This is our go to place for authentic French pastries and food in Fairfax county. This place is a hidden gem in Clifton. I fell in love with chocolate almond croissants when I first had it in Pike Place Market in Seattle and haven't had it since until I stumbled upping this place and it was . After having traveled to Paris, my husband and I have been on the hunt for comparable French bistros and boulangeries in our area and we're glad we found this place. I love that they also added the Crookie which is the newest craze in Paris. read more

I was invited by our neighbor to check out this new French Cafe/Bistro. Upon walking in it felt like i had been transported to France with the layout of the building & overall vibe. We all started with coffees while remaining pastries were coming out of the oven. Everything was wonderful & the pastries were spot on a reminder of being in France. Staff/ owners were very friendly & we caught ourselves having a convo with them quite a bit! Since we joined for breakfast i wasn't able to try their lunch menu but from other peoples photos I'm super excited to come again very soon!!! What a great find! read more

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Great place, didn't even realize it was there but it was great. Everyone was super nice and it was good vibe.

Today through a very dear friend I found a hidden gem in Clifton. From the moment I walked in , the ambience of the restaurant and the music made us all feel in Paris. The chef is amazing and the staff is very friendly and welcoming. The food is truly French and magnific. I love the Croque Madam and pain au chocolate , the almond croissant and the cannelle. I highly recommend this restaurant and I look forward to coming back again very soon read more

Motier - French Near Me - Clifton, Virginia

I came for lunch with my friend. Unfortunately that day, the chef was stuck in Europe so they had a limited menu. They had sandwiches, croissants and quiche available. Initially they had someone come to the table and take our drink order. However, later on no one came to take our food order. We waited about 25 minutes and then we decided to go up to the register to order. The food (of what was available) was 5 stars and service was 3 stars. I got the Parisian chicken baguette and a chocolate croissant. Again, they were both delicious. I will definitely return to try the food once the chef returns! read more

Motier - They had another case of selections but this was at the front side. - French Near Me - Clifton, Virginia

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Wife loved the pastries here. .... I took a poop here and it was very pleasant because they had 2 ply toilet paper. They obviously care about the customer. read more

we had first lunch in this French restaurant and we enjoyed so much the food that we had. The food is top notch! From the soup (Onion soup), beef bourguignon and delicious grilled chicken were delicious! Worth every penny! Their pastries are excellent!! I love this rest! small, cozy and well decorated without too much! Service is excellent. Located in a quiet little town in Clifton, VA. Highly recommended! read more

Selection is fairly limited and I wish they had more vegetarian options but everything is good and it a delightful little jewel.

Giving two stars because I did not even get to taste the food. At noon, when it is so busy in November that you can only get a table outside, the chef is currently unloading a van filled with stuff, including salad, napkins, etc. And he decided no Croque Madame for today, which was my initial order. At first they said it would take a bit, then changed it to no Croque Madame, a staple of French food. I feel exactly like I would in Paris. Not a care in the world for the customer. read more

WOW - my praises are never ending for this place. The best pastries in all of the DMV, as well as the best French onion soup can be found at Motier. I've never had a more perfect French onion soup - cheesy, not too salty, crunchy bread pieces in between each bite, and the dill on top. Wow. The lemon tart here is even more incredible - the filling is incredibly smooth and light, not too sweet, while the outer tart shell is perfectly baked and buttered. Ivar knows what he's doing here, and I feel even more empowered to come back time and time again with how local and family owned this spot is. read more

I really really really wanted to like this place, but $15 for French Onion Soup sets my expectations high, like this soup SHOULD be delicious, otherwise I'm gonna feel really bad for spending $15 on a bowl of soup. $15 is a higher price than many french restaurants in DC, and the soup I had here at Motier was nowhere near adequate for that price tag. The onions were not caramelized enough, leading the soup to be pretty pale in color and lacking the robust depth in flavor you come to expect when eating french onion soup. It may sound really harsh for me to say this, but legitimately I think Panera's french onion soup tastes better than what Motier offered me yesterday, even if I ignore the cost of both. There's something seriously wrong if I can go to le diplomate in D.C., pay less money for a french onion soup, and have 10x the amount of flavor and satisfaction. Moving on to the other things I tried.. - Pastries: tasty, but again a little pricey. - Ham sandwich: Was literally ham, a slice of cheese, and a pickle. Simple, but at least better than the soup. The staff was super nice, and the vibes were really cool, so I'm sorry for being so harsh.. but if I had to rate this place just based off the soup then I'm never coming back. read more

Ordered the Almond Croissant and the Amandine Poire (Almond Pear Pie) to-go. Found a bug (that was still alive) on a sprig of mint that was used as garnish on the Almond Pear Pie. I don't believe the staff washed their mint thoroughly. This is poor preparation. read more

Motier - Close up of the bug. - French Near Me - Clifton, Virginia

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ADORABLE French bakery and restaurant. The space is small, intimate, and beautifully decorated. Stopped by with my family on a busy Saturday morning for pastries which did not disappoint! Clearly a lot of hard work went into this place. Highly recommend the chocolate croissant, almond croissant, and apple turnover. Enjoyed them on their beautiful outdoor patio/dining area with our dogs. I can't wait to try their lunch and dinner options. Stop by if you're in the area. read more

Went in for lunch and had the Beef Bourguignon. It was phenomenal! The beef was tender and the sauce was just right. I also had the creme brûlée and cafe creme and they were just as good! Will definitely be coming back for more! read more

Motier - a plate of food and a glass of wine - French Near Me - Clifton, Virginia

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Great ambiance, but not much of flavor in food. I expected the dishes to be more savory. My greatest disappointment was ratatouille because instead of the exquisite layers that you see in past review photos, it looked like vegetable stock made with chopped up spare vegetables. The best part of this was the side salad and the onion soup. Servers were nice. Overall an okay experience, but don't think the money was worth the food. read more

This place is absolutely adorable! The interior is small yet feels warm and homey. The foods were absolutely delicious. I really enjoyed the quiche (with bacon) and the French onion soup. The quiche was super light, not too heavy. The French onion soup was super light too, normally I am not a fan of French onion soup -- but absolutely enjoyed the one from Motier! I also got to try some of their baked goodies/dessert. Oh my goodness, their crème Brûlée was delicious! It wasn't too sweet, yet flavorful and light. read more

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The best patries I've had in the DMV. My favourites are the almond croissants and the breakfast croissants (egg and bacon specifically). Everything is just so delicious at Motier. The lunch options are great. read more

A little slice of French heaven. I have not had anything at Motier that I did not love. The pastries and lunch choices are all very good; my favorite, though, is the ratatouille - absolutely delightful. I choose tea over coffee at Motier because they serve teas from Dammann Freres, excellent and hard to get elsewhere. Motier is a tiny, family-run place with just a handful of tables, beautifully and tastefully decorated and feels super cozy. The service is good. Reservation is highly recommended due to the size of the place and increasing popularity. read more

Great little french bakery a little off Main Street. Worth a short walk over. I had the chocolate almond croissant which was one of the best ones I've had outside of France! Great latte as well! Great addition to the charming town of Clifton. read more

Delicious ! We had the quiche Lorraine , salad, and goat cheese in a filo parcel, as well as coffee and a chocolate raspberry tarte. We ate our food too quickly to take pictures because it was delicious. We've also tried the almond croissant. Food is rich and reminds me of traditional French cuisine. Strongly recommend! Definitely coming again and bringing my friends. read more

Soft opening today! Amazing coffee and authentic French pastry and patisserie. The owner Ivar came over from Paris last year and you can tell from the croissants! Outdoor and indoor seating, menu has sandwiches and salad too. Can't wait to go back! read more

I have eaten lunch here several times, and brought bakery home with me, too. This place is charming--a petite French cafe in the Virginia countryside! Eat indoors or out in the patio, the food is always lovely, satisfying, and perfect....and we've tried just about everything on the menu, now. Last visit yesterday, they had fresh baguettes for sale, took one home for dinner guests & it was outstanding. No more grocery store baguettes for me. Wether for a meal, a snack, sweet treat or baked goods, Motier is a MUST. read more

What a find... the food and location took me back to France. We tried quiche, croque madame and monsieur, desserts and coffee. Crisp service but they let you alone to eat and enjoy.. We will be back! read more

Overpriced, small portions, okay pastries. Personally, I wouldn't drive to Clifton old town just for this like I would for peterson's ice cream. read more

Best pastries in Northern Virginia! Love the croissants and the crofins. Crofins are filled with Nutella and mixed berries. The coffee here is also very good. read more

Excellent service and adorable setting, not to mention fantastic food. My new favorite place! Magnifique!

Oh my! Chocolate croissant and illy coffee. A match made in heaven. This place is so quaint! French baguette is excellent also. We purchased tarts as well, the custard was thin and runny but tasty. A must stop when in Clifton! read more

I love Le Motier. It is the real deal! Amazing croissants, pain au chocolat, and other pastries. Really brings me back to France! The owners and servers are really lovely and friendly. They also do a fantastic lunch menu - tasty french onion soup, quiche, sandwiches, and more. Really charming place to sit and enjoy a snack or meal. read more

Excellent croissants (tried one of each) that were buttery and flaky, very authentic. The people behind the counter (I'm assuming the owners) were incredibly welcoming, friendly, and hard working. The inside was nicely decorated, and there was also space outside to sit. Will definitely go back to try more! Best almond croissant I've had so far in the DMV area. read more

A marvelous find! We stopped in for coffee and croissants - a perfect first test of the waters. Espresso was just right and the almond & chocolate croissants were divine. Chef Ivar is a bona fide Parisian and such a lovely person, stopping by our table to ensure that all was parfait. The lunch fare we saw go out was beautifully presented and whetted our appetites for more. Very pleasant atmosphere in the cafe as well, stylish inside and out. A la prochaine! read more

Delicious natural French food. No extra sugar in the pastries and no extra salt in the meals. Their blueberry/cream pastry is the very best I have ever eaten. Their salad is fresh and the dressing is magnificent. This is the kind of restaurant you would like to frequent weekly. read more

Très magnifique! Like stepping into a charming bistro in Paris with a delicious selection of exquisite deserts and fresh baked pastries. The enticing aroma of freshly made espresso and buttered croissants lured me in. The vanilla creme brûlée was perfect and I can't wait to try the Coq au vin! read more

Excellent bakery with delicious menu items. Indoor and outdoor seating. Friendly and convenient! Happy to have this French option in our neighborhood. read more