Wow. For the best weekend pastries in Burbank, Lou The French On The Block is the spot. The hype is for real and well-deserved. We are hooked.
Operating from a tiny space with a walk-up ordering table at the entrance door on Riverside Drive in Burbank/Toluca Lake, Lou The French On The Block has been dishing up amazing pastries, quiche, tartes and coffees since 2016.
We admit, we have tried to go a few times in recent years and been put off by the long line stretching down Riverside. According to many, though, the line moves pretty fast. But, we’ve learned that by planning ahead and placing an order at least 48 hours before pickup we don’t have to wait 30+ minutes in a line.
Perhaps much of the mystique stems from the fact that Lou The French On The Block is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings and early afternoons.
The neighborhood interest and the omnipresent lines for several hours every morning the cafe is open testifies that the food Lou The French On The Block serves is just that good. It’s deserving of the lines and the five-star reviews.
We ordered a large sampling of the pastry menu for a recent Sunday morning pickup. Every pastry was perfectly made, balanced, light, fresh and flavorful. Lou The French On The Block stands up to the hype and exceeds expectations.
Not overly sweet, the pastries can uniformly be described as airy, delicate, flaky, buttery, with an appropriate amount of flavor from the fruit, the chocolate or the nuts. There wasn’t a bad bite in the entire batch.
We like to slightly heat up the pastries before eating at home, as they are generally served chilled or room temperature, for the to-go orders.
We will definitely be ordering a whole quiche and side salad with mustard dressing to go for a home brunch, in the very near future. And, we’ve got to try the coffees and hot chocolate. One can also order a fresh baguette. There’s a number of other French pastries and tartes to try.
Because we are people who go to lengths to avoid lines, the pre-order option is a boon for us. We only had to wait 10-15 minutes for the staff to assemble our order after we walked up to the ordering table with our pre-order number.
There are a few tables and chairs that are set out on the sidewalk on the days Lou The French On The Block is open. Many locals use those, adding to the convivial neighborhood cafe atmosphere. People waiting in line are friendly and California chill, our favorite type of people.
For absolutely excellent pastries and breakfast/brunch offerings, along with a friendly atmosphere and convenient pre-order options, Lou The French On The Block earns a Tops In Town.
Pack your patience and relax, Lou The French On The Block is worth the minor wait. Street parking is not so bad in the area for a morning, perhaps lunchtime gets a little more challenging, so be prepared to walk a bit, depending on when you visit.
Restaurant Info: Lou The French On The Block is located at 4007 Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91505. (747) 241-8245. Lou The French On The Block is open Friday through Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pre-orders must be placed 48 hours before pickup, via their online ordering page.
Lou The French On The Block receives: Tops In Town
myBurbank Ratings:
Tops In Town (Outstanding)
On The Marquee (Really Good)
Could Use A Rewrite (Average or Slightly Below)
Don’t Quit Your Day Job (Poor)
