Brasserie Boulud Near Lincoln Center Is a Stage for Celebrations

1. It captures the core spirit of brasseries across France.

In France, there is at least one brasserie in each large city, serving as a meeting place for all to relish one’s company over classic French fare. Although these dining halls are typically grand — filled with plush banquets and gilded touches, taking design cues from the Belle Époque or Art Deco movements — they’re designed to accommodate just about anyone and any occasion.

More importantly, a brasserie belongs to the neighborhood. Brasserie Boulud hopes to serve as a haven to not only residents of the Upper West Side, but also to theatergoers, and “of course, anyone who is just taking a stroll through [Central] Park,” says Boulud.

“You go to the brasserie to restore yourself — that’s the spirit of the brasserie,” he continues. Brasserie Boulud is intended to carry that same sense of openness. “The brasserie can play a bit more high and low,” he explains, “in terms of offering, in terms of pricing, in terms of accommodations. We can have a table of two to a table of 20 in a very practical way.”

That flexibility extends directly to the menu.

2. The expansive menu features some of Boulud’s greatest hits.

The scope of the menu is ambitious, almost reading like a concerto, with different sections unfolding one after another. When asked about the menu, a smile crinkles across Boulud’s face as he dives into its overture: the charcuterie selection, which has been a staple category on his menus for years.

“The advantage is that we try to do a lot of housemade things,” he says.

There is pâté en croûte, duck rillettes, and chicken liver mousse — which Boulud calls “the best spread,” adding that it is “what foie gras would have been if foie gras didn’t exist.”

Elsewhere, the menu moves toward the sea with a generous plateau de fruits de mer, featuring oysters, clams, lobster, mussels, and more. There are also seasonal dishes such as tuna provençal and a lobster and beet salad brightened with cured lemon and pistachio.

3. And’s it’s not strictly French, either.

At the helm of the kitchen is chef Christina D’Angelo, who previously led the kitchens at other Boulud ventures, including Boulud Sud and Le Gratin.

D’Angelo also brings some of her Italian heritage to Brasserie Boulud’s menu through an expansive pasta section. Diners will find braised rabbit malfadine and saffron spaghetti with dandelion and bottarga, a nod to the flavors of Boulud Sud, as well as seasonal agnolotti.

Rotisserie items also fill the menu. “There will always be something on the rotisserie. We’re going to start with the chicken, but at certain times it could be lamb, beef, pork — a suckling pig.” Yes, guests can special-order an entire suckling pig for a post-theater feast that feeds anywhere from eight to 12 guests.

There are French classics such as coq au vin — to which Boulud states, “I’m from Lyon, so coq au vin speaks to me” — as well as mushroom stuffed pig’s trotters, finished with a mustard and cornichon jus. And, of course, there is a section devoted to a variety of sausage preparations, for which Boulud is famously known.

Steak lovers will be pleased with an abundance of options, ranging from classic steak frites, with several cuts to choose from, to a côte de boeuf for two. “Having opened La Tête d’Or and knowing how much people like their steak, I think it’s important to have options.”

Two burgers grace the menu: a classic American burger cheekily called the Yankee Burger, and the 25-year-old Boulud classic, the Original DB Burger. It features a beef cheek patty laden with a decadent portion of foie gras and served on a Parmesan bun. However, this fan favorite will only be available on a limited basis.

4. The massive dining room is timeless and glittering.

Designed by famed designer David Rockwell, who is known for bringing elegance and an almost theatrical sense of drama to any space, Brasserie Boulud’s massive dining room is just that: timeless and glittering, with a grand 27-seat bar at the entrance. Sit at the bar to be at the center of it all, where head sommelier Josh MacGregor keeps magnums of Beaujolais ready to pour by the glass, or treat yourself to a specially curated cheese selection.

Echoing the soul of Lincoln Center, which sits just across the street, was critical to the design of the space. New York-based illustrator Tug Rice brings his interpretation of the magic of theater to the dining room with works created with Lincoln Center in mind. “We are celebrating the art of Lincoln Center — there’s artwork about the Geffen Music Hall, the Philharmonic, the Ballet.”

5. Whether dining for pre- or post-theater plans, Brasserie Boulud sets the stage for a performance of celebration.

A 160-seat dining room and a dinner menu just about three pages long are no small feat to bring to life, but Boulud approaches the space as something the city needs. “In Lyon, we had a famous brasserie. It was a big dining hall, and it was most fun to go with friends after ice skating, a play, the cinema.” Whatever the celebration, he hopes you find yourself at the brasserie.

Brasserie Boulud is open from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays; hours will eventually expand to include other meal services.

Gabrielle Macafee is a Brooklyn-based food, travel, and music writer, and is also the founder of Lucky Dinner Club. When she’s not cooking or writing, you can find her behind a piano. Follow Gabrielle’s adventures on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.