Le Rendez-Vous: A meeting point for everyone

Tucked away on Market Street is Le Rendez-Vous, a crêperie and restaurant co-founded by two long-time friends, Aldo and Rico. Opened in January 2005, the creperie has been a cornerstone of the St Andrews food scene for over twenty years. 

“We are just best friends and we opened this business here together,” said Aldo.

Although modest in nature, this shared dream between two friends has quickly evolved into a cherished eatery for many. After all, Le Rendez-Vous is known not just for its menu, where banana Nutella crêpes are a clear favourite, but also for the genuine warmth and easy conversation that Aldo and Rico offer to every student walking through their doors. 

Rico started working in an Italian restaurant called Ciao Roma, formerly on South Street. In 2001, Aldo visited as a customer. “He was serving me, and it all started from there,” Aldo explained. Rico added, “We used to go out and one day decided, maybe it's a good idea to do a business together!" Lo and behold, they did. 

For Aldo, his favourite part of the job is “meeting new people and talking to people. Every year, [there are] new faces, and in the past twenty years, we have seen a lot of people. Maybe we have served two million customers.” 

He then pointed out the bulletin board hung at the entrance of his shop. Covered in bills from across the world, it serves as a testimony to how much they value their customers. “We get all kinds of people from all over the world […] This [represents] all the people we have served over the years. We’ve met [people of] all cultures, all backgrounds, all nationalities,” he continued. Rico agreed, “I love what I am doing [...] We complement each other well." 

Ethan Distelbrink, who graduated this year, was a regular. “I would go to Le Rendez-Vous often,” he explained. “I would go for a crêpe during my library break at least once a week.” 

Aldo remembered him fondly: “We know all that group well, Ethan and George, they are good guys. They used to come here and book a table for ten people. They came here a lot.”

“It wasn’t just the food. I would always chat with Aldo and Rico,” Distelbrink explained. “I felt like I built a relationship with them over my four years studying there [...] We would always chat about all things football. They were also fascinated by the fact that I was Dutch, and in my last year, when I was applying for jobs, they were keen to see where I would end up.” 

For Aldo and Rico, the most important part of their business is the students: “The students are part of this place.” Le Rendez-Vous even closes when the students aren't in town. “Because our business is mainly students, it's quiet when they aren't here. We get to relax and stay home,” Rico explained. "It's mainly students, mostly [in] their first year. Because second-year students' lifestyles change. They move into flats and start cooking at home [...]  We don't take it to heart because we know it's just part of growing. We understand.” Aldo reminded him, “Still, we always have our regulars.” 

With time comes experience, and with experience comes stories worth sharing. “Not in his shop, but when I worked on South Street, I used to make pizza for Prince William [...] He would come almost once a week for four years […] He’s a lovely guy,” Rico said. “I don't think he realised that we knew him because, at the time, I was the manager and I told all my staff not to stare at him, to treat him normal[ly], like any other customer. ”

“He used to come in a baseball cap, always smiling, very polite,” Rico recalled. “He used to get the Hawaiian Pizza, you know, with ham and pineapple [...] One day, he surprised us and got chicken nuggets.” 

The two owners lived in France before making the choice to come to St Andrews and set up shop. “Here it's beautiful, people are nice, and it's peaceful,” Aldo said. “It's good to have a family here,” Rico added. 

They decided on Le Rendez-Vous because “rendez-vous” in French means meeting point. “It's for everyone. You can have a rendez-vous with a guy, or a date, or [for] a meeting,” said Rico. 

Over the years, the two have seen the town change. “There are a lot of people coming in, new businesses, new investors [...] A lot of places have opened. Not a lot of places have been here for 20 years,” Rico explained, observing the town’s gentrification. Aldo credits it to rising rents, “It's because of cost. It's an expensive town.” 

Aldo also described a change in student lifestyle: “They get delivery online and don't go to the shops much anymore.” 

“Monday used to be like Saturday,” added Rico. “You can tell people aren’t going out as much.”

After two decades, Le Rendez-Vous remains more than just a crêperie — customers return year after year. Even during changing times with rising rent, town gentrification, and shifting consumer habits, Le Rendez-Vous maintains what its name promises: a meeting point for everyone.  

Photos by Christopher Kelly-Brown