"A James Beard-nominated French cafe hiding in downtown Flagstaff — go early for the $18 croque madame and the best brunch in town."
Sam Greenhalgh opened Forêt FLG in a former coffee shop at 2 S Beaver St in August 2021, pivoting his plan for a dinner restaurant into a French-inspired breakfast and lunch cafe. The bet paid off: in 2024 the James Beard Foundation named him a nominee for Best Chef: Southwest, a rare nod for a daytime cafe in a mountain town. The cooking is genuinely French in spirit, the croque madame is $18, and most plates land between $18 and $30.
Sam Greenhalgh cooks like a chef who meant to open a dinner restaurant and decided to put that ambition into brunch instead. The croque madame is the dish reviewers return to, layered and balanced rather than heavy, and the omelet au fromage arrives folded the French way with a small dressed salad on the side. The seared brioche with fresh ricotta and citrus curd is the standout sweet plate, and the caneles are the kind of detail most cafes skip.
The savoury side runs from a Wagyu patty melt to a chicken schnitzel sandwich and a fried loup de mer sandwich, with vegetable bowls and gluten-free options for lighter appetites. Espresso drinks, seasonal lattes and mimosas round it out. The 2024 James Beard nomination for Best Chef: Southwest is the credential that explains the gap between this kitchen and the usual cafe standard. At $18 to $30 a head, it is mid-range pricing for cooking that punches well above it.
Forêt is a small, bright downtown Flagstaff cafe with a relaxed counter-order setup and a patio that welcomes dogs in good weather. The mood is friendly and casual; hikers, locals and road-trippers mix over coffee, and the sound level rises with the room on a busy weekend morning. Service is at the counter, you seat yourself, and there is no dress code. Tables are close and the space is intimate rather than spacious, so peak mornings can mean a wait.
Book Forêt into a morning rather than an evening: it is the right call for a low-key brunch date, a solo breakfast with a good coffee, or a casual catch-up before a hike. The cooking is interesting enough to carry the conversation, the counter-order format keeps it unhurried, and the bill stays gentle. Go close to the 8am open to beat the queue. For more daytime ideas, see the best restaurants for a first date and our Flagstaff dining guide.
Not for dinner or a late meal — Forêt is daytime only, open 8am to 3pm Wednesday to Sunday and closed Monday and Tuesday, with counter service and no reservations. Skip it if you want an evening sit-down dinner or a table you can book ahead.
Yes, it is the most accomplished daytime cooking in Flagstaff. Chef and co-owner Sam Greenhalgh was a 2024 James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: Southwest, and the French-inspired plates show it, from the croque madame to the seared brioche with fresh ricotta and citrus curd. It is a counter-service breakfast and lunch cafe, not a dinner destination, so set expectations accordingly and go early.
There are no reservations; you order at the counter and seat yourself, so the only barrier is the queue. Weekend mornings draw a wait, and reviewers regularly mention 30 to 45 minutes at peak times on a Saturday. Arrive close to the 8am open or mid-afternoon to skip the line. The cafe is open Wednesday to Sunday and closed Monday and Tuesday.
There is no dress code at all. This is a relaxed downtown Flagstaff cafe where hikers, locals and road-trippers mix over coffee, and casual clothes are entirely the norm. Come as you are, whether that is straight off a trail or dressed for a leisurely brunch. The mood is friendly and unpretentious, with a patio that welcomes dogs in fine weather.
Plan on roughly $18 to $30 per person for a plate and a coffee. The signature croque madame is $18, and the omelet au fromage, seared brioche and sandwiches sit in a similar range, with espresso drinks and seasonal lattes on top. It is mid-range pricing for cooking well above the usual cafe standard, which is much of the appeal.
Order the croque madame, the dish reviewers single out most, and the omelet au fromage, which arrives with a small dressed salad and is about as close to a true French omelet as Flagstaff gets. The seared brioche with fresh ricotta and citrus curd is the standout sweet plate, and the caneles and coffee are worth adding. See our guide to French cooking worldwide for more.
No reservations · counter order · (928) 214-7280
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Forêt's relaxed counter and interesting cooking make it a strong daytime date pick in Flagstaff. See how it sits among our wider date-night choices.
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