Aviary Creperie and Patisserie

Aviary Creperie and Patisserie new location has several tasty lunch options, including the smoked salmon crepe. A patisserie in the back is stocked with French pastries, like this cream puff.

One of the big corner spaces at the new Farmers Park is occupied by Aviary Creperie and Patisserie—a second Aviary location, but with a twist. This new spot features a tiny little French bakery serving up darling treats. We couldn’t wait to try it.

I like Aviary any time of the day, but this time my husband, Eli, and I decided to visit bright and early when they opened for breakfast on a Sunday. There’s plenty of sunlight in there in the morning, streaming in through big windows. Right away, I ordered a cappuccino, while we perused the menu. It’s a drink that’s reliably delicious at Aviary. We had our son, Oliver, with us, and I was pleased to see some variety on the kids menu. Who else has crepes on a kids menu?

 I opted for the Chorizo Hash crepe, filled with chorizo, roasted peppers, caramelized onion and fried potatoes. On top are a couple of sunny-side-up eggs and cilantro crema. I got fruit on the side, but this was still a super-indulgent and super-delicious meal. The crema on top added just enough coolness to offset the spice of the chorizo, and the fried potatoes added a fun texture to every bite. Aviary changes its menu often, and we’ve been told that the Chorizo Hash crepe is about to hit the road in favor of some new flavors, so don’t be surprised if the menu sounds a little different when you visit.

The cream puffs at Aviary Creperie and Patisserie are fluffy and sweet, but not too sugary. The restaurant also serves a variety of delicious crepes, including the smoked salmon and braised fennel crepe with lemon dill cream sauce. 

After breakfast, we were stuffed. But the coolest part of the new Aviary is the adjoining patisserie. We couldn’t leave without checking it out. It’s tiny in there, but beautiful. I honestly barely even looked at the décor (I’m sure it was cute) because I couldn’t take my eyes off the pastry counter. Rows and rows of darling little pastries were making my mouth water—madeleines, fruit tarts, canelés, savory croissants, and more and more. We grabbed a cream puff, my ultimate French pastry weakness. The cream was fluffy and sweet—but not too sugary, so it was perfect. And the pastry was flakey and feather-light. It was like eating a cloud. 

We also spent some time checking out the rows of beautiful loaves of bread and got a little sample of some the Cinnamon Raisin Magic bread. Next time I’m having friends over for dinner, I’ll be popping into the patisserie to get a loaf of something that will taste as good as it looks on my dining table.

With delicious sounding breads such as Sunflower Wheat and Cinnamon Raisin Magic plus a variety of delicate pastries, the patisserie at the new Aviary location is a joy to explore. 

The overall experience is very Aviary—it’s exactly what you’d expect if you’re a fan of the original location. But the addition of the patisserie feels oh-so-European, and we had so much fun checking out all the goodies and picking out a treat to take home with us. It’s definitely worth checking out; we plan to swing by after our weekly visits to Farmers Market of the Ozarks for a sweet little bite of something pretty.

Kathy Kline, a server lead at Aviary Creperie and Patisserie, can whip up a variety of specialty coffee drinks.