Skip to main content

Feasting: Le District is NYC’s French Marketplace

One of the perks of living in a big city is being able to visit whatever country you want anytime you please. Not by traveling far, but simply by visiting the Little Italy or Chinatown of a metropolis, you can get an instant taste of that country’s culture. And we think the absolute best way to learn about someone’s traditions and way of life is through food. So when Le District, a 30,000 square foot French-inspired marketplace, opened in NYC’s Brookfield Place, we had to pay a visit to check out all the goodies they have in store.

Divided into four different districts – Market, Garden, Cafe and Restaurant – the space is set up like a true French marketplace with individual shops specializing in all your culinary needs. There’s even a local economy between them. Chefs from the restaurants will actually step into the marketplace to buy ingredients for the day, like loaves of bread from the bakery and fish from the poissonnerie.

Le District
Image used with permission by copyright holder

“There is a huge advantage to having the marketplace within Le District because as chefs, we have limitless resources and inspiration,” Jordi Valles, Executive Culinary Director of Le District, said. “The specials in Beaubourg are always changing based off of what we have available in the market; if the Poissonnerie has a beautiful cut of fish available, then we can decide to make it the special that night.”

Recommended Videos

The Restaurant District offers indoor and outdoor seating from both Beaubourg Brasserie, a full-service eatery with casual and classic French fare from Chef Nicolas Abello, and the Bar, serving up fine wines, Belgian beers and craft cocktails. We suggest ordering from the raw bar and dining al fresco to take in the gorgeous harbor view on their massive terrace. Next month, stop back in when the intimate, fine dining chef’s table concept L’Appart opens its doors.

Le District
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you have a sweet tooth, the Cafe District is a dream. The Patisserie cooks up Belgian waffles and sweet and savory crepes made to order as well as traditional French pastries and cakes. You can pick up a cappuccino or espresso to sip while you shop for candies, biscuits and chocolates from La Cure Gourmande, the first American outpost of this famous French confectionary.

Related: Feasting: Matt Moore Teaches How to Cook Like a Southern Gentleman

What might be our favorite section is the Market District. Here you’ll find the Boulangerie with all types of fresh baked breads; Fromagerie for cheese; Charcuterie stocked with all the cured meats you could want; Rotisserie where you can take home a freshly roasted whole chicken; the Boucherie which offers either delicious cuts of meats to take home or the option to choose your piece and have them cook it right there in front of you; and the Poissonnerie with fresh whole fishes and shellfish. Have a seat at La Comptoir wine bar to sip on a variety of vintages on a rotating menu from the best French wine regions.

Le District
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Le District’s newest addition, the Garden District, is a home cook’s paradise. The shelves are stocked with specialty goods and European imports that are difficult to find in the states, and its selection of Belgian beers is one of the best we’ve seen. It’s a great place to grab fresh fruit and vegetables on your way home, and the Delice du Chef prepared food bar has a wonderful selection of homemade French favorites. Every day at 4pm, the salad bar transforms into a chocolate mousse bar with eight different varieties and an array of specialty toppings.

To learn more, visit Le District at ledistrict.com.

Photo credits: Daniel Krieger and Jeff Thibodeau

Amanda Gabriele
Amanda Gabriele is a food and travel writer at The Manual and the former senior editor at Supercall. She can’t live without…
What is steak frites? Your new favorite comfort food
How to master the French classic of steak and fries
Steak frites

I've lived in Italy before, which afforded me a quick 2-hour plane ride to Paris in the summers. I'm from the United States, and I don't speak French, so I wasn't exactly familiar with the menu the first time I went to a restaurant in the City of Love. I picked something that looked familiar ... steak frites. I got perfectly seared steak next to a golden mound of crispy fries; it felt familiar and comforting.

So, what is steak frites? It’s one of the simplest, most iconic dishes in French cuisine. A bistro classic, it's exactly what it sounds like: steak and fries. But don't let its simplicity fool you — when done right, it delivers big flavor with minimal fuss.

Read more
Purity Coffee unveils Brazilian cold brew for home brewing
A new clean coffee blend designed specific for cold brewing
Purity Coffee Cold Brew

Health-focused coffee company, Purity Coffee, has just released its latest innovation: Cold Brew. The new Cold Brew is a single-origin Brazilian coffee, specially crafted for cold brewing at home. Purity Coffee is known for its high-end, mold-free coffee—this blend, which uses beans rich in antioxidants and prebiotic compounds. The latest cold brew blend is designed explicitly with gut health in mind, setting a new standard in health-conscious coffee. Available in whole bean or ground coffee, the new Purity Coffee Cold Brew blend is a medium-roast coffee with tasting notes of cocoa nibs and peanut butter.

The Purity Coffee Cold Brew, now available online, can be easily used with any of your favorite at-home cold brew methods. Just steep for at least 6 to 7 hours to ensure maximum flavor extraction, as well as the extraction of caffeine and antioxidants. This coffee blend, along with all products by Purity Coffee, undergoes rigorous third-party testing for mycotoxins, impurities, and other contaminants, leading to the best-tasting cup of coffee. As health-conscious coffee consumption continues to rise, coffee drinkers are increasingly paying attention to potential toxins and mold that can be present in their coffee. As a regular cold brew drinker, I'm especially excited about this new release by Purity Coffee.

Read more
How to make a dairy-free Grasshopper cocktail like a pro
How to make a classic cocktail with a twist
The Mommy Grasshopper.

So many great cocktails, so little time. This week, we thought we'd get a fresh take on a classic cocktail recipe. Naturally, we reached out to those who know them best, aka pro bartenders.

The Mothership is a great bar in Milwaukee. The place resides in the Bay View neighborhood and mixes up some top-shelf drinks. And they were nice enough to offer a fresh take on The Grasshopper, the cocktail that's done everything from feature in timeless bar jokes to shows starring Kristen Wiig.

Read more