Libertine

"From the week it opened in late May, Libertine has felt like a truly great Parisian bistro in the West Village. It already feels lived in—with chatter bubbling up to the ceiling every evening—and a host of dishes that feel like familiar favorites even on a first visit. No wonder, since it comes from partners Cody Pruitt, beverage director at Anfora, and executive chef Max Mackinnon (previously of Relae in Copenhagen and Rose’s Luxury in Washington, DC). A few of those instant classics: the gently boiled Oeufs Mayo ($19) slathered in rich, homemade mayonnaise speckled with trout roe and chives; a scallop ($18), broiled with seaweed butter and leeks, served in its own shell; and even a simple green salad ($21) that reminded me that the beauty of bistros is their ability to take three delicate ingredients (here: torn lettuce, fresh herbs, and a vinaigrette) and make them feel special. That’s not even getting into the wine, which is entirely all-natural and French. It’s exactly the kind of place you hope to be charmed by in the West Village. —Megan Spurrell, senior editor"

"This wine bar has rewritten the book as far as French bistro fare is concerned. Rib-sticking dish from chef Max Mackinnon include saucisse puree, a fat pork sausage with gravy plunked on top of buttery mashed potatoes; scallop plus seaweed, the almost-raw shellfish under a gratin presented in its shell; and jambon persille, a slab of ham terrine littered with cornichons. There’s no printed menu at this charming spot, so consult the chalkboard bill of fare." - Robert Sietsema

"You won’t find steak frites or salade niçoise at this West Village bistro, and that’s what we like about it. Instead, the chalkboard menus on the walls list things like oeufs mayonnaise, airy rice pudding, and a saucisse puree in a pool of onion gravy. Occupying an idyllic corner space on Christopher Street with big windows, Libertine plays the part of Neighborhood French Bistro perfectly, with pre-worn tiles, distressed mirrors, and a Serge Gainsbourg poster. Just know they don’t really have casual pop-in prices, so save this spot for a special date." - bryan kim, willa moore, neha talreja, sonal shah, will hartman

"When you first moved to New York, you probably imagined yourself eating at a restaurant like Libertine, in a neighborhood like the West Village. With butter flown in from Normandy and a Serge Gainsbourg poster on the wall, it’s obvious this restaurant was opened by some real Francophiles, but it's also exactly the type of lively bistro that New Yorkers are always yearning for. The prices are closer to what you’d spend on a special date night than on a casual lunch, and it's challenging to get a table, but Libertine’s French countryside cooking is so good, we’d eat it sitting on a wine crate outside if they’d let us. The duck deux façons alone would be worth it." - bryan kim, neha talreja, will hartman, sonal shah

"In a wave of new French restaurants, Libertine is the bistro we’ve been waiting for. The restaurant serves simple-sounding dishes — sausage with mashed potatoes, scallops with seaweed — that “are a joy to eat,” writes Eater’s critic, Robert Sietsema. The jambon persille is a slice of pork and bright green jelly, and the oeufs mayo consists of boiled eggs in a bowl of fresh, foamy mayonnaise. The corner restaurant has a short bar with red stools and many, well-spaced small tables. It’s no wonder it was a winner on our Eater Awards list for 2023." - Eater Staff