15 French spots to check out in Brooklyn now

By Erin Felgar

If the 2024 Summer Olympics hosted by France filled the last 15 days of your life with joy, awe, giggles and pride, you might be pretty bummed that they’ve come to a close.

If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye (and you can’t wait two weeks for the Paralympic Games, also hosted by the City of Light) check out these French and French-adjacent spots right here at home.

Restaurants

L’Antagoniste
238 Malcolm X Boulevard, Bed-Stuy
Go ahead. Order “Le Cliché”: wild Burgundy escargots, beef bone marrow and frog leg tempura. L’Antagoniste takes pride in serving authentic French food, prepared from local and seasonal ingredients for the enjoyment of their Bed-Stuy amis. They partner with farmers and fishermen from the region to dish up mouthwatering bouillabaisse, juicy canard a l’orange, and decadent desserts.

Bistro So
530 Driggs Avenue, Williamsburg
Chef Souraia Daif Dantonio, born in the south of France, made a splash in Williamsburg 15 years ago with “Pates and Traditions” and continues delighting Brooklynites with authentic French cuisine. Folks are especially enthusiastic about the bergère crêpes, steak au poivre and tarte tatin for dessert. $30 all-you-can-eat mussels on Tuesdays, live Gypsy jazz on Thursdays and weekend happy hour specials! O la vache!

Cafe Rue Dix
1451 Bedford Avenue, Crown Heights
Come for a pot of their signature tea and the best beignets in Brooklyn, stay for their French-Senegalese fare including Thiebou Jen (the national dish of Senegal), croquettes de duck confit, or spiced African stew. For a full sampling of their unique kitchen, they offer a five-course tasting menu for $98.

Chez Ma Tante
90 Calyer Street, Greenpoint
After a six-month closure, Chez Ma Tante is back and as scrumptious as ever. Technically, this is a French-Canadian restaurant, but hungry Francophiles will enjoy it all the same. Brooklynites have been raving about their crispy-yet-fluffy, buttery and rich pancakes for years, but don’t sleep on their savory small plates. If you’d like to nibble on country pâté, smoked trout rillette, or pig’s head terrine, look no further than this Greenpoint gem. And for something a bit more bustling, a bit more chic, check out chefs ​​Jake Leiber and Aidan O’Neal’s upscale Wythe Hotel brasserie Le Crocodile.

Chez Moi
135 Atlantic Avenue, Downtown Brooklyn
This cozy French Bistro serves classic French fare like escargot, croque-monsieur and steak frites alongside très bien libations. Check out Le Boudoir upstairs — a low lit, gauzy hideaway modeled after Marie Antoinette’s bedroom offering cocktails, snacks and burlesque shows every weekend.

Chez Oskar
310 Malcolm X Boulevard, Bed-Stuy
Step through the doors of this Bed-Stuy brasserie and you’ll be transported to the late night, jazz-filled eateries of the Left Bank. Their menu honors traditional French cuisine while blending the cultural diversity of Brooklyn. An excellent French-heavy wine list, tartares, mussels, onion soup gratinees plus artful decor make this spot très magnifique!

Citroën
931 Manhattan Avenue, Greenpoint
This great-for-date-night, cozy French Bistro serves up tuna Niçoise, foie gras mousse, moules marinieres avec frites, and coq au vin — in other words, something for everyone yearning for an authentic French menu. If you spent your savings on a trip to the olympic games and are looking to save a little money, they offer half price bottles of wine on Monday nights and dollar oysters Mon-Fri.

French Louie
320 Atlantic Avenue, Boreum Hill
Their namesake, “French Louie” Seymour, was a lumberjack, a fisherman, a trapper (sounds like an Olympian to us), and his woodsy vibe is reflected in the menu at this charming neighborhood eatery. Start your meal with a cheesy puffed gougeres, radishes and butter and anchovy fries then enjoy melt in your mouth bavette steak or juicy cast iron chicken basquaise. Oui, chef!

Patisseries

Almondine
85 Water Street, Dumbo
This Dumbo stalwart is as close to a corner Parisian Boulangerie as you’ll get in Brooklyn. All of their mouthwatering yet unpretentious classic staples like baguettes, tartes, gateaux, and eclairs are made in house with pride. Vive l’Almondine!

Colson Patisserie
374 9th Street, Park Slope
253 36th Street, Industry City
With two locations in Brooklyn, Colson has been a go-to for croissants, financiers, madeline cookies and a wide variety of cakes and tarts since 2006. Just ask former Mayor Bill de Blasio. Their Industry City location — which also serves as its industrial bakehouse — employs the kindest baristas in the borough brewing delicious coffee drinks to go alongside your patisserie.

Groceries

Le French Tart
579 5th Avenue, Park Slope
44 Henry Street, Brooklyn Heights
306 Court Street, Cobble Hill
Mountains of madeleines and baskets of baguette welcome you at Le French Tart. The tiny French deli and grocery store is a treat for the senses with imported French pantry staples, cold and frozen provisions and house made sandwiches and baked goods for all occasions. It’s no surprise this marche is always bustling.

Bars and nightlife

Barbès
376 9th Street, Park Slope
Delighting world music fans in Park Slope for over 20 years, this sliver of a bar is a mecca for global grooves. On August 22, for example, the Jessica Fichot Quartet will take the stage with a mix of French chanson, gypsy swing, Shanghai jazz and multilingual folk — a combination that seems à la mode after 15 days of the French-hosted Olympiad.

Bar Tabac
128 Smith Street, Boerum Hill
An excellent place to watch a socc— er, football game while sipping a glass of pastis, and the center of the largest Bastille Day celebration in New York City, With live jazz and romantic ambience at night, Bar Tabac is a slice of Parisian cafe culture in Cobble Hill.

Carreau Club
68 34th Street, Industry City
Located in Industry City with both indoor and outdoor courts, Carreau Club is an excellent way to try your hand at the French game of pétanque — a “boules” sport in the same family as bocce. Join a league or show up and meet new friends while sipping cold beverages and chowing down on inventive sandwiches.

Petit Paulette
136 DeKalb Avenue, Fort Greene
Located next door to their “big sister” Parisian Bistro Cafe Paulette, Petit Paulette boasts sexy, laid-back vibes, an exciting and diverse wine list and small plates like fromage and charcuterie boards. The perfect follow up to a romantic stroll through Greene Park.