Le Jardin Cafe offers a range of bakery options.
Looking for a place to grab a bite and browse some unique jewelry? Look no further than Wallingford’s newest eatery, Le Jardin Café.
First opening its doors to the public in February, the cafe features a unique design that combines an eatery with a jewelry store, ACHIQ Designs. With sections for gifts and children’s products, the café is very family-oriented and caters to many needs and cravings.
Le Jardin Café has grown to become a quiet favorite among Choate students. Emma Ding ’24 said, “I really enjoyed my experience there as it was slow-paced and relaxing. People were sitting at these little tables chatting away or working on their laptop.”
Compared to other cafés in Wallingford, Paula Garcia-Moreno ’25 likes Le Jardin Café the most, saying, “I’ve tried iced coffees at other cafés, and they were a bit underwhelming. I really like Le Jardin’s iced caramel latte and usually get that.”
Owner Ms. Fabi Giguere said that ACHIQ Designs was a family business that had been operating in Cheshire, Connecticut, for six years. When the opportunity to expand and move to Wallingford arose last year, she had to take it.
The idea for the café came later, when Ms. Giguere and her husband, Mr. Brad Giguere, realized that the space next door was available for rent as well. Mr. Giguere utilized his experience as a chef to create the menu for Le Jardin Café, and is now the chef de cuisine.
Ms. Giguere shared that her goal for ACHIQ Designs and Le Jardin Café was for it to be “an open concept store where you can shop and eat everything your heart desires.” In the three months since opening, hervision has been fulfilled. She said, “I observe people coming in here and enjoying good coffee, having a wonderful conversation, and enjoying the place.” Customers have also mentioned the convenience of being able to grab a bite and browse merchandise at the same time.
As strong advocates of family-owned businesses, Ms. Giguere and Mr. Giguere show their support by selling products made by small businesses in their own store. Ms. Giguere shared that many brands of the merchandise they carry are female-owned or from her home country of Peru.
The majority of her own creations in ACHIQ Designs are made of sterling silver or gemstones like chalcedony and amethyst, common Peruvian exports. Similarly, the café sources their bread from local bakeries and their coffee beans from Peru, which customers have been enjoying.
“Our cappuccinos and lattes are big sellers,” said Mr. Giguere. He shared that many menu items such as the chicken pesto cubano, avocado toast, quinoa salad, pistachio cake, and muffins have been a hit. To cater to customers with dietary restrictions, the menu also includes gluten-free brownies and customizable dishes that include more greens or no meat.
Mr. Giguere is now planning to expand the drink menu. He said, “We added iced coffee and chai and have been experimenting with creating new things.” However, as someone who prioritizes quality over quantity, he added, “We don’t want to be another Starbucks.”
Ms. and Mr. Giguere have many ideas to expand the reach of Le Jardin Café, including hosting nighttime social events like karaoke night or live music night. With summer right around the corner, Ms. Giguere hopes that the longer days will draw more people to the homey café.
In keeping with Ms. Giguere’s mission to include “a little bit of everything,” Le Jardin Café seems to be an up-and-coming staple in Wallingford that has something for everyone.
It is a must visit for those looking for quality food and a unique selection of jewelry and gifts.
