Let’s face it – the French really know how to cook. From hearty breads and onion soup to savory crepes and chocolate mousse, the bistros of Paris and inns from Bordeaux to Alsace provide the best of haute cuisine. Café St. Amand, located at 48 Baltimore Street, just one block from the Square, brings a taste of Paris to the heart of downtown Gettysburg, offering patrons the best in fine dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Owners Bill and Janine Synnamon felt that a French restaurant would be a welcome addition to historic Gettysburg. Naming their café after the Christian innkeeper from Flanders who was later canonized for his kind hospitality to the weary traveler, Bill and Janine, with their son, Brendan, and daughter-in-law, Jaime, traveled to many destinations in the United States and Europe to procure the best ideas for recipes and ambience for their new restaurant. A successful businessman, Bill also owns the Union Drummer Boy and Union Cigar Club on Baltimore Street. He also works with the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association to put on the Civil War Collector’s Show each June. Creating and operating an upscale French bistro in Gettysburg, however, is a long-time dream that the entire family is thrilled to see being realized at last.
Patrons of Gettysburg’s newest bistro will discover upon entering Café St. Amand that they could be stepping into an actual Paris café, right off the Champs Elysees. Photographs of the rue
s of Paris, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower line the walls, adding a Gallic touch to the classic décor. Booths and tables are available for patrons, with comfortable custom-made chairs and lighting. There is space by the large front window or a cozy corner that offers more privacy. Though wine is not available for purchase at the restaurant, diners are invited to bring their own to enjoy with their meals.
Jaime Synnamon is the general manager of Café St. Amand. She and the skilled staff combine hard work and inspiration to create authentic culinary delights for the expansive menu. A favorite is French onion soup, which is an in-house recipe – a culmination of the best European cuisine has to offer. (We’ve tried it and have to add that it’s the best we’ve ever tasted.) Crepes are offered for breakfast and lunch, along with several other delectable items: Belgian waffles, omelettes, or a variety of sandwiches and salads. The dinner menu changes weekly, but French entrées like beef bourgignon, coq au vin, ratatouille, filet mignon or salmon with risotto are some of the delectable meals offered. All cuisine is prepared on site with fresh ingredients and imported spices and extracts.
No self-respecting French aficionado would skip dessert, and Café St. Amand offers a wonderful array of them, freshly made each day. Chocolate éclairs, fresh cinnamon buns, petits fours, crème brulee, chocolate mousse, and a variety of fruit tarts offer a perfect end to every sumptuous repast.
The café is open daily. Business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, when dinner is available; and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Reservations are accepted and encouraged for large parties. The café accepts major credit cards.
Like the kindly Saint Amand who lived in the sixth century, the café that bears his name offers the best in hospitality and delicious meals at any time of day. Stop in at Café St. Amand, enjoy a wonderful meal, and don’t forget to have dessert.
