According to the National Restaurant Association, the United States has almost 750,000 restaurants, and while this is down from the pre-pandemic numbers of an estimated one million, there is still a wide variety of establishments to choose from. Whether you prefer French, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, American, Mexican, and more, there is bound to be somewhere for you to eat out. Of these, certain places have a certain feel, an ambiance that sets them apart from others.
The United States has quite a number of French restaurants. It is estimated that there are almost 2,300 French restaurants throughout the country, which depending on where you live, gives you plenty of options. There is something inherently special about settling into a meal at a classic French restaurant. Being ushered to your table, opening the menu, and seeing an array of French dishes feels classy and timeless. Something as simple as a perfect roast chicken (poulet rôti) or French onion soup (soupe à l’oignon) can be life-changing when in the right hands, in the right setting.
At one point, fine dining in America was synonymous with French food. French techniques were the only techniques taught in cooking school; if you wanted to be a chef, you either learned in France or at an American school that might as well have been. It’s why Julia Child’s seminal cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” was so successful; it told home cooks that by learning some French techniques, they could prepare even the most complex French dishes in the comfort of their own kitchens.
Cities were once chock-full of French restaurants of every stripe: cafes for coffee and light fare, small bistros for a simple and inexpensive meal, and upscale temples of haute cuisine for the big spenders and special occasions. Plenty of these types of eateries are still around, but their numbers have dwindled significantly over the years. Most of the top chefs in the U.S. have formal French training and run restaurants that draw heavily from French influence (like Thomas Keller’s French Laundry), but very few of America’s most revered fine-dining restaurants are truly French. Old-school French restaurants that are still turning out these foods are truly a dying breed.
A restaurant doesn’t need to be old to be old-school. For this list, we’re defining old-school as a restaurant that has a homey, lived-in feel, whether it’s been around for a while or not. More important is the menu; the style of cuisine should be “old-school French,” meaning that you’re more likely to find trout amandine and frogs’ legs provençale on the menu than, say, veal tenderloin with salsify and aged comté soubise. Both dishes are increasingly difficult to find. (Here are other retro dishes we may never see again.)
The latter dish (from New York’s legendary French restaurant Daniel) is certainly French, it’s just not especially old-school. On the other hand, a restaurant like New York’s Le Coucou may have an incredibly old-school menu of dishes like quenelle de brochet and ris de veau à l’estragon, but with its soaring ceilings and whitewashed brick walls, it just doesn’t have that “old-school” vibe. All of the restaurants on this list fit right into that happy medium: old-school vibe, service, ambiance, and menu.
There is no better place to enjoy classic dishes than in an old-school French restaurant. See if these best old-school French restaurants in America are close enough to experience a taste of France in the United States.
La Grenouille, New York City
Going strong since 1962 in an upscale, flower-filled dining room, La Grenouille has managed to survive through countless changes in dining trends and a long closure a few years ago followed by a move into a new space. Once a magnet for the fashion crowd and celebrities from John Wayne to Charlie Chaplin, it’s one of NYC’s last remaining high-end French restaurants and its most famous. Classic menu items include a signature split pea soup, whitefish quenelles, and cheese & mushroom soufflè.
L’Auberge Chez Francois, Great Falls, VA
Holding down a quiet corner of the D.C. suburbs since moving there from the city in 1976, L’Auberge Chez Francois is a sprawling, low-slung restaurant with dining rooms lined with heirlooms from the Haeringer family and murals depicting scenes of founder Francois Haeringer’s birthplace of Obernai, France. His son Paul runs front-of-house and his other son Jacques is the executive chef, and they’re serving family recipes of signature dishes including bouillabaisse, chateaubriand for two, and soufflès for dessert.
Benoit, New York City
Alain Ducasse is one of America’s most renowned French chefs, and Benoit is his take on a classic French bistro. Upscale and stylish but still warm and welcoming, it’s turning out picture-perfect versions of bistro classics including Alsatian tarte flambee, pâté en croûte using a recipe from 1892, traditional cassoulet, and poulet rôti, all prepared by expert skill by Ducasse protégé, executive chef Laëtitia Rouabah. Just try not to fill up on the legendary bread basket.
Antoine’s, New Orleans
America’s oldest family-run restaurant, Antoine’s is a temple of haute French-Creole dining that’s been bringing in well-heeled customers since first opening its doors in 1840. Founded by 18-year-old Antoine Alciatore, Antoine’s is still run by the Alciatore family, who continue to turn out legendary dishes like Oysters Rockefeller (which was invented at the restaurant), soufflè potatoes, filet mignon with marchand de vin sauce, and Gulf fish amandine in a dining room that hasn’t changed much in over a century.
Le Central, San Francisco
A family-owned-and-operated destination for traditional French fare since 1974, Le Central was founded by two brothers from Normandy, Pierre, and Claude Cappelle, and it’s been run by two of its longtime chefs since the 1980s. The menu hasn’t changed much since then, as they’re still turning out bistro classics like boeuf Bourguignon, salade niçoise, moules frites, and ratatouille.
Mistral, Boston
Located in Boston’s South End, the refined and elegant Mistral has been an ideal special occasion destination since the day chef/owner Jamie Mammano first opened the doors in 1997. Mammano is still at the helm, turning out seared foie gras with duck confit brioche, pan-seared branzino meuniere, and Prime sirloin au poivre.
Bicyclette, Los Angeles
West Los Angeles’ Bicyclette is a Parisian-inspired bistro from chefs Walter and Margarita Manzke, who achieved renown with their iconic LA destination République. Pairing the best of Parisian bistro culture with fresh California ingredients, the hotspot is serving stunning versions of bistro classics including Burgundy escargots en croute, a cassoulet made with roasted vegetables, duck leg confit, and beef short rib a la Bourguinonne.
La Ripaille, New York City
The oldest bistro in a neighborhood that used to be chock-full of them – New York’s West Village – La Ripaille is a tiny, romantic taste of the Left Bank. Under chandeliers and in front of the fireplace, guests can dine on classic dishes that haven’t changed since owner Alain Laurent first opened its doors in 1980, including homemade country pâté, lamb loin with herbes de Provence, and chicken paillard with rosemary, lemon, and arugula.
Union League Cafe, New Haven
An old-world Parisian brasserie located just across the street from Yale University since 1993, the Union League Cafe is inside a city landmark, the Beaux Arts Union League Club. The classic menu matches the restaurant’s stunning old-fashioned ambiance, with signature dishes including foie gras pressé with quince and pear chutney, canard aux lentilles, and filet au poivre.
Bistro De Margot, Burlington, VT
One of Burlington’s most popular restaurants since it was opened by chef Herve Mahe in 2015, Bistro De Margot is a classic, stylish French bistro that serves seasonal French fare in an upscale dining room. Order a glass of Burgundy and dig into classics including moules frites, stuffed savoy cabbage with French green lentils & wild mushrooms, pan-seared veal sweetbreads with a hazelnut crust, and a traditional Paris-Brest for dessert.
Parc, Philadelphia
Restaurateur Stephen Starr has transported a bit of Belle Époque Paris to Philly’s Rittenhouse Square with his big, bustling, stunningly beautiful bistro Parc. Many of the all-day restaurant’s design elements were imported directly from Europe, and they create the perfect ambiance to enjoy timeless French classics like plateaus of fruits de mer, steak frites, cassoulet, duck a l’orange, and a perfect omelette.
Le Diplomate, Washington, DC
Another Stephen Starr hotspot, Le Diplomate became one of DC’s hottest restaurants when it opened in 2014 and it’s since settled into being a dependable, stunningly beautiful French bistro with a curved zinc bar, antique bistro tables & chairs, and plenty of French antiques and curios on the walls. The menu is exactly as you would expect: look for Dover sole meunière, onion soup gratinée, steak au poivre, beef Bourguignon, and crème brûlée for dessert.
French Alpine Bistro, Aspen, CO
A cozy, chalet-inspired French hideaway open since 2011 in the heart of Aspen, French Alpine Bistro is the perfect après-ski destination. Guests sit on chairs draped with sheep fur and indulge in classic Alpine fare including pots of cheese fondue and melty raclette over potatoes and sausage. The restaurant is also known for its crêpes and bistro classics including moules marinière, coq au vin, and terrine de foie gras. For the high rollers, there’s also a stunning caviar service.
Le Bouchon Du Grove, Coconut Grove, FL
Bouchons are casual, boisterous restaurants in Lyon, France, and Miami’s Le Bouchon Du Grove brings that same vibe to tony Coconut Grove. Warm and laid-back, it’s the brainchild of chef-owner Christian Ville, who welcomes guests with traditional fare including a Lyonnaise cheese spread called “cervelle du canut,” duck confit with roasted potatoes, steak tartare, and apple tarte tatin.
Chez Nous, Humble, TX
A destination for in-the-know locals on the outskirts of Houston, Chez Nous is an unassuming restaurant that’s amassed countless awards and accolades for its spectacular French fine dining since it was founded by chef Gerard Brach in 1984.
Today it’s helmed by executive chef Stacy Crowe-Simonson, who serves upscale French classics including Normandy duck mousse with port wine aspic, housemade charcuterie, bacon-wrapped filet mignon with mushroom Bordeaux sauce, and Grand Marnier Soufflé in a beautiful, understated dining room. If you find yourself in Houston, it’s up there with America’s can’t-miss restaurants.