Original art adorns this French bistro, which sometimes screens French films on its terrace.
"French Staples & Happy Hour If a magician took Parc and sawed it in half, you’d be left with Bistrot La Minette. Sidewalk seating? Check. Orb light fixtures? Check. Framed black-and-white photos that look like they were screenshotted from a silent film? Check. It’s just all packaged in a smaller building in Queen Village. And, instead of having dishes that pivot from French to Italian—cough, cough, Parc’s spaghetti bolognese—Bistrot La Minette is purely focused on pâte, boeuf, and gratin. Head here at prime time when Parc is inevitably too crowded or during Happy Hour when glasses of wine cost $7. " - candis mclean
"Bistrot La Minette has all of the fixtures of a classic French restaurant. Sidewalk seating? Check. Framed black-and-white photos that look like they were screenshotted from a silent film? Check. Escargot in garlic herb butter? Check. The menu has other staples like crispy pan seared duck and a savory beef bourguignon that we think of with great affection on a rainy day. Head here for a casual date night, chat with friends, or during Happy Hour when glasses of wine cost $7." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"Bistrot La Minette is the closest you can get to dining in Paris without leaving Philly. It’s so French, in fact, that you’ll find couples every night of the week sharing their buttery escargot and tangy beef tartare from the same side of the red leather banquettes, whispering sweet nothings to the sounds of Edith Piaf. Luckily, it’s just as comfortable for a night out with friends, which is good, because you’ll want to share the ruby red duck breast, crispy trout meuniere, and at least two bottles of French wine from the expansive list. " - alison kessler
"Lots of French restaurants in Philly work really hard to seem like they were transported straight from Saint Germain. They pack in as much globe lighting, Edith Piaf, and vest-wearing staff as one tin-ceiling dining room can handle, and yet, it still feels like the place is playing dress up. While Queen Village’s Bistrot La Minette has all of these elements, it also has the effortless charm and comforting, consistently good bistro fare that’s so crucial to an authentically French restaurant. It’s not trying to be French. It just is. It’s been around since 2008, but it’s still almost always full of neighborhood regulars and groups of friends. Unlike in most Parisian cafes, La Minette’s tables are spaced comfortably apart, and you’ll find guests lingering over a bottle of wine (or two) and a pungent cheese plate late into the evening. Couples abandon our rigid American norms and share escargot and tarte flambée from— gasp —the same side of the red leather banquettes. Naturally, the rest of the menu is full of French proteins. Frog, rabbit, duck, and fish all make an appearance to a varying degree of success, but the tangy beef tartare and ruby-red seared duck breast are standouts, and the trout meuniere is one of the best in town. But it’s not all tres magnifique —the Parisian gnocchi are disappointingly over-fried, too-tough remnants of what should be custardy goodness. Still, there’s something on the menu for everyone, even if they’re just stopping in for a Bistrot Boulevardier or wine-poached pear. Save it for a night with people you really like. The friendly, efficient servers will never hover, side-eyeing you to wrap it up, so you can spend as long as you like pretending you're dining along the Seine instead of steps from South Street. " - Alison B. Kessler
"Bistrot la Minette's mille-feuille is textbook: stacked three layers high with piped pastry cream, raspberries, and a little extra puddle of raspberry coulis love." - Ernest Owens