Pastis
Restaurant · West Village ·
Parisian-style brasserie serving classic French bistro fare
Parisian-style brasserie serving classic French bistro fare
"Pastis opened in 1999, when there was still enough meatpacking in the Meatpacking District to justify the name. The Olsen twins ate there. So did Jude Law and Lindsay Lohan. In 2014, the restaurant closed, but it returned a few years later in a bigger space a block away with twice as many subway tiles, distressed mirrors, and globe light fixtures. Even if it's less scrappy than the original, the current iteration is a useful place, where everything comes doused in butter and everyone seems to have a second home in Amagansett. photo credit: Teddy Wolfe If you need something lively and French, where you can drink a martini, pick at pâté, and gab with full confidence that 10 people are eavesdropping, Pastis is perfect. A sprawling cafeteria for mirror selfie enthusiasts, the all-day restaurant serves a crowd-pleasing selection of bistro classics like escargots, chicken paillard under a blanket of chopped almonds, and a saucy double-patty burger with the sort of textbook fries you expect from a sibling of Minetta Tavern. The food doesn't change lives, but for a sceney spot that operates at the pace of a NASCAR pit, it's great. Food Rundown Escargots These snails are purely an excuse to eat an excessive amount of garlic and butter. And there's nothing wrong with that. Get an order for every two people at your table. photo credit: Teddy Wolfe Bar Steak A quality steak covered in butter, with a pile of fries on the side. This is a very safe move, and, at around $40, a reasonably priced one, too. Trout Amandine The trout amandine can occasionally lean dry, but it has enough butter to cover up any defects. If you absolutely want fish, it's a solid choice. If not, choose the chicken paillard. Cheeseburger à l’Américaine If you're thinking about ordering the burger, just do it. With its two slender patties doused in special sauce, it's the most reliable option here." - Bryan Kim
"The DC interpretation of Pastis manages to nail a notoriously elusive atmosphere—a massive space with an intimate feel (the warm, butter-yellow light, a trademark of many Keith McNally restaurants, does a lot of work here). Yes, Pastis really leans into the French bistro stereotypes, but it does so quite well: the playlist seamlessly moves from Edith Piaf to Beyoncé, and the patina on the mirrors lining the dining room somehow make everyone look hot and interesting. We like to come here for a drink at the bar, or a meal of crispy artichokes and veal with mushrooms before or after a movie at the Angelika." - madeline weinfield
"Manhattan hot spots come and go (even more rapidly in the trendy Meatpacking District) but Pastis 2.0 is one watering hole that still glows anew. Keith McNally's impressively popular French bistro combines a painted tin ceiling, frosted globe lights, a curved zinc counter stocked with bottles of rosé on ice and precarious wooden stools to great effect.In case the decor didn't tip you off, the menu is classic French. It's open all day, so pop in for a croissant and coffee in the morning, then swing by to satiate that late-night frites craving. Everything from moules to steak is better with frites, but don't overlook the vegetables—asparagus in béarnaise sauce is dreamy. Traditional desserts, such as crème brûlée and baba au rhum, round out the meal perfectly." - Michelin Inspector
"Reopened in fresh New York digs in 2019 by the owner in partnership with Stephen Starr and characterized as "celebrity-packed," a second D.C. edition recently followed with the owner taking on more of a consulting role for that new iteration." - Tierney Plumb
"Pastis is like the Balthazar of Meatpacking. Both spots, which involve some of the same people, try harder to be French than an NYU sophomore smoking a hand-rolled cigarette. Both bistros are constantly packed with a combination of tourists and business meals, and both places serve very good, rich versions of French classics. At Pastis, the garlicky escargots and steak frites covered in butter are some of the best things you can eat in the neighborhood." - neha talreja, bryan kim, matt tervooren