Nestled in the serene surrounds of Mid-Levels’ Prince’s Terrace, Café Lavande is as close as you’ll get to a typical French coffee shop. Francophile Julian opened the space up almost four years ago with the hopes of recreating the same atmosphere of the many small sidewalk cafés in Provence. The space is filled with charming, rustic European touches, from the robin’s egg blue wooden cabinets to the antique chairs and dainty floral teacups. The menu is your typical light café fare with assorted sandwiches including the classic French ham and cheese croque-monsieur and various homemade cakes and tarts. The biggest draw here though, is the alfresco seating area out front. Café Lavande has the rare advantage of being on a fairly wide and open street with no passing cars. With a cup of coffee and a good book, you’ll almost feel like you were in some tiny nook of France.