Best French Restaurants in Little Italy

Had a wonderful experience at Boucherie. We were seated immediately at a wonderful table with a view of the decorations and the restaurant. The wait staff was very helpful and friendly. The food we ordered was amazing and the prices not astronomical. For the quality of the food and the overall experience it was appropriately priced.

Rafs is a gem and one of a kind cafe. The food is delicious. I had the French omlette with crème fraise. Excellent. The wait staff is superb very attentive. The host was very accommodating finding us a booth table that was very comfortable and quiet.

Kind of noisy but like a busy/cool to be there type of vibe. Don’t sleep on the buffalo chicken dumplings-pricey but well worth it. The cavatelli were rich, bursting with flavor from the sausage and mushrooms. Was full but indulged in the sticky toffee pudding-rich and buttery. Expensive and the portions looks small, but the food is rich and quality is outstanding. Great place to go for a special dinner.

Wayan is a Nolita/SoHo located Indonesian and French fusion restaurant. This cuisine and style was novel yet comforting. Went with a group of 6 and we tried a good portion of the menu. Lovely decor and moderate noise and energy. We didn’t see the back area but I’m sure with the res availability, it’s sizable. I appreciate how the reservations are attainable yet it is still popular. 1. Satays - lamb, pork, scallops - all were flavorful — 8.2/10 2. Golden Sweet potatoes — godly 9.6/10 3. Citrus salad - refreshing, though the base was chunks of cabbage which isn’t my favorite — 7.6 4. Baby squid - very fried, but quality squid and a delicious & balanced mix of toppings — 8.6 5. Hamachi tartare - fresh seafood, good mix of sweet, bitter, & savory, with a little bit of crunch — 8.4 6. Sea bass - fresh, cooked perfectly, nice light sauce — 8.6 7. Lobster noodles — the revered lobster noodles were excellent, velvety noodles with a sticky coating. Plentiful lobster, portion size was fine given the small bowl. I have had better sauces which is the only detractor — 9.4 8. Crescent duck - really enjoyed this, slept on by my dinnermates — 8.6 9. Corn fritters - yum — 8.8 White wine was a strong choice, moderate sweetness. I have sesame, tree nut, and peanut allergies, and the staff/kitchen were great with accommodating and informing us on what items were safe. Otherwise, the service was good not great. I liked the speed and order of serving the satays, small plates, and then large plates. They did get rid of glasses while someone was going to pour more wine and did not ask about drinks often. I will be returning!

It was a lovely evening with lots of wine and great food. The service was impeccable and the spot adorable.