See inside: Amélie’s reopens Uptown bakery June 15

Flashback: Amélie’s closed its 14,000-square-foot bakery at 380 S. College St. in November 2020 because of pandemic-related challenges. The bakery had been open since 2015.

• The Uptown location, at the base of the Two Wells Fargo building, is the largest of the five Amélie’s bakeries.
• Popular with lunch crowds, the restaurant/cafe served sandwiches, soups and salads, coffees, teas, beer and wine at its bar, and a large assortment of the types of pasties for which Amélie’s is famous — including salted caramel brownies.

Why it matters: Uptown restaurants and cafes have struggled as workers who once spent their days in office towers have instead opted to work remotely. A return to in-person work has provided a boost to the businesses that depend on the daytime crowd.

What to expect: The bakery has the same cozy feel it previously did before closing. The interior makeover includes:

• New flooring
• A private catering/event space
• A revamped dining room
• A dedicated pick-up section for lunch
• A new ordering system that’ll text you when your order is ready

Of note: Although Amélie’s removed the prominent bar that’d become popular for post-work drinks, the Uptown bakery will still serve beer, wine and specialty mimosas.

Details: To start, Amelie’s will be open 8am-5pm Tuesday-Sunday. Closed on Mondays.

Zoom out: Amélie’s first opened in 2008 on North Davidson, a 24/7 cafe known for its whimsical French decor and blue-striped walls. Over the years, the bakery expanded to locations in Rock Hill, Carmel Commons and Park Road Shopping Center.

• Last year, the bakery relocated its flagship North Davidson location to a fresh space in an old art gallery building on 36th Street.
• Southern Living recently named Amélie’s “The Best Best Bakery in North Carolina.”

What they’re saying: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the customer support and anticipation of our return to the heart of Charlotte. After a long delay due to Covid, we are under construction to reopen one of our staple bakeries,” said Amelie’s operations director Justy Martinez.

Take a look inside: 

Editor’s note: We first published this story March 22, 2023. We updated it June 13.