Petite Gourmet

Meh. I suppose it’s good in that it specializes in certain gourmet ingredients and groceries. I came here for lunch, though, and got a sandwich that I could’ve made at home in thirty seconds. The other reviews are correct in that their sandwiches are definitely no-​frills, simple, and made from high quality ingredients. But I feel that if I were to buy a sandwich from a café, the extra dollars that I pay to have the sandwich made for me ought go towards something. My meat was good, and the leaf of lettuce was fresh, and the mustard was fine mustard, and the bread was fine white bread. But it was just some meat and a piece of lettuce and a little bit of mustard and some white bread. Worse, I was still hungry afterward.
Come here for special groceries, but get your sandwiches from an actual deli.

I love Petite Gourmet. The food is excellent, the location is excellent, and every time I’ve been I love chatting with the woman who runs it. I always get the tomato mozzarella sandwich but they also have fancier ones as well. They have a great little section of «groceries» such as olive oil and different pastas. There is also a fantastic dessert selection!

Living at Eastern Market I slapped myself on the wrist when I first found Petite Gourmet and then that it wasn’t a brand new shop. After finally going in I was in Heaven. It really felt like I was in a little shop in Europe to be honest with the selection of drinks, chocolates, and cheeses.
I got a bag kettle cooked chips and a lettuce, tomato, and mozzarella sandwich and was surprised how much I loved it. It was such a simple sandwich and no «Top Chef» fancy spin was added, but the ingredients tasted unbelievably fresh and ultimately if your ingredients are that good it’s going to be hard not to put out good food.
Sadly the cold has kept me from walking around as much as I would like but as soon as the weather improves and I’m out and about more I can not wait to come back and try everything else on the menu.

Absolutely horrible! My friend and I stopped in today and thought it was cute little place to have lunch. We ordered some sandwiches, cookies, and few sodas. Then he politely asked where the restroom was so he could wash his hands before eating.
The woman owner in a not so friendly tone barked «We don’t have one.» Then she let out a frustrated sigh.
My friend nicely asked her why a café that serves lunch would not have a place for patrons to clean up before hand and maybe after as well. She again snapped in a nasty tone, «because it’s a health department issue.»
Again very nicely my friend said okay. «I’m sorry but we are not going to eat here then. Thank you very much.»
On the way out we overheard her mutter, «good riddance.»
WOW was I shocked! I didn’t think someone could be so rude to customers over a facility that every single business should have. I would not go back there nor recommend it to anyone else.
Horrible experience and if I could give it less than one star I would.

It’s true– it does take the owner a bit longer to make the sandwiches than in most delis, but they are delicious. It’s my favorite lunch place in the Eastern Market area.

I dropped by Petite Gourmet today for the first time, after living nearby since it opened three years ago. I ordered a chicken salad sandwich, which was delicious — probably the best I’ve had. It was a decent size (I saved half for later) and on truly wonderful fresh rosemary bread. At $ 7 it was no more expensive than you’d pay for half the quality at Cosi or another chain lunch spot.
There was an assortment of unusual chocolates and foodie items like preserved lemons and bellini jam on the shelves, which kept me entertained while the owner made my sandwich. Contrary to some other reviews on Unilocal,she made it quickly and was very pleasant to me. I wish I’d tried this place sooner, and I’ll definitely be back.

Petite Gourmet is indeed true to its name — a tiny shop tucked in Eastern Market (right next to Tunnicliff’s or right in front of the crêpe stand that inhabits the sidewalk on the weekends) that stocks a small-​yet-​large selection of gourmet food items. From Kingsbury chocolate and truffles to Barefoot Contessa box mixes and the inbetween, Petite Gourmet has a little bit of everything.
I stopped in and would have missed the storefront entirely were it not for the two tables out front and my attempt to avoid the massive line for crepes. My friend recommended their sandwiches. A list of a dozen sandwiches of the gourmet variety (think pâté or cheese) has been assembled for you, but I’m sure you could construct your own out of any of the delicious-​sounding options. I opted for the roast beef with herbed cheese on multi-​grain bread ($ 5.95). I was handed a nicely sized sandwich (not too big or too small, though I’d likely need two to feed my boyfriend) on bread chock full of fennel and sesame seeds, which added a nice crunch and texture. Slathered with the aforementioned herbed cheese, a few layers of roast beef that had been freshly sliced, and a bright green romaine leaf, my sandwich hit the spot.
For the quality and price, I have no doubt that this will be the first of many sandwiches I enjoy at the Petite Gourmet. I’ll only note that the store itself might come off as a little sparse — items are grouped on the few shelves and counter top and if you didn’t know better you might guess that the store is going out of business. It’s not, and it might become my new favorite lunch spot in Eastern Market.

Recently, I made a resolution to not buy coffee from Starbucks or any other chain in an effort to support local businesses.
Hot day, summer in the city. All I really wanted was an iced coffee and a bathroom. Like a puddle in the middle of a desert, the sign «Coffee!» jumped out at me outside the entrance of Petite Gourmet. What a great opportunity to follow through on my resolution — n’est-ce pas?
I’m sure that it has great sandwiches. According to the other reviews, the food is wonderful, and it appeared to be of fine quality. The truffles looked delish.
In short, I am SO GLAD that in the time I waited, I was able to observe all these wonderful qualities of Petite Gourmet.
There was one man in front of me who was purchasing a sammich. Like the review of a previous customer, I noticed that the woman — proprietress, if you will, or growling two headed Medusa — constructed his lunch in a very deliberate manner. She also glared at me in tandem. Madame is a very skilled sandwich maker if she can give the evil eye while serving gourmet food.
She rang her customer up. I waited… and waited. Hey, at least I got to cool down. She finished up, wiped down the counter, journeyed to the back. I waited…
Madame finally comes to the counter and asked, with a stiff upper lip, if she was able to help me. I said, «Yes, well, I was wondering, before I place an order, if I am able to use a debit card here.» She responds, «Don’t waste your time and ours getting something here for just a dollar. What were you going to order?» I replied that I wished to order an iced coffee. She responded rather snottily that she did NOT serve iced coffee.
Feeling very discouraged I asked if there was a bathroom available.
She said, «NO. There are PUBLIC bathrooms located at the market.» And then marched away. My friends, MOODY does not even begin to describe this woman.
After what transpired, I felt as if I was a three year old and my nursery school teacher scolded me for eating Barbie’s hair. You know. Une «Petite».

I live for the Petite Gourmet. Although the service is slow and the owner moody it is my favorite place to go for comfort food. Daily soups and paninis are always amazing. The chocolate chip cookies are incredibly thin but crispy and gooey at once. I also love how you can buy microwaveable «gourmet» dishes.

A nice neighborhood resource for foodies — the type of person that wants specialty pasta, olive oil, unusual pickled items and handmade chocolates. This shop also has a decent selection of cheeses, which I prefer to get here rather than put up with the insufferable proprietor of Bowers Fine Cheeses in the Eastern Market. If you need something to eat for lunch, Petite Gourmet also has some pretty nice sandwiches as well as very good soups, which vary depending on the day.
The only cautionary note is this: if you are in a hurry and just want to grab something and go, this is not your best option. I really like the owner and she is invariably friendly, but she is pretty deliberate in putting together a sandwich. However, that is my only complaint about the store — otherwise, it suits my needs pretty well and both my wife and I are regular customers.

I went in today searching for Kingsbury Truffles, and they had only 5 varieties. Other offerings included preserves from other countries, fancy mustards and several varieties of pâté (I sampled one, and it was good).
Overall, it’s a bit too «petite» to offer what you need. Unless, of course, you’re a hand-​made chocolate fanatic and Kingsbury truffle-​hog.
They need a bigger sign. I’ve lived in the ‘hood a year and never knew that the place was even there.

Petite Gourmet is a cute little place, and they just added some tables and chairs, which is a welcome addition. It has a great selection of cheese and Polish sausage. You can also get coffee here, but I warn that it’s a bit heavy. The staff is super friendly and always willing to help. Some of the cheeses are a bit pricey, but it is a gourmet food store, so the higher prices are expected. They also have a good selection of soups here. I would say this is an interesting place to have lunch if you’re in the area and are in the mood for some soup or baguettes.