A new Nordic bakery and artisan cafe will open in a newly vacated downtown Raleigh restaurant space.
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The Smoky Hollow development recently saw the shuttering of Tucker Street Diner, which closed last week after a year and a half in business.
Now a familiar restaurant group will fill the space. The owners of Iris Coffee Lab plan to open Madeleine Coffee + Bread in Smoky Hollow by the end of this year.
Owned by married couple Bryan and Reghan Haven, Madeleine will focus on Nordic-style breads and pastries and specialty coffee.
“Madeleine will be quite different from Iris, but built with the same love and affinity for coffee and experiences,” Bryan Reghan said in a phone interview. “We believe in giving people experiences that make people feel something, feel seen, that they belong and that their money is well spent.”
Iris Coffee opened in 2020 at 725 Tucker St., about three blocks away from where Smoky Hollow is now.
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The Havens are Raleigh natives and lifelong friends, and Madeleine is an ode to Bryan’s childhood nickname for Reghan.
“She’s the first girl I ever had feelings for as a small child and our feelings just never really went away,” Bryan Haven said. “We’re super happy to be investing in our city and doubling down on that investment. This city is so special.”
Madeleine will be about three times the size of Iris Coffee Lab. The head baker will be Aliesha Vinar, who owns the baking company Genevieve Pastry. Haven said to expect long-fermented, deeply flavorful and creative breads from Madeleine.
With Tucker Street Diner closing last week, the Madeleine team took control of the space this week and is planning renovations.
While the café is built, look for pop-up sneak peaks of the Madeleine menu in the coming months, Haven said.
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