Frenchette

"When it opened in Spring 2018 by alums of Balthazar on the nicest square in Tribeca, Frenchette caused a sensation. It was a French bistro that concentrated on natural wine along with dishes a shade richer and more luxuriant than its bistro and brasserie competitors. Blood sausage served on soft scrambled eggs was one example, and others included leg of lamb, cote de boeuf, and saffron-laced fish soup. The duo has also opened its bakery nearby." - Robert Sietsema

"What It Is: An upscale French bistro in Tribeca Perfect For: See And Be Seen, Date Night, Birthdays Sometimes, you walk into a place and think “I’ll probably see a famous person here.” Right now, that’s what it’s like at Frenchette. This restaurant just opened in Tribeca, and it’s kind of like a smaller, more stylish Balthazar. There are big leather booths and murals on the walls, as well as some ceiling fans (because every old-school bistro needs a ceiling fan). The food is French, and we had some very good steak and duck here, as well a bowl of buttery eggs with escargot on top (that tasted a little like movie-theater popcorn). The bar area up front was also pretty busy, and looked like it was packed with well-dressed people who work in the area. The Verdict: Book a table here before it gets too hard. And be ready to spend a little money. We’ve added it to our Hit List." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg, chris stang, matt tervooren

"The Deal: $45 Lunch, $60 Dinner This cozy Tribeca brasserie with a flair for buttery decadence is one of our 25 best restaurants in the city—and it’s a great choice for a Restaurant Week date night. Get the gnocchi parisienne for a plate of golden, brown butter-crusted dumplings with ham and comté sauce, and follow that with the confit de canard—you can't go wrong eating duck at Frenchette." - bryan kim, willa moore, sonal shah, neha talreja, will hartman, molly fitzpatrick

"The Deal: $60 Lunch Even during Restaurant Week, Frenchette insists on being pricier than most. But you can actually squeeze a little value out of your $60 lunch at what’s arguably the top French restaurant in NYC. The cassoulet normally typically costs over $50 on its own, and it’s one of the available entrees, along with the Tribeca restaurant’s exceptional roast chicken and skate grenobloise. " - bryan kim

"Frenchette is sceney, but it’s the rare sceney restaurant where food takes precedence over whatever B-list actors you might encounter. For a celebratory night out that doesn’t feel stuffy, get a booth at this noisy Tribeca spot and enjoy some roast chicken and sweetbreads. The menu features a mix of typical and less-common bistro classics, and you can trust that whatever you order will taste like pure butter. Try the poulet rôti, or just sit at the bar and have some fries and a martini if you don’t want to spend over $100. For a more low-key option, check out their cafe at The Whitney, which has a full menu of sandwiches and soups that are less expensive, but likely use a similar amount of butter." - bryan kim, willa moore, neha talreja, sonal shah, will hartman