Lafayette

The largest and most touted restaurant in Chef Andrew Carmellini’s New York City empire (sister restaurants include Locanda Verde and The Dutch) pays homage to rustic Provincial French cuisine in New York farm-to-table fashion. Younger and lighter than nearby French “bistro,” Balthazar, Lafayette provides ample room for patrons looking to enjoy the formal dining room or the café, the latter offering opportunity for Lafayette Street people-watching and croissant breaks during weekend shopping jaunts. Must-try items include the Boulangerie Basket during brunch and the Rotisserie Chicken for Two during dinner.