French restaurants pop up in New York about as often as Franken-croissants or frustrating Resy notifications. There are the stalwarts, maintaining the pomp and circumstance of the genre; the faux-casual bistros with no white tablecloths, but a months-long waiting list; and the trendy newcomers, for whom French cuisine is more of a vibe than a gastronomic vacation. It can be overwhelming to figure out which ones to shell out for, so here are a few suggestions for new and new-ish French restaurants this New Yorker has enjoyed in 2025 so far.
1. Selune
I’m always on the hunt for that elusive bar or restaurant that feels chic enough for date night, but welcoming enough to become a neighborhood haunt. Selune, the new project from Paris native Marc Lioussane and his partner, Bilen Gaga, hits that sweet spot. With a menu dedicated to oysters, cheese, charcuterie, and an excellent selection of French and American wines, this is the perfect place to grab a drink and some snacks with friends after work without having to brave the subway to Manhattan. Order a truffle croque monsieur with fluffy brioche made daily in-house, a smoked oyster dip reminiscent of the best whitefish spread, and a fresh and fruity scallop carpaccio, followed by a ramekin (or two) of crème brûlée. And if you can, be sure to take advantage of their happy hour (Monday-Friday, 5-7 pm), where $1 oysters and $9 glasses of wine will get you started, and the fun and friendly atmosphere will keep you saying “Just one more round” well past curfew.
2. Maison Passerelle
When the iconic Parisian department store Printemps announced that it would be opening a New York location in FiDi earlier this year, there was much to be excited about—the “beauty corridor” packed with French pharmacy favorites, the rooms upon rooms of couture pieces that cost more than most Manhattanites pay in rent, a dazzling Art Deco “shoe forest”… But we always knew Printemps wouldn’t skimp on the dining options.
While the complex’s cafe and bars are worth a visit, the main event is Maison Passerelle, a not-so-traditional French restaurant helmed by three-time James Beard Award-winning chef Gregory Gourdet. The dining room’s embroidered cushions and floors tiled in a mosaic of vines subtly hint at a Moroccan tea room, and the menu is a mouthwatering showcase of dishes from across the French diaspora. There is a strong Haitian influence, a nod to Gourdet’s family history, but you’ll also find ingredients hailing from Vietnam and Northern Africa. Salted cod fritters, of the type you’d find in the French Caribbean, are non-negotiable, and while chicken is rarely the most interesting thing on a menu, the Tunisian-style roast chicken with harissa, preserved lemon, and ras el hanout is a dazzling exception to the rule.
3. Le Chêne
In May, Alexia Duchêne and her husband, Ronan Duchêne Le May, brought their combined expertise working at renowned restaurants in Paris, London, and New York, including Le Taillevent, Frenchie, Passerini, and Café Boulud (not to mention Alexia’s stint as a semi-finalist on Top Chef France) to the West Village with Le Chêne. The result is a menu that is decadent, seasonally-inspired, and peppered with unexpected takes on French classics. A sweet shrimp tartelette with maple and crème fraîche is the perfect bite, served on a barely-there crispy shell. Humble oeufs mayonnaise in a rich green emulsion are paired with tuna tartare and a sliver of toasted bread, topped with mimolette that melts on the tongue like shaved ice. The lavish Pithivier Terre & Mer, constructed of a note-perfect buttery pastry filled with a rich, smoky mixture of eel and pork, and served with a side of homemade BBQ sauce, defies expectations. The desserts offer some clever surprises as well, notably the Trou Normand, a refreshing nightcap of frozen Calvados served over an apple and dill sorbet.
Stop in for a spritz at the intimate horseshoe bar, or settle in at one of the red velvet banquettes in the simple yet refined dining room curated by French interior designer Frédérique Mortier d’Aumont—and avoid the impulse to purloin one of the vintage thrifted Parisian plates that top this sophisticated establishment’s pristine white tablecloths.
4. Zimmi’s
A dinner at Zimmi’s is not for the claustrophobic, as the tables at this tiny West Village bistro are packed so tightly together that you’ll need to fully pull yours out in order to get to the banquette on the other side. With this in mind, be sure to bring your juiciest gossip, since close proximity means that your server won’t be the only one dishing.
The menu leans Provençal, with Southern French dishes like pissaladière, daube de boeuf, sardines farcies, and fried vegetables served with anchoïade. The best of these is the socca with bottarga, fromage frais, and herbs, which elevates the simple Niçoise street food to something unmissable. While dishes change often according to what’s in season, you can expect comforting mains that toe the line between rustic and upscale, like Chef Maxime Pradié’s grandmother’s recipe for pasta with chicken ragout.
5. Bridges
It’s rare that I visit a restaurant and manage to be blown away by every single dish that lands on my plate. But not all restaurants can be Bridges, the sceney Chinatown hotspot from Chef Sam Lawrence, a veteran of the late, great Paris favorite Bones. Though the mood lighting seems designed to hide the fact that you could drop the equivalent of your summer electric bill without blinking on a casual Tuesday night dinner, it’s worth squinting at the menu to discover how Lawrence’s cult classic dishes have been tweaked with the season. Slick sardine fillets over rhubarb or summer squash, an incomparable sea urchin custard with finely chopped raw shrimp, and the Comté tart, whether dressed with morels or summer tomatoes, all live up to the hype. And the restaurant merits a visit alone for its vin jaune gelato, which poises this nutty, spicy wine from the Jura region of France as an unexpected dance partner for tangy passionfruit and salted caramel. Make sure to book well in advance, unless your preferred dinner time is 5:30 or 9:15 pm.
Catherine Rickman is a writer, professional Francophile, and host of the Expat Horror Stories podcast. She is currently somewhere in Brooklyn with a fork in one hand and a pen in the other, and you can follow her adventures on Instagram @catrickman.
