Imagine a place where you can eat beignets and sip cafe au lait in the morning, and then later bite into a flatbread with a craft cocktail in hand during the evening happy hour. What if you could also go there to meet a friend for lunch and then grab warm cookies and milk to-go?
This place now exists: a dreamy and stylish spot called The Vintage. The New Orleans-born restaurant is set to open downtown Monday, May 18, in the space formerly occupied by Magpie Cafe in The Commerce Building on Third and Laurel streets. After the initial opening date in March was delayed because of the COVID-19 shutdown, The Vintage is ready to start cooking.
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The restaurant’s interior is just as jazzy as the name implies. Along the wood-paneled walls, there are assorted photos of iconic women from different decades, including Marilyn Monroe, Farrah Fawcett and Gabrielle Union. A vintage piano, black leather booths and a sophisticated bar lined with blue, velvet-padded squares give The Vintage a classic vibe.
While the style of the restaurant has a vintage theme, the menu is trendy and modern. The restaurant sells beignets, breakfast dishes, flatbreads, sandwiches, savory bites, charcuterie and cheese boards. Locals can order healthy dishes like avocado toast or satisfy their cravings with dry-rub chicken wings with Creole tomato ranch.
The restaurant’s signature beignets are served all day. Customers can order traditional beignets, beignet bites, a flavored “fancy beignet” and a flight with three gourmet beignets of your choice. Fancy beignet flavors include matcha, s’mores and strawberry. The cafe plans to add seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice, blueberry and peppermint during the holidays.
The cocktail menu was designed with Baton Rouge in mind. Signature drinks include the Death Valley, which includes cognac, Noilly Prat dry vermouth and pineapple; the El Joe Burrow, a tequila drink mixed with ginger beer, pineapple and Herbsaint liqueur; and the Laurel Street Mule, which has Tito’s Handmade Vodka with mint and lime, topped with Prosecco.
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In accordance with the governor’s Phase 1 reopening restrictions, The Vintage has limited indoor and outdoor seating. Customers can dine-in or order to-go at the cafe register. The restaurant also plans to partner with a food ordering and delivery platform such as Uber Eats soon, owner Bernard Stolberg says.
For sweet treats, savory snacks, coffee, wine and cocktails in a chic, urban setting, head to The Vintage on opening day this Monday, May 18.
The Vintage is at 333 Laurel St. Its temporary hours are 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Happy hour is 3-6 p.m.