Classical French cuisine is the culinary equivalent of the Western canon: an ancient and ever-fertile tradition that shaped—and continues to shape—everything that came later. Just as old books provide a deeper understanding of modern civilization, old-guard French restaurants deepen one’s understanding of modern gastronomy.
Benoit, a bistro in Midtown Manhattan, is like a graduate seminar on the history of French cooking. The original Benoit has been a Parisian landmark since 1912, one of the French capital’s most venerated bistros de tradition. After stewarding the restaurant for generations, the Petit family entrusted it to chef Alain Ducasse in 2005. Since then, Ducasse has opened sister restaurants in Tokyo, New York, and Kyoto.
Now nearly seventy, Ducasse is arguably the greatest living torchbearer of classical French cuisine. Over a four-decade career, he has earned a constellation of Michelin stars and built a culinary empire stretching from Paris and London to Tokyo and New York. Ducasse entrusted the kitchen of Benoit New York to Chef de Cuisine Lucile Plaza, who began working in elite kitchens at seventeen.
Dishes as timeless as the Western Canon
This is a restaurant for channeling the spirit of Brillat-Savarin, the high priest of epicureanism. It spares no Francophilic luxury. Order the escargots, the onion soup gratinée, the cassoulet, and a cheese course before dessert. Begin with a glass of Champagne, choose a treasure from the deep cellar, and finish with a post-prandial Calvados. The burger is one of Midtown’s finest, but save it for a return visit, after you’ve paid your respects to the French classics.
With burnished brass railings, red velvet banquettes, and walls adorned with vintage French cinema posters, The New York Benoit echoes the Belle Époque aesthetic of the Parisian original. As you’d expect in Midtown, the ambiance is buzzy, but it’s not too loud for conversation. See if you can wrangle a corner table if you dine with a date.
The petit bar tucked just inside the entrance is one of Midtown’s hidden gems. Its by-the-glass wine list is among the city’s best, and the back bar holds a superb selection of Cognac, Armagnac, and even French whiskies.
