On May 13, Florian and Nali Tétart celebrated their third wedding anniversary by opening Maisonette, an authentic French bakery and café in downtown Boulder. Located at 921 Walnut Street, the shop brings handmade pastries, fresh bread, French breakfasts, lunch fare and specialty coffee to one of the city’s most sought-after corners.
“Boulder is not a small city, and it’s a foodie city,” said Florian, co-owner and head chef. “But something was missing from the bread scene. This is a place where you can get good lunch, good pastry, good bread, and good coffee — all in one place.”
Originally from Lille, France, Florian has worked in top-tier kitchens around the world, including as pastry chef de cuisine at Hong Kong’s two-star Michelin restaurant Écriture. After the couple moved from Chicago to Boulder in 2022, he became a chef instructor in baking and pastry at Boulder’s Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. His dream had always been to own his own bakery, but Boulder’s steep commercial rents almost made that impossible.
“We were looking for a spot to rent for two years,” Nali said. The space at 921 Walnut was one of the first they toured, but the size and cost sent them searching as far away as Vail and Fort Collins. “Boulder was our first choice for the restaurant, but we thought it was never going to be possible, because the market is insane,” she said.
Kouign-amann at Maisonette in downtown Boulder. Courtesy of Florian Tétart
Eventually, their search led them back to the landlord of the Walnut property, who helped broker a rental agreement that made Maisonette possible. The café has since brought new energy, color and foot traffic to the expansive space at 921 Walnut, which had sat vacant since Frank’s Chophouse closed in the fall of 2022.
“When they closed, they left everything,” Florian said. “Alcohol, computers — it was a time capsule. We found someone’s credit card that expired in 2003.”
The renovation took approximately nine months. The Tétarts removed the old carpet and velvet booths, replacing them with wood floors, café-style seating and a fresh coat of paint. Maisonette’s aesthetic is light, bright and airy, with bud vases on the tables tied with tri-color ribbons and whimsical rolling-pin handles on the front door.
This stretch of Walnut Street has seen significant commercial turnover in recent years. The Med closed during Covid; the space marked for Avant Garden Bistro remains dark behind its exterior signage. Just west of Maisonette is Cozobi Fonda Fina, a Boulder-based encore to Denver-based Alma Fonda Fina. Cozobi took over that space in May 2024 after the closure of Masas y Agaves, which operated for only a few months.
“This is a premium spot in Boulder, right across from the St. Julien,” Florian said. Guests from the hotel have even shown up in pajamas to beat the morning rush. Since opening, Maisonette has been busy. “On Saturdays and Sundays, we knew we would be full,” Florian said. “Now on a Wednesday we’re full.”
“The product speaks for itself,” Nali added. “We didn’t do any marketing. We just opened the doors.” Most days, Maisonette sells out of pastries by early afternoon.
Croissants at Maisonette in downtown Boulder. Courtesy of Camille Gipson
The Tétarts’ goal is to build a loyal, local following. They envision Maisonette — French for “little house” — as a neighborhood mainstay.
“Florian and I are here every day. We go out of our way to get to know people and talk to customers,” said Nali. “I want us to be part of the community for a long time.”
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Dining and Cooking