Balthazar

What we love…

• If you long for something rich and French after a hard day of SoHo shopping, you must make a stop at the famous Balthazar to experience New York's take on Parisian dining.
• Since Balthazar is a pretty popular eatery you'll likely be in for a bit of a wait if you haven't made a reservation. If you're lucky enough to score a table for Sunday brunch you'll be in for a treat; stand outs are the brioche french toast, ratatouille omelet, salad niçoise, and the their steak and pommes frites. Throw in a basket of the delicious french bread, and their patented hangover drink (give the Ramos Fiz (gin, lime, milk and egg white) and you're sure to have a blissful afternoon.
• The regular menu has a wide range of French delicacies like steak tartare, chicken liver and pate, oysters, and escargots. The desserts are also tasty, try the profiteroles, or the warm chocolate cake, both are great ways to finish off your meal. The restaurant is open until 1am Friday and Saturday, so you'll likely catch some people finishing their evening (or starting it) at the lively bar.
• Part of the charm is the authentic bistro feel, waiters in whites shirts, moody amber lighting, and tables packed so close you can have a conversation with the next table. The walls don large vintage mirrors with dark wood trims, reminiscent of something you'd expect in a Parisian cafe from the 1800's.
• The mind behind Balthazar is also responsible for one of our other favorite French restaurants in New York City, Pastis, which dominates the dinning scene over in the Meatpacking district.
• Balthazar is not just a restaurant it is also a bakery that carries a range of sumptuous French breads and pastries. The bakery is next door, and deals mostly in to-go orders. It also looks magical, with loaves of bread piled high in old school baskets, as if you were in the covered market in Paris. You can also score soups, salads, and sandwiches from their daily specials menu if you can't find time to sit in.