Photos by Xana Turner-Owens

Upon entering the new Parisian bistro in the Back Bay, your eyes immediately turn to the beautiful decor. With plants in every corner, accents of green, gold mirrors, a map of Paris and the beautiful jungle wallpaper, you know you’ve walked into a special place. You take a seat and start nodding to the beat of the music intertwined with whispers of French in the background. Pastries and croissants are on display at the bar. There’s an aroma of fresh coffee. This is Paris. This is Café Sauvage.

Wife-and-husband duo Anaïs and Antoine Lambert opened Café Sauvage to bring a piece of their Paris to Boston. They wanted to provide tasty food, good vibes and a modern yet authentic bistro experience. They also aimed to change the American perception of Paris and French food: demonstrating that Paris is indeed a diverse city and that French food is so much more than escargots and boeuf Bourguignon.

Anaïs Lambert is a Black French woman with roots in Ivory Coast and Congo; Antoine Lambert is a white French man. As a mixed couple, and now a mixed family raising their daughter Kiara in Boston, they strive to create a multicultural space that serves as an anchor for everybody, especially those who don’t seem to fit in the right box or are far away from home.

When they first moved to Boston five years ago from the 12th arrondissement of Paris, Anaïs Lambert was surprised to discover that even in this welcoming city, she would be the only Black person in certain spaces. From that moment, she and her husband knew they needed to create a space where everyone would feel welcome and seen—while eating great food. Anaïs Lambert does admit that she was nervous opening a place like Café Sauvage in the Back Bay as a Black woman in a mixed relationship. But it’s been a couple of months since they opened the doors to their intimate café on Massachusetts Avenue, and it’s exactly what they hoped it would be.

“When we opened Café Sauvage, the whole idea was to bring people together, to mix culture,” says Anaïs Lambert. Café Sauvage’s menu reflects the couple’s multicultural roots and the diversity of a city like Paris. The menu is composed mostly of French cuisine with African flavors. From traditional French dishes like the quiche of the week and the croque madame to the bissap, a popular hibiscus mint lemon juice. The Lamberts are proud that Café Sauvage is the place where most try the African drink for the first time and love it.

Every plate is made with love and almost every dish has a unique story to tell. Like the roasted chicken, Anaïs Lambert’s favorite dish on the menu and her mother’s recipe—she can’t wait for her mom to visit and try it. The roasted chicken is served with jollof rice, plantains, various spices, crispy garlic and a sauce verte. Anaïs Lambert says this dish is as African as it gets!

French cuisine is definitely making its way in Boston, but there is no place quite like Café Sauvage. To start, the name Café Sauvage translates to “wild café,” a name ultimately picked by her best friend and inspired by Anaïs Lambert’s favorite restaurant in France—Paris’ Maison Sauvage. The menu creates a perfect balance of French and African cuisines but also pulls from the cultures and food experiences all around the world, including Vietnam, Italy, Ethiopia and Brazil. Each dish is filled with spices and different flavors you can’t find everywhere. Whether you’re there for breakfast, lunch or dinner, there’s something on the menu for everyone.

“What I want from people is, they come here, they enjoy the music, they eat well and they go out happy. It’s like when you’re receiving people in your house, what do you want them to feel? Welcomed and happy,” says Anaïs Lambert.

cafesauvage.com