Café · Pâtisserie · Cave
Fresh cakes, madeleines & Parisian treats. Coffee, wine & love in every bite. A French café and bakery where your day begins — and where it slows down.
Tue–Fri 7:30am – 4pmSat–Sun 8am – 3pmClosed Mon
2214 S 1st St↗
Ouvert du mardi au dimanche
2214 S 1st St, Austin
Two grandparents
Julian trained as a pastry chef, served in the French infantry, then went back to Paris to keep training. While he was there he found his grandmother's recipe book. Her name was Alice.
Poulain is Sebastian's grandfather. The café opened on South First in May, and both of them are in it every day.
We like to say that Alice Poulain is a wedding between France and Texas — the café is where your day begins and where it slows down.
Julian Buscicchio
Co-founder, pastry
Trained as a pastry chef before and after serving in the French infantry. Returned to Paris to continue training and found his grandmother Alice's recipe book — the café takes its first name from her.
Sebastian Menard
Co-founder
The surname Poulain is a nod to his grandfather. Both founders are at the café daily.
France & Texas
The recipes came from Paris. Almost everything that goes into them is bought here — the eggs in the breakfast plates are local and organic, and the strawberries on the tart were grown in Texas. It is written on a chalkboard by the counter, which is roughly how seriously they take it.
La Carte
Breakfast served 7:30–11am, until 1pm at weekends. The pastry case and the cakes rotate daily.
7:30 – 11am · until 1pm weekends
Local organic scrambled eggs, bacon, Brie, arugula, caramelized onions on a toasted pretzel bun
Toast with butter and jam, a butter croissant, two organic scrambled eggs, fresh orange juice, and espresso or drip coffee
Coffee, a fresh orange juice, and a butter croissant or pain au chocolat
Our speciality: madeleines
(vg)
With toast and salad
Three farm eggs with a touch of cream
Three farm eggs with cream and Gruyère
Three farm eggs, Parisian ham, Gruyère, cream
Three farm eggs, Parisian ham, Gruyère, mushrooms, cream
On baguette or Mauricette roll
Brie, caramelized onions, butter (v)
Parisian ham, salted butter, French cornichons
Dry-cured Rosette salami, butter, cornichons
Arugula, goat cheese, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes (v)
Parisian ham, Gruyère, butter, cornichons
Tuna salad with egg, lettuce, tomato
Chicken, avocado, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, mayonnaise
Quiche and croques
The classic
With Gruyère and zucchini
Grilled ham and Gruyère with béchamel — add a fried egg (+$1.50) for a Croque Madame
Dressed to order
Tuna, eggs, green beans, potatoes, red bell pepper, tomatoes, Niçoise olives, shallots, olive oil vinaigrette
Toasted baguette with warm goat cheese, tomatoes, green beans, walnuts, Dijon vinaigrette
Boards and bottles
French cheeses, cured meats and antipasti
(v) Vegetarian(vg) Vegan✻ Signature item
The case
Baked through the morning. What is left by afternoon is what is left.
The Room
Alice Poulain was built as a third space — somewhere between home and work where the whole point is that nobody hurries you. The terrace out front was designed for exactly that.
A front terrace
Built for people-watching and lingering. Sitting for a while is the point, not a side effect.
Dogs welcome
Bring them. The terrace was designed with them in mind — and the regulars have four legs as often as two.
Room to work
Remote workers are welcome to stay. No one is going to rush your table.
Opened May 19, 2026 at 2214 S 1st St.
Visit
Dogs are welcome on the terrace. Remote workers are welcome inside.