Window shopper

You might fall in love with Mon Amour café

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A taste of Paris has come to Kingsbridge.

Mon Amour Coffee & Wine, which opened last month at 234 W. 238th St., offers coffee drinks, pastries and a variety of flatbread sandwiches.

The flavor may be French, but one of the owners said the inspiration for the decor was SoHo.

“I think it has a changing, almost SoHo vibe to it compared with all the other businesses on the block,” said Jeffery Garcia. “All the businesses on the block are important, but there is nothing like it in this neighborhood.”

“The decor and exposed brick really helps to create a vibrant, relaxing atmosphere,” he added.

Staff use a coffee machine and panini press to turn around orders quickly. Mr. Garcia called the Cuban panini one of his favorites because of its “awesome, distinct taste.” He said the prosciutto arugula panini has proven to be popular with customers as well.

Mr. Garcia, a 20-year veteran of the NYPD, joined forces with childhood friend Ramessis Aponte, who owns the nearby Uptown Sports Complex, and his wife Ernies Alemias. She has years of experience in the service industry and created Mon Amour Café’s distinct look.

Mr. Garcia ran a bill pay service at 234 W. 238th St. for a year and a half before deciding to try his hand at running a café.

“The lease was coming up and that business wasn’t viable anymore, so I renegotiated the lease with the landlord,” said Mr. Garcia, who still runs a Western Union next door to the café.

Looking ahead, he hopes to gain a liquor license so he can add another French touch — wine.

“Customers keep saying that they can’t wait for the summer to chill and have wine with their friends outside,” said employee Julia Albert.

“It’s good to be in a local environment,” she added. “It’s where I live and where I’m from.”

On a recent afternoon, customer Miriam Rosenbaum said she could see herself coming back to the café thanks to its close proximity to the 1 Train stop.

“It’s a nice and relaxed place in the middle of a busy area,” she said.

Mon Amour Coffee & Wine, Viola Brown

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