After lengthy permitting delays, the wait for French cafe, crêperie and wine bar Buvette du Marais has ended with last week’s reveal at the Marin Country Mart in Larkspur. The team was given the official go-ahead to open their doors in late June and began serving an abbreviated menu a week later. The classic French menu is unfolding in stages through the summer.
This is location No. 5 for co-owners Patrick Ascaso and his wife Joanna Pulcini-Ascaso. In 2013, Patrick Ascaso recreated an inviting cafe experience reminiscent of his childhood outside of Paris when he opened the original Le Marais Bakery in San Francisco’s Marina District; unresolved landlord issues forced its closure eight years later.
The Ascasos went on to open Bistro Le Marais in 2017 in San Francisco in the Castro; a commissary kitchen with bakery in Lower Nob Hill in 2018; their first in Marin with a daytime and dinner cafe in Mill Valley three years ago; and the Grande Crêperie at the Ferry Building in 2022. As the English translation alludes, Buvette is a relaxed, casual spot to socialize over wine, a light snack or a full meal. “A lot happens in the Mart’s center,” says Patrick Ascaso, referring to its active courtyard, “but if you want some peace and intimacy, (Buvette) is very Parisian with the flower shop (next door) like what you see in France.
” The tempting bounty of French baked goods that Le Marais is known for are on display, including croissants, kouign-amann, scones, tarts, cook.
