Bon Appétit: The Haute 5 French Restaurants in New York City

When it comes to cuisine, it doesn’t get more haute then dining with the French. Not only are French restaurants on our list of chic places to eat, they also serve some of the best food you will ever taste, starting with phenomenal ingredients and ending with dazzling presentation. A meal at each one of our Haute Five French Restaurants will have your saying “More s’il vous plait!”

Daniel

This Upper East Side spot features fresh, seasonal takes on French Contemporary cuisine courtesy of star chef Daniel Boulud. Daniel has always been lauded for its excellent food, and since last year’s sleek re-design of the space, Daniel has been better than ever.  With 4 stars from the New York Times, 3 stars from the latest Michelin guide, and a James Beard Award for Excellent Service, no one seems to be disagreeing. Favorite dishes include the Vodka-Beet Cure Hamachi Loin with Walnuts appetizer and duo of dry aged Black Angus Beef.

Daniel is located at 60 East 65^th Street

Adour Alain Ducasse

Adour is barely two years old, but it is yet another chapter in the career of legendary French Chef Alain Duccasse. At Adour, the interplay between food and wine is of utmost importance. The menu was created by Chef Joel Dennis, in collaboration with Wine Director Thomas Combescot, and the pair gives special attention to the balance of food and drink. How important is wine at Adour? Well, the wine cellar that holds close to 2000 selections should give you an idea. The Cellar Book, with a list of the extensive collection, is available upon request–but you have to know to ask for it. The menu changes seasonally, and the current tasting menu features Citrus Marinate Hamachi, Olive Oil Poached Chatham Bay Cod, and Millbrook Farms Venison Saddle. Magnifique!

Adour Alain Ducasse is located in the St. Regis Hotel at 2 East 55 Street

Per Se

Per Se serves one of the most expensive meals in the country, and with good reason. The 3-Michelin star, Thomas Keller, restaurant re-creates its nine-course tasting menu daily. Keller carefully selects his ingredients from only the best sources: produce from Long Island’s organic Satur Farms, dairy products from Animal Farm in Vermont, and oysters from Island Creek Oysters in Massachusetts. This Friday, February 19^th, Thomas Keller will be creating an unprecedented ten-course tasting menu ($475 per person) with French Chef Hélene Daroze. The dinner will honor of the twenty-fifth anniversary of D’artagnan, the gourmet French produce company that introduced products from the Gaston to the United States.

Per Se is located on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Center at Ten Columbus Circle. Reservations for Friday’s event can be made at 212-823-9349

Le Bernardin

This warm, elegant restaurant is known for its focus on seafood. The menu offers an extensive selection of dishes from caviar, to codfish, to crab. Le Bernadin notably refrains from serving endangered species of fish, and non-seafood dishes like Squab and Kobe Beef are available upon request. The four-star restaurant has been praised by everyone from the New York Times to Gourmet Magazine to GQ. Chef Eric Ripert has been award multiple times by the James Beard Foundation.  Le Bernardin has been around for twenty years, and we think it’ll continue to impress for many more.

Le Bernardin is located at 155 Wst 51st Street

La Grenouille

La Grenouille has been delighting New Yorkers’ taste buds for almost fifty years. If the restaurant’s isn’t testament enough, Vanity Fair, Food Art Magazine, and Conde Nast Traveler Magazine all love La Grenouille. The New York Times once called it “The last great French restaurant in New York.” The menu is classic French cuisine that also includes a number of vegetarian options. The charming Midtown space has a friendly staff and is always filled with stunning flower arrangements.

La Grenouille is located at 3 East 52^nd Street