411 Park Ave South was formerly home to French restaurant, Les Halles. The establishment made its mark in NYC thanks to American Chef Anthony Bourdain who was helming the kitchen as Executive Chef before kickstarting his televised career. Bourdain’s time at Les Halles even inspired his iconic book, Kitchen Confidential.
Though Les Halles unfortunately closed down in 2017, the 100-year old space will continue to bring French tradition to NYC as it now serves as home to La Brasserie.
La Brasserie has transformed the historical three-story building into a “modern interpretation” of a traditional French brasserie. La brasserie has taken the original design layout and simply reimagined a more functional space.
Spanning across 7,500 square feet, the new aluminium frame storefront allows for both sides of entry to open to the streets. But don’t worry, the original landmarked doors remain untouched. Other additions were made including a new 20-foot long zinc-top bar, however, the original diamond patterned terrazzo floor and plaster and paint finishes stay prominent in the space’s design.
The menu offers delicious delicacies native to France and the French terroir such as Le Chicken Paillard, Steak Frites, Les Moules, Côte de Boeuf and Magret de Canard. For drinks, diners can choose from a wide selection of wines, beers and specialty cocktails.
It was originally slated to open in 2020, however, the pandemic pushed its opening date to March 2021. Since then, La Brasserie has been offering a “new setting and design, but with the exact same ambition [Anthony Bourdain upheld]: delight customers and enable friends to share great food.”
La Brasserie is available for lunch, brunch, and dinner.
Find out more on their website here.
Where: 411 Park Avenue South, New York
When: Hours vary Monday – Sunday, see here for specifics