The West Village is the envy of almost every New Yorker not living there. This goes double for Francophiles who can easily see Paris in the neighborhood’s angled streets and very own Arc de Triomphe. The similarities only increase when you consider the number of French boutiques (Parisian shops Sandro and Maje moved to Bleecker Street just a few months ago) and, of course, the multitude of French restaurants and café. Here’s just one way you can spend the day eating like you’re in Paris in the West Village:
Breakfast
Go to Patisserie Claude early for the day’s first croissants, still warm from the oven. As the perfectly buttery, flaky pastry melts in your mouth, feel your West 4th Street surroundings melt away, to be replaced by visions of Paris. Pair your morning indulgence with fresh brewed espresso to carry you through the rest of your day.
Lunch
Buvette bills itself as a “gastroteque” and is meant to be a place where people can enjoy casual French food any time of the day. The menu at this Jody Williams restaurant 
on Grove Street features an array of tartines, fromagerie and charcuterie. Although a tight space, the warm atmosphere evokes Buvette’s stated commitment to bringing people together over good food and wine.
Goûter
Grab a mille-feuille, or another pastry of your choice, at patisserie Mille-feuille on Laguardia Place. Sit at the counter against the wall of the small shop and watch pastry chef Olivier work in the open kitchen at the back or, on a nice day, take your selection to Washington Square Park and snack while in view of the Arc de Triomphe-inspired 
Washington Square Arch.
Dinner
You’ll find Le Gigot among the string of restaurants on Cornelia Street, a tiny block reminiscent of some romantic Parisian alley. At Le Gigot, you’ll dine on traditional French bistro fare with an emphasis on meat and fish. You can’t go wrong with the restaurant’s namesake le gigot, a roast leg of lamb served with flageolets. Ending your day with such a classically French dish and a few glasses of wine at this cozy bistro may just inspire you to book the next flight to Paris.
By Monica Burton
