La Reve is the name of a new patisserie and café under construction in the former Streff building on the west side of Harwood Avenue in the heart of Wauwatosa's village center.

Located directly across the street from Ristorante Bartolotta, at 7610 Harwood Ave., the space is still under construction but there is already a sign posted outside.

The café is owned by Therese Hittman and Andrew Schneider. La Reve is French for "the dream." Schneider, a graduate of MATC's culinary apprenticeship program, has worked in a number of restaurants, including Sanford, Coquette Café and Blue Agave in Mequon. He most recently worked with Coquette owner Sandy D'Amato at the adjacent Harlequin Bakery.

In their request for a conditional use permit from Wauwatosa Hittman and Schneider said La Reve "would be a French style similar to Panera Bread. They would be serving pastries, sandwiches, salads, crepes and coffee."

La Reve will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Word on the street is that La Reve is due to open sometime in spring, which means soon.

Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.