director. "It engages all of your senses, visually as well as the smells and tastes." Amélie's serves locally roasted blends from Magnolia Coffee. A new hit drink is the Café Marcotter, a layered latte with espresso, vanilla bean simple syrup and salted-caramel sauce topped with sea salt. Amélie's regulars recognize the sweet-salty pairing from the bakery's most popular item: the salted-caramel brownie. charlottesgotalot.com 19