Maminette Cafe to Open in Donelson — Finally

Maminette is a long time coming.

A long time in that it has taken months to get the permits and Metro sign-offs to open the cafe in Donelson — much longer than owners Alexandre Meunier and Philippine Maillard expected. A long time, too, in that the bistro is named in honor of Maillard’s grandmother, Jacqueline. Maminette is her nickname, a French term that sort of translates to “meemaw.” Maillard asked her grandmother to write down her essential recipes when she left France for the U.S. Maillard has been eating those foods for a long time.

Meunier and Maillard are also the owners of East Nashville’s The Authentique, the popular wine bar and crepe and cheese spot. They’ve wanted an opportunity to use Maminette’s recipes. They were casually looking around for a second spot when they saw a former Mexican restaurant in Donelson that seemed like the right fit for their vision.

Meunier and Maillard specialize in small spaces. The Authentique is 815 square feet — the smallest business in Tennessee with a Wine Spectator award, Meunier notes. Maminette is 700 square feet. When it opens at the end of September, it will have 16 seats, which is the maximum Metro allows for a business with only one bathroom. They’d like to add classic French bistro seating on the outdoor patio, but they need to wait until they can afford to build a separate bathroom before expanding. 

The planned opening is weeks away, but already Meunier and Maillard have seen lots of community support. The delays in permitting and renovations led Meunier and Maillard to think creatively. They launched a “Founder’s Club,” where those who signed up to join at the $500 level received a $600 Maminette gift card to use in the future, plus exclusive tasting experiences — either wine at The Authentique or coffee at Maminette. Sort of like a CSA model for opening a restaurant. They had about 27 people sign up as Founder’s Club members, and that cash helped them get Maminette’s open. 

“It was critical for us, because we weren’t expecting it to take this long, and we had to pay all the bills just The Authentique funding it,” Meunier says.

Maminette’s decor is what you would expect from the owners of The Authentique, with attention to detail and a French aesthetic. The menu will include crepes, sandwiches on fresh baguettes, quiche, sweet baked goods and coffee. They will add wine once they have a license. While much of Maminette herself is part of the cafe — her recipes and even the logo are written in Maminette’s handwriting — Maillard stresses the place is not an homage to her.

“We’re just trying to bring this feeling that we always had on a Sunday afternoon at her place, trying to feel like at home," Maillard says. "We are really trying to bring family vibes. Come to eat at our place, and you’re going to love it. The food is going to be great, and we are making you family.”