The best things in life are free, and that includes the opportunity to experience the flavors of France without leaving Los Angeles. From traditional French cuisine to experimental fixed-price menus, the city's best French restaurants offer something for everyone. Whether you're a vegetarian or vegan looking for a delicious meal, or just someone who loves French food, this guide will help you find the perfect spot. Walter and Margarita Manzke's award-winning La Brea is the only French (Californian) restaurant you can't miss.
Beat the lines for brunch on the weekends, or come here at night with a reservation or a little patience to dine in the cathedral-style space that once housed Nancy Silverton and the Campanile of the late Mark Peel. The interiors aside, the gastronomic offer here will leave you speechless from morning to night, from beautiful pastries covered with seasonal fruits, such as the passion fruit cream pie covered with mango, to veal tartare and corn agnolotti for dinner. Lots of butter, fluffy tortillas, and an impressive burger covered in Bordeaux make Ludo Lefebvre's Parisian-style bistro (with a small mall in Hollywood and a fancier brother in Sherman Oaks) the best place to enjoy delicious French bistro food in the city. The iconic French dishes on the menu, steaks with French fries, mussels a la marinera and a magnificent croque monsieur only during the day show the kind of technical precision that sacred cuisine requires, with an excellent wine list to match.
Don't miss Big Mec, undoubtedly one of the best burgers in town, and leave room for one of Petit Trois' excellent seasonal desserts. Smaller and now iconic with a Michelin star, Mélisse by Josiah Citrin continues to offer one of the best French tasting menus in the city, with luxurious and detail-oriented dishes such as caviar in chawanmushi, topped with imported Hokkaido uni and a rich chestnut soup with even more delicious truffle foam. The larger Citrin space can even accommodate walk-ins at the bar, for those who want to eat egg caviar covered with cauliflower muslin, the chef's iconic lobster bolognese sauce or a traditional Grand Marnier soufflé. Run by a Frenchman and his wife who couldn't find their favorite cheese, Monsieur Marcel is one of our favorite vendors at the Original Farmers Market (next to The Grove) and one of the best ways to enjoy French cuisine in Los Angeles.
In winter, Monsieur Marcel offers cozy, sticky plates of raclette cheese, but the solid lunch plates from the outdoor bistro and the slightly fancy dinner menu are our casual Mid-City option every day of the year. Try their quiche Lorraine, their veal bourignon or prepare your cheese and cold cuts dishes for better results. The most recent addition to Hollywood's Sycamore Avenue is Mr. T - an elegant product imported directly from Le Marais in Paris.
The bistro's food may be inspired by everyone, but the discreet, elegant atmosphere and culinary base make this a French restaurant from start to finish. From starters to desserts, all Mr.'s dishes land with just the right touch, especially the macaroni and cheese which even come with their own pyrotechnic show next to the table. The restaurant's fun, top-notch cocktail program helps make up for all the exquisite cuisine where L. A.'s ingredients are cleverly integrated into well-balanced beverages that take their names from old school rap hits. For the best results sit down at a table in Perch's patio where olive trees lit with ropes and tall hedges offer a surprisingly intimate dining experience in Hollywood.
No matter how many new rooftops open we always return to Perch one of the nicest rooftop bars (and French bistros) in the city. The patterned tile floors potted trees full of twinkling lights and charming seats combine every night to create a scene full of downtown locals plus a few hundred of their closest friends. Although the interior inspired by the dressing table is usually cluttered those who book tables early for dinner will find a much more welcoming atmosphere before the nighttime crowd arrives in addition to a menu with traditional French dishes such as steak with French fries French onion and a Provençal dish suitable for vegans. Look for the neon pink underneath Chinatown subway stop and you'll find Oriel - a small elegant wine bar with some of the best French bistro dishes. Run by the same people behind Covell Bar in Los Felices Oriel not only offers French wines and a modern paradise with hanging plants but it also offers some of the best French bistro dishes on East Side.
The French onion soup rich without overt decay is worth a visit on its own. Since 1927 Taix has offered Angelenos a taste of Basque countryside while it's by no means best French cuisine in town this old school restaurant retains certain nostalgic appeal especially when you consider affordable uncork fee and slightly higher daily menu prices pop into one stands Taix or sit down bar enjoy quintessential French dishes such as frog legs trout almonds orange duck only Saturdays. Whether you're in mood for French cuisine or new American cuisine these fine dining restaurants are perfect for special occasions Our favorite places eat steak fries coq au vin more You're seeing their flambered Comte Mimolette cheese which appears some....
