French Bakery & Delicatessen

The man said best pastrami sandwich I'd ever had, he did not lie nor disappoint! Super cool, unique and older style atmosphere. The place is like stepping back in time. Well worth the price! I need a nap

Best pastrami sandwich I have had in a very long time. Have never been and stopped in on a whim. Very glad I did. After sorting out the whole push pull situation with the front door it was easy sailing. Great service. Nice deli vibe. Amazing sandwich

The service is so great and the pastrami sandwich is THE BEST. The orange donuts are also delicious. It definitely feels like your stepping into your mom/dads kitchen 💗

The best Pastrami sandwich I've ever had since Big Daddy's subs closed on Hampton blvd. And it's not even close. Love everything about this place. Great people and great service. Was gonna post a better picture but once I took the first bite I couldn't stop. Lol

I’ve been coming here for years and can’t believe I have not given this establishment their due credit. This is one of the last surviving places of good ol Americana eatery. George and his brother(God rest his soul) have kept this deli alive and open and still a top quality venue for delicatessen and pastrami sandwiches.

Hands down this is the best pastrami sandwhich in the Hampton Roads are, and yes I have been to many....some come close, but French’s always comes out on top.

After one of the giant pastrami sandwiches, go ahead and wash it down with their signature orange donut. Then on the way out grab a jar of his delicate rose jelly, if he has any left....trust me this is a blast on any toast.

Highly recommended!! Stop by and support a long standing local!!

This bakery was so quint and the two gentleman were so wonderful you step in and it's like stepping back in time. We loved the Pastrami sandwich and we got Mediums and my boyfriend finished his but I couldn't finish mine so I got a doggie bag. Then we got to pastries and OMG what a selection of delicious homemade authentic pastries I bought a bunch of different ones because each one tasted awesomely and he told me that he had made them just for me and smiled brightly and couldn't resist. We definitely will going back to see Mr. George and his colleague.

We visited for our first time today. I’ve been wanting to check this out for years, but we’re always here in the evening hours. It is a small family bakery and deli with wonderful looking pastries and desserts!
We walked in and were greeted by the owner. He told us he makes the best pastrami sandwich ever. My husband and I agree! He makes it in 2 sizes. Wish we could have enjoyed some dessert, but due to health reasons we were not able to do so today. No worries, though. We will definitely make plans to come back and visit!!

His croissant-donuts are quite literally the best donuts I've ever had. The store front makes it hard to tell if it's open or closed-down for good, but once you get the courage to walk in, you'll find it's well worth the trip.

George also makes amazing pastrami sandwiches.

Do not pass on this place!

Fantastic sandwiches and pastries. Excellent and friendly service. Unique, old-school vibe. Love it!

Just moved in down the street and BEST pastrami sandwich you will have in your life! Orange donut, croissant, and chocolate cake are also 10/10. Amazing espresso. Love the owners they treat you like family. Quality prices for quality food I have 0 complaints. I love the old school homey vibe of the place as well. Will be returning as often as I can

Fantastic! Shame we're not local to the area or this would become one of our regular joints. The sandwiches are AWESOME, kind of sandwich that hits the spot when you need something quick on a lunch break. The pastries and sweets were fantastic, too. Those, however, are pricey, though I have no complaints about the price because I've made linzer cookies, eclairs, etc at home and that stuff is NOT quick and easy. You pay for the labor. There's probably just one person cranking those out and that person is working HARD. A lot of negative reviews seem like those customers were expecting something a little more commercial - don't go into a small-owned down-to-earth business and expect Panera Bread kinda stuff.

Loved the atmosphere. Super laid back, casual, everyone was just hanging around. Great service, very attentive, gave us samples of the ginger cookies we were looking at (and bought two of, naturally). Lots of cool history and personality inside the restaurant, love to hear about that kind of thing. I saw a lot of reviews saying the place was dirty/dingy but dunno what that was about, I didn't see any of that. If you're expecting a brightly lit place with shining marble tiles, again, just go to Panera Bread.

1st time here. So Katz (Manhattan) and Sapienza Deli
( Howard Beaches finest ) pastramis are by far the greatest on the planet! But um this one here is right up their A$$! This dude is bonkers with this here! Pastrami...salami....onions...hot peppers.....mustard....and I don't know what the hell else that made this freaking sand bang as hard as it did. Generations of time and perfection. The place reeks of nostalgia...very emotional experience. The owner is a gem. He gets my business for life. You get treated how you treat people. He was wonderful.

This place is a hidden gem in downtown Norfolk. This family owned business is a well oiled machine run with pride and love. The mouth watering, New York style sandwiches are made on bread baked on site. You cant go wrong with any of their desserts. Whatever you are in the mood for, they most likely have it. The baklava is to die for and the eclairs will transport you to the streets of Paris with just one bite. If you are searching for something truly unique, enjoy some of their world famous rose mousse. The mixture of rose and chocolate is truly orgasmic! Do yourself a favor and stop in sometime.

One of the best hidden gems in all of Norfolk! My husband and I moved to the area around a year ago and quickly came across this awesome sandwich shop. George, the owner, truly makes the experience every time we walk through the door. The sandwiches are phenomenal and worth every penny! It’s hard to find a sandwich made with homemade bread, quality ingredients, and freshly made to order. If you’re looking for a great sandwich and a place with a ton of character and quality go see George at the French Bakery and tell him we said hi!

Best pastrami sandwich I ever had! The pastries are pricey but oh so good! Try the orange donuts! Yum!
3/17/22
Went back today! Still the best. Make sure you get small or medium. Unless you need to feed 4. Large made from whole loaf of bread. I get the medium and take half home.

Is this Norfolk's best kept secret? It's the best sandwich I've had since living here. I got the pastrami, my wife got a turkey sandwich. They were both amazing and filling. The bread is so good. Great service and the owner has a great personality! There's also some pastries and desserts. They make it all themselves! I got a custard filled eclaire and it was great. Worth checking out, I can't believe more people don't realize this place exists.

I'm a New Yorker, and this was the best Pastrami sandwich that I tried in Virginia!!!
The owners was nice, the deli was.clean& the sandwich bread was soft, and they don't microwave the meat, hot off the Grill!!! NYC STYLE!!
I Highly Recommend going here!!
Keep up the great work!! I will Return!!

110 years in business. Best pastrami sandwich in the area. Excellent cakes, pies, rum balls, dessert selection. Fresh baked bread.

My daughter Erica and I stopped in for a sandwich after adopting trees at Norfolk's Arbor Day celebration.
I ordered the turkey sandwich and it is the absolute best sandwich I have ever eaten. Erica had the pastrami and said it was the BEST...
George is the best too and made us feel like family. I LOVE THIS PLACE ❤

This place has been around for a long time. The front end could use a good dusting and wipe down but the food is fantastic. Try the pastrami sandwich with everything on it. May seem a bit pricey but, worth it. Yum. Pastries are so tasty. Call ahead. Enjoy