If you find yourself on I-77 just south of Charlotte near Rock Hill, SC, take 10 minutes to stop by Mado French Bakery and Coffee Shop. Opened by a French Chef and her husband in the middle of the pandemic, the quality of the drinks and pastries is mind blowing.

I talked to the chef about how picky she is with only fresh natural ingredients, and the flavor just bursts out of her products. No processed foods Starbucks nonsense. The entire family works there and they are super friendly! I tried a muffin that had bacon and pear in it. Just a hint of sweet and a hint of bacon with fresh crumb pastry. Outstanding!