Maison Danel brings the afternoon tea experience to San Francisco, along with a wealth of croissants

Danel and David de Betelu are looking to make Maison Danel their own piece of Europe in San Francisco, replicating the patisseries and salon de thés they admired, but with their own spin. Danel and David de Betelu are looking to make Maison Danel their own piece of Europe in San Francisco, replicating the patisseries and salon de thés they admired, but with their own spin. Photo: Blair Heagerty / SFGate Photo: Blair Heagerty / SFGate Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Maison Danel brings the afternoon tea experience to San Francisco, along with a wealth of croissants 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

The scene at the newly opened Maison Danel in San Francisco seems almost ripped out of a European travel guide: a gleaming, showstopping chandelier hangs over pastry cases packed with madeleines, pain aux raisins and croissants of all kinds, as three-tiered stands of pastries and finger sandwiches adorn the tables that draw diners in for afternoon tea.

It’s not Europe, but it’s close. This is Danel and David de Betelu’s own version of the patisseries and salon de thés they frequented in their travels, as the couple (and co-owners) behind Maison Danel explained.

"We wanted to create an elegant and chic interior that's reminiscent of all the beautiful tea salons that we visited not just in Paris, but throughout Europe, including Vienna and Danel's hometown, Biarritz [France], in the Basque country," David said. "[There are] lots of beautiful tea rooms and we also want it to be a reflection of our own tastes and personal style, as well."

Unique touches from Danel's personal collection of vases and antiques permeate the space — "If you look at our house right now, it's pretty empty," David said, laughing — as well as bits and pieces from their 2015 wedding. The blues and silvers throughout are meant to reflect the colors of the sea and were initially part of David and Danel’s wedding color palette. The couple also included the monogram from their wedding as part of the logo for the restaurant.

Maison Danel’s food offerings stretch from breakfast to lunch, along with a weekend brunch. Expect classic French dishes such as the croque monsieur (and madame), seasonal tarts and quiches, duck confit, and even a non-traditional eggs benedict on the brunch menu, among other things.

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The owners also brought on pastry chef Adrien Chabot, a personal friend who moved to San Francisco from Paris. He'll be in charge of the Viennoiserie pastry program, from savory ham and cheese croissants to oreillete abricot, a folded, flaky pastry with an apricot filling. Also expect a rotating list of the always-popular macaron; the current flavor is a gluten-free chocolate macaron with a bright dash of yuzu, made with house-ground almond flour and no artificial colors. (See a selection of the pastries offered at Maison Danel in the gallery above.)

Afternoon tea service offers patrons a taste of a variety of pastries and finger sandwiches, alongside the requisite pot of tea (with an extensive selection of choices). The tea service can quickly become extravagant, with upgrade options including a half bottle of crémant champagne and 1 oz. of caviar.

Despite the grandeur of the tea — and that chandelier centerpiece when you walk in — David still wants the place to feel accessible to all.

"We also want [Maison Danel] to not be stuffy either," David said. "It's not like Versailles where you have to watch what you're wearing and what you're doing. It's not like you drink your tea with your pinkie up in the air. It's much more French countryside, if you will: more relaxed, but still chic and not so formal."

Maison Danel is the couple’s followup to their first restaurant, Baker Street Bistro, which they took over in 2009. And while the Tenderloin isn't the part of town one would imagine as a destination for afternoon tea, David said he’s felt welcomed to the neighborhood, even as they worked to transform three former storefronts into the sprawling 3,000-square-foot space where Maison Danel now lives on Polk Street.

"It's been a big dream of ours and we've gotten so many people stopping by on the street, popping in, saying, 'Hey, when are you opening?'” David said. “And so I just feel really part of a community, and people are welcoming us with open arms to be part of this story of revitalizing the lower Polk corridor."

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Still, if you’re wondering if there’s a market for afternoon tea and picture-perfect croissants, judging by the afternoon crowd on Maison Danel’s opening day, there are people who want to experience that refined and relaxed feeling of sipping tea with a friend.

"Whenever we travel to France, we'll always go to different patisseries because that's the kind of experience that I love,” David said. “And [I] also love tea, love desserts — it's a combination of all those things that just make me really miss [the tea salon] kind of experience and not being able to have that here in San Francisco ... it's just been a dream of ours to bring that here."

Maison Danel, located at 1030 Polk St. in San Francisco, is open starting Tuesday, Feb. 18. Their hours of operation are Tuesday through Sunday, from 7am to 7pm and closed on Monday.

Dianne de Guzman is a Digital Editor at SFGATE. Email: dianne.deguzman@sfgate.com. Twitter: @diannedeguzman