4. Restaurants

Cafe Bretton

849 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Severna Park, MD, 21146
  • (410) 647-8222
  • Store is closed

Cafe Bretton Menu

  • Soup
  • Salad
  • Entrees
  • Small Plates

Healthy Meal suggestions for Cafe Bretton

  • Soup
  • Salad
  • Entrees
  • Small Plates

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Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Tom C.

    Another fine dining experience at Cafe Bretton. The four of us shared appetizers of escargot (tender and flavorful) and wild mushroom tartalette (outstanding!). Our entrees included filet of sole, lobster, a seafood stew, and almond crusted pan-seared rockfish resting on a bed of sauteed spinach. All were exceptional, especially my rockfish fillet. I tasted all four entrees, but the rockfish (my choice) was the best of the lot (of course, I am biased). The fish was perfectly cooked, with the almonds and spinach providing delicious counterpoint flavors. The side of potatoes au gratin was wonderful. We shared a bottle of Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages which complimented all four entrees perfectly. For dessert we shared a HUGE slice of Smith Island cake. This was my first experience with this Maryland icon, and I wasn't disappointed. All-in-all a 4 star experience. Cafe Bretton is a quiet, elegant place to dine with family (no kids, please), friends, or that special someone on a special occasion. The menu changes frequently, but we have yet to be disappointed. The wine list is short but adequate. The atmosphere is perfect for quiet conversation. It's great to have a place like this that hasn't succumbed to the industrial, warehouse decor that seems to be gaining popularity over the last few years. Prices remain reasonable. Since Cafe Bretton isn't situated on the water, isn't located in the city, doesn't have live entertainment, and doesn't cater to the boisterous, it must base its reputation on food and service. It succeeds wonderfully in both.

    (4)

  • Amy G.

    So impressed with this fabulous restaurant! Extremely friendly service, warm ambiance, creative menu and delicious food! The owner was very personable, welcoming and generously served us up a complimentary glass of wine after seeing me in a sling! It just made the night even more memorable! Cafe Bretton has just moved up to first place on our list for a really good local restaurant option and we will return and bring friends!

    (5)

  • Justin H.

    I've been here three times, and each visit was great. The Beef Bourguignon and french onion soup is amazing. The tables by the fireplace make for a cozy night.

    (4)

  • Joey R.

    We love this place absolutelly fell in love with the location, staff and food....! It's turned out to be our date night place... :-) but on a more serious note the chef was very personable checks in with all the tables, talks to all the tables which is a good thing when you go to a restaurant where you're going to pay a pretty penny. It's definitely a hidden gem being out there in Severna Park the great thing is that it's close to the house, so we don't necessarily have to go to Annapolis or downtown Baltimore to get a phenomenal meal...! Keep in mind though while it may be a little pricey you definitely get a lot of food for your buck. I was extremely full upon finishing my entrée but I still reserved a little room to eat some of their delicious crème brûlée which is a must if you visit this restaurant... If I could give it 10 stars I would....!

    (5)

  • William P.

    We just had our 15th anniversary dinner at Cafe Bretton! We had our first kiss in the garden at Cafe Bretton 16 years ago and every year since. Great cocktails, appetizers, entrees, desserts, etc. Bon Soir!!

    (4)

  • Vivo C.

    I saw a fb post about this place and decided to surprise my wife with a romantic evening without our five year old. It did not disappoint. The food was perfect. The service excellent. The extra bonus was the spur of the moment tour through their own organic garden by the chef. We were even gifted a zucchini from the restaurants garden. Don't expect royalty treatment on your visit but you might be pleasantly surprised. A new favorite spot for us.

    (5)

  • Andrew S.

    We had a wonderful dinner for my mothers birthday. Franz took great care of us and the food was excellent. My lamb could have been cooked a little less but it was still moist and delicious. We loved the ambiance, dim but not too dark and the music is set at an appropriately low level to encourage conversation. Pricey but worth it!

    (5)

  • Sarah T.

    A hidden gem in Arnold/Severna Park area! This is one of my favorite french spots to go for a special occasion dinner. It can get pricey (especially with a bottle or two of wine) but it is so worth it! It is tucked away off of B&A Blvd in the most quaint little building. It is not a modernized, glitzy glam establishment. It is a cozy, neighborhood spot where you feel like family as soon as you walk through the door. The owner is there every night making the rounds and chatting people up. Very nice, attentive service. They grow all of their produce on the grounds so everything is very fresh (the tomatoes during the summer are to die for!) And after dinner you can take a little stroll through the garden, it is lovely. My husband almost never steers away from his faithful veal piccata, which is melt in your mouth good. The salmon is also very yummy! And as much as you want to fill up on the appetizers and dinner, dont do it!!! Save room for dessert. At least a little room for the creme brûlée. You will thank me later. All in all, great wine, exquisite cuisine, perfect date spot. Go. now.

    (5)

  • Kathleen C.

    Absolutely fabulous gem of a restaurant tucked halfway between Baltimore and Annapolis. Highly recommend

    (4)

  • Dennis B.

    My wife and I walked towards the door midweek at Cafe Bretton and a sign on the door read, "Closed for wine tasting dinner." Bummer! Plan B immediately went into effect - Annapolis for a slab of meat and an average celebration meal :-( As we were getting into our van, someone began banging on the back. Bang! Bang! Bang! Victor, the Head Chef (who we had never met) said with a heavy French accent, "where are you going, why are you leaving?" I said nicely, "It looks like you are closed for a wine tasting dinner." He said, "No, we have saved you two of our best seats! Come, come, come!" Well, let me tell you that we felt that we just walked into a fine French wedding reception where the bride and groom were just out of view. We were greeted with a flute of French Champagne and led to our table. There was hardly anywhere to place my cellphone on the table. It wasn't a small table, it was a table for 4 set with enough stemware, silverware, napkins and other accouterments that we thought 2 more people were going to be sitting there with us. (Good thing that I had a small and early lunch.) I have the printout of all the food and wine they made for us, but it is in a box somewhere with a note for the future that says, "Excellent dinner!!" written in black Sharpie. We had a waitress (awesome) and a slew of sharpened and silent ninja assistants to who would swoop in and "adios!" the last course plates and silverware within almost 4 beats after we placed our fork and knife down. Boom! Gone! Thrice during the meal, a gentleman whose job (passion) it is to fly to France and scout out grape perfection would stand. A round of light tapping of knives on glass would garner everyone's attention. He would regale us with his description of the sights, sounds and taste of little know parts of old style French wineries. (Enough talk; let's drink!) Just joking about enough talk. It was wonderful. So much more than we expected. The food came. The wine came. The food came. The wine came. In all I think there were 8 wines and 7 courses to this 4 hour feast! I told my wife that we just saved thousands of dollars in air fare to France! (The bride and groom were still out of view. There must have been a bride and groom here somewhere 'cause we truly felt that we were at some rich couple's wedding reception.) Note: Somewhere, early on, we told our waitress that the last time someone greeted us with Champagne was exactly 15 years earlier when we stepped off the launch onto a pier in Belize for our honeymoon. When we were all done with our feast, or when we THOUGHT we were all done, the waitress came out with a tray and a filled martini glass. It turns out that the waitress told Victor it was our anniversary. He had looked out the kitchen at my wife and INSTANTLY guessed what her favorite drink was. (We had only been in Cafe Bretton together once before; 5 years ago on Mother's Day.) Victor created and poured Jen a PERFECT chocolate martini! Her absolute favorite drink! (Ask me how we concocted a chocolate martini one night on a sinking boat at our pier. Funny story.) This is the drink that we drive to the Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach to get. By the way, Blue Moon has a killer Bloody Mary Bar on Sunday mornings. Somehow Victor knew, just like he knew that he wanted us to have the best seat in the house, so much that he banged on our car and almost dragged us in. I give Cafe Bretton an extra star for having the ultimate in professional staff and a chef who is a true "mind reader". Note: We went back 2 months later for a similar wine tasting and BOOM! - it was awesome! Go figure. Thanks Victor! Thanks Victor! Bon Appetit! See you soon! P.S. Let's keep this gem our little secret, OK. We don't want too many people jamming up the joint. Note 1: Referencing review below "a very odd experience here [Cafe Bretton]". If you visited sometime around May or June, it was probably Victor's D-Day remembrance and thank you dinner. Some of these folks may have been part of the Normandy Invasion in June 6, 1944, (or may have lost friends or loved ones) so 2 thumbs up to Victor. Victor the mind reader knows all! By the way, I found the review "an odd experience".

    (5)

  • Cathy J.

    We had our anniversary at Cafe Bretton and it was an incredible experience! The food was perfectly prepared and served with the correct wines to enhance the flavors. The Duck Pate was the perfect mousse consistency and seasoned exactly right. The chef was happy to touch base with the guests and went out of his way to match wines with the foods. The dining area is arranged such that each table appears to be one of only 4 or 5, though there are many more than that over several areas. The wait staff is unobtrusive, and would never think of hurrying anyone along. The pastry shop that supplies their pastries is but a very few miles away in Baltimore. Our dessert was so fantastic, we drove to the city the next morning to get more to take home!

    (4)

  • Amy H.

    We had a very odd experience here. We are new to the area and for my husband's 40th birthday I wanted to find something nice in our new neighborhood. Based on reviews, we tried Café Bretton. We had a mid-evening seating (7:30 pm) but we felt as though we had just walked into the early bird special in suburban Florida. On the night we went literally everyone dining there was 30-40+ years older than us. In their 70s and 80s. Also the decor is a bit odd - the outside is charming but the inside is a cross between French country and grandma's spare room. There are lots of floral paintings on the walls and night we were there electric space heaters were set up in the main dining room. I'm afraid that the overall atmosphere sent my husband a strange (though unintentional) message on his birthday. The food, though it seemed to be prepared nicely and with high quality ingredients, was very bland and prepared with very little salt, perhaps reflecting clientele preferences? My veal piccata had no hint of tangy lemons, but was tender. My husband's chicken was the same, though he did have a soup du jour that was very tasty. My french onion soup was nothing special. A daily special dessert was also very good. So all in all, I think they do what they do well, but we are just not the target consumers. A shame because I really wanted to like it.

    (2)

  • Christopher S.

    Took Rockstar here on Saturday evening. I had not been here in about 18 months.. There were four of us and we had the Beef Bourguignon x 2, Salmon filet with Tarragon sauce, Veal Scaloppine. The entrees, sides, salads and service were excellent. Great atmosphere Vital Stastics: Excellent deals on French wines. Overall great price/value relationship

    (4)

  • Joyce S.

    What a delightful and enjoyable experience we had at dinner! From the moment we walked in till departure we were treated like royalty in every aspect. Food, especially the french onion soup, was some of the best I've ever had. Make a reservation, go and experience a wonderful evening!

    (5)

  • Valerie P.

    I've been to this place twice and I absolutely love it. The most recent time I started my meal with figs served over prosciutto and blue cheese. To. Die. For. My entree was a special of seared duck breast with mashed potatoes and asparagus. The duck was cooked perfectly the mashed potatoes and asparagus paired well with the wine sauce the duck was served in. For dessert I had the creme brulee which was delightful. Service was great and atmosphere pleasant. I hope to return when I travel up this way again.

    (5)

  • Keith B.

    Sorry to be in opposition of the rest of the reviewers, but... We've eaten at Cafe Bretton twice in the six months or so. The first time, we were very happy with everything, hence the reason we went back this past week. Well, I don't know what happened, but for some reason, the food during this second visit was nowhere near as good as the first time. Everything we had, from the appetizer, to our entrees, to dessert, was extremely bland and practically tasteless. For an appetizer, we had the escargot. It was without a doubt, the most flavorless escargot we've ever had. We had to put the olive tampanade on the bread with the escargot just to give it some sort of flavor. We figured we'd do better with the entrees... nope. I had the Covina and my dining companion had the lamb. Again, my Covina tasted like it hadn't seen a hint of seasoning and the accompanying leeks were undercooked and bitter. My companion's lamb was not only tasteless, but chewy. For dessert, we split a creme brulee. Now, creme brulee is not difficult to make and I can't understand how it can also be practically flavorless, but it was. If it wasn't for the carmelized sugar on top, it would have been devoid of taste. We're hoping that our most recent dining experience at Cafe Bretton was just an anomaly. We'll probably give it another shot, but, if we're going spend nearly $200 for dinner, the result should not be hit-or-miss. Speaking of the tab, where do restaurants get off charging more than double for what a bottle of wine costs? I understand they have to make a living, but c'mon! A bottle of Louis Jadot Beaujolais at Cafe Bretton was $25 or $30. You can pick a bottle up at Sam's Club for around $9.

    (3)

  • Nathan C.

    A surprising find in the Arnold area. Cafe Bretton serves upscale French inspired cuisine prepared by some seriously trained chef-type people. I mean, they use tablecloths and everything, and they even have one o' them fancy dandies what knows which wine goes with the vittles. The decor is gorgeous -- it's obvious that it was built with a vision in mind, to evoke its French roots. It's not overly packed inside -- there's room to move around & breathe with your companions. I can't find an online presence at this time, which is unfortunate because it would help me remember what I've eaten there. I know I had the best Chilean sea bass ever -- cooked & served whole stuffed with rosemary and citrus, filleted & served tableside. It was ridiculously good. I've also had some sort of venison chop with a port-and-berry reduction that was delicious. Problem is, every time we've been, my wife's been pregnant so I never had to drive. This meant we had more wine-per-person to consume. Which means I can't remember what I ate with any accuracy. I just remember every time, we leave full and happy. What more can you ask for?

    (5)

  • Rick H.

    We've been going to Cafe Bretton for years now, five or six times a year, and are never disappointed. Wonderful service, delicious food, and a nice quiet ambiance. A strong recommendation. Don't miss it.

    (5)

  • Christine R.

    Overrated. We have eaten here twice and the service was poor. The food is above average but overpriced.

    (3)

  • John K.

    Sample Takes: This is not one of those pretentious French restaurants with an indecipherable menu. It's pretty much all in English. No surprises that way. Have you ever eaten something that's so good that your neck and shoulders relax, your eyes roll back in your head, and you exhale with a contented sigh? That's the veal picatta. ******************************************************************************* This is a little gem tucked away on Baltimore and Annapolis Boulevard in between Arnold and Severna Park. What's left of B and A (MD Route 648), which used to be the "highway" between Annapolis and Baltimore, is small pieces of road now shunted to the east or west side of Ritchie Highway (MD Route 2). You kind of get the "road that time forgot" feel, although shacks and clapboard houses are slowly being leveled and replaced by nicer homes. Old trees arch over the road in spots creating the illusion of a tunnel. Nice in the summer. This is to give you an idea of its locale, but I diverge. I've passed it at least a hundred times, and darling wife wanted to try it for our anniversary. The exterior has a French architectural motif, and the incongruity definitely catches the eye. The restaurant is bigger than it looks on the outside, with three dining areas, and has a casually elegant, French Country décor. The walls are adorned with gallery works. This is not one of those pretentious French restaurants with an indecipherable menu. It's pretty much all in English. No surprises that way. We were pleased to discover that we qualified for the "early diners" special which offered a four-course price fixe menu for $33.95. We're not talking a limited choice of two or three alternatives but of seven or eight appetizers and entrees. Darling wife had the escargot for an appetizer which came on a small plate sans shells. I tried the scallops in curry sauce. The scallops were little bitty ones the size of a pencil eraser. The sauce made you go "mmmm." Have you ever eaten something that's so good that your neck and shoulders relax, and you exhale with a contented sigh? That's the veal picatta. The sauce was made from simple ingredients: butter, white wine, roasted garlic, and capers. But it was amazing in execution. For the main course darling wife had a crusted salmon that she raved out. The wine list has some accessible choices and are priced at about half what you'd normally pay in a restaurant. I tried a New Zealand Marlborough 41 degree Sauvignon Blanc labeled "The Jibe." At $7 a glass it was a steal. Darling wife liked it too and ordered her own. Our server poured generously, killing the bottle in four glasses vice the usual five. The manager, Victor, checked on us during our meal. Nice touch. He's been there for ten years and obviously takes a lot of pride in the place. Now that we've tried it, I'm sure we'll be back.

    (5)

  • Jim P.

    At the risk of breaking with a couple of foodies whose reviews I've enjoyed and keep tripping over (we must be the only three in SP/Pasadena/etc with a Yelp account and a desire to rant?), I gotta give this place three stars at best. Yes, it's a straightforward, clear menu. Yes, some of the dishes are fancy, some are interesting, some have been quite good. No, it's not really _French_ French, but much more accessible. But on the whole, the experience on repeated visits is too unreliable to recommend without hesitation. We've been several times, and found the food to be hit or miss, and the service to be *very* hit or miss. The first time through was quite enjoyable and may well have earned a rare 5 stars (when weighted for local conditions -- hey, a Black Diamond run in Big Bear ain't a Black Diamond run in Tahoe), but the "friendly but not professionally-skilled" service was a bit... concerning and suggested I hold off on a review. After a few similar visits, the last time through was "not even friendly, and inept," which really ruins a dinner. As does cold, limp sides and an overcooked steak. Hard to recommend now and hard to go back soon. As mentioned by others, it seems every time we've been that the owner?manager?chef? is flitting about pressing the flesh with those he recognizes. This is good, I guess, if you're someone he recognizes... maybe not so good if you're my entree sitting under a heat lamp getting cold. Maybe they just don't do so well when they're busy, or we've caught a few of their rare bad nights, but this is, regrettably, not a 5-star place in our experiences. We may be back, but (and it pains me to say this, since we did have a pretty nice meal the first time), we have plenty of exploring to do before we put this one high on the list. If it seems like I whine too much about service, remember that poor service manifests itself in the food you're eating -- as cold, overcooked entrees, mistimed deliveries, etc. Too variable to recommend wholeheartedly, but maybe worth a shot if you're going on a quiet night, or want to make the effort to go frequently enough (and suffer the peaks and valleys) to become a friend of the establishment. Not necessarily worth a long, one-time trip, but if you desperately need a decent place in SP, this may well be your best choice... just don't expect 5-star dining necessarily. Although, as I wrap this up, I find myself thinking that I may go back soon just because they gave a cold glare to the no-reservations-but-hey-look-I-brought-my-kids reviewer. But maybe that's just me.

    (3)

  • Keeb M.

    Snooty maître d'. Not kid friendly. It _is_ one of those pretentious French restaurants. We arrived without reservations and after a ghastly glare was given to the kiddos we were told that they would have lots of guests arriving soon and were not afforded the opportunity to dine despite the empty dining room. We came back several weeks later after making reservations and were pleasantly disappointed that Cafe Bretton was not worth the wait. Next time we will stick with real French fare and friendly service at Petit Louis in Roland Park. petitlouis.com

    (2)

  • Suzette M.

    Run, run ,run away. If you have lots of money and you want to burn it, stay and home and enjoy the warmth. Mediocre food, terrible service and high prices ($9,50_for a gin and tonic). Spent $250 for a four person meal. @ and one hours for dinner. Asked for water three times and still only got one glass filled at table. Dirty dishes stay on the table until you ask to have them removed. Tough lamp cjhops. Pale veal. Don't don't come just

    (1)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Dressy
    Noise Level : Quiet
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

Cafe Bretton

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