“Mangette” is not technically a French word, Alicia Kemper says. It’s a play on “manger,” which means “to eat.”
“So, if you add E T T E, it means little place. It’ll be a little eatery, a little community space,” Kemper said of the cafe she’s opening beside her young business, Buvons Wine Bar + Shop.
Kemper opened the chic Zaferia District wine bar in December of 2021. A few months later, her close friend and fellow sommelier Marie DelBarry moved from France to work alongside her as general manager of the space, where they specialize in mostly organic, small-production French wines.
In recent weeks, the pair sealed the opportunity to bring another offering to the neighborhood that will also complement Buvons.
The Zaferia District has seen more foot traffic lately, Kemper told the Business Journal—from those visiting the new-ish coffee shop Good Time to patrons of the even newer neighboring Susan Hammond Skincare salon.
“We are excited to bring more things to this neighborhood because we really love this neighborhood,” she said.
Kemper and DelBarry haven’t settled on a menu yet, having just finalized the lease, but they plan to offer a daytime space to enjoy a coffee, matcha tea along with seasonal, market-driven fare and pastries for breakfast and lunch. Plus, while Buvons offers a wide selection of French organic wines, Mangette will offer a different marketplace. The details of its offerings have not been decided.
While Buvons hosts food pop-ups, they’ll be able to take that effort a step further with their new full kitchen next door. Mangette will also be available to rent out for nighttime events, Kemper said. The cafe will not serve wine during regular business service, but guests can head to Buvons for that.
With the addition of the new space, Kemper said Buvons will also expand its back patio and likely move its wine classes next door.
Depending on when inside construction is completed, Kemper said Mangette will hopefully be open by August or September.
“We’ve been meeting a lot of new people,” Kemper said. “And I think that opening next door will bring more intrigue and an interest to the area as well—more things for people to do, things to eat and drink.”
Buvons offers a vibrant venue to explore natural French wine in the Zaferia District