The flavors of Paris are coming to Cascades Marketplace with the upcoming debut of Brasserie Royale. Created by the team behind the acclaimed Local Provisions next door, this Sterling restaurant promises to present the warmth of classic French hospitality in an intimate setting.
“It’ll be a transformative experience — this restaurant — that’s our goal,” says owner and executive chef Michael Stebner. “It has taken a little longer because we’re really trying to make sure that the design elements and the aesthetic of the restaurant match the service and the food.”
Planned to open the week of June 9, Brasserie Royale aims to offer a refined yet approachable dining experience, perfect for everything from special celebrations to casual evenings out.
“The vibe is going to be very European,” says Stebner. “It definitely was inspired by our family’s trip a couple years ago to France; I really feel like that trip is why we’re opening this restaurant.”
Stebner describes his unforgettable encounters in casual Parisian cafés, where the service, ambiance and food were on another level.
“I can recall those experiences so well, I can taste the roast chicken and fries that I had in this little bistro in Paris, I can recall many of those details,” he says. “It’s really something that I want in my life, and it’s something that I have a hard time finding in this country.”
The menu will showcase a lineup of timeless French dishes, including freshly baked breads, chilled shellfish, rich French onion soup, steak frites, trout almondine, steak au poivre, buttery escargot, roast chicken, and housemade ice cream. Guests can also look forward to expertly crafted classic cocktails to round out their experience.
“Our goal is to have the best french fries, the best baguettes, the best French onion soup because we’re going to go through the process of making it the right way,” Stebner says. “I’m literally using Julia Child’s French onion soup recipe.”
Brasserie Royale will initially open for dinner nightly, and within 90 days, hopes to expand to weekday lunch and weekend brunch service.
This new venture marks the next chapter for Stebner and his wife, Ally, both accomplished chefs with a shared passion for French cuisine. Local Provisions, their other restaurant, has become a local favorite, earning a spot on the list of the area’s 50 Best Restaurants. Brasserie Royale will occupy the space once home to a Corner Bakery, offering a fresh take on traditional French fare just steps away from its sister restaurant.
“We are definitely not trying to be an exclusive, fancy French restaurant,” says Stebner. “We’re trying to be an approachable, neighborhood, casual French restaurant. We really want people to feel special when they walk in the door.”
46290 Cranston St., Sterling
Feature image courtesy Brasserie Royale