Paris Baguette, the Seoul-born, French-inspired bakery chain, has landed in Carmel with a bright, glass-walled café at 116th Street and South Rangeline. Inside, cases are loaded with croissants, cakes and grab-and-go sandwiches, and the place runs from early morning into the evening. Curious locals are already working their way through the pastry shelves, with an unlikely star emerging in what many are simply calling the "hot dog bread."
As reported by Axios, the Carmel shop marked Paris Baguette's Indiana debut in late April. Reviewer Justin L. Mack gave the hot dog bread a tongue-in-cheek "11/10" rating, and noted that the café sits between a new Ben & Jerry's and an Okonori Japanese spot near the Corner development.
Hours, address and setup
According to Paris Baguette's website, the Carmel café is located at 1685 East 116th St., Suite 150. It is open from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and stays open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Delivery and an online menu are available through third-party services, and the restaurant is listed on Uber Eats with the same address and a full pastry lineup.
Why Carmel?
Franchise plans for central Indiana surfaced last year when the brand began targeting suburban locations, with operator Wei Zhu outlining goals to open cafés in Fishers, Greenwood and Zionsville, according to IBJ. That reporting also highlighted the chain's two-tier, center-island self-serve setup and an in-window cake finishing area, features the company says work especially well in residential suburban neighborhoods.
What to order
Most baked goods at Paris Baguette are laid out buffet-style on a central island, while cakes are ordered at the front counter, according to the brand's site. The menu mixes classic French pastries with Korean-inspired items, which gives regulars plenty to debate over. Early visitors have been pointing people toward the chiffon cake and, of course, the hot dog bread that earned that "11/10" shoutout on a first review. Axios also noted that the broad menu makes the Carmel café an easy stop for a quick breakfast or an afternoon sugar fix.
