A handful of restaurants — Cafe Fiorello, Boulud Sud, and the Smith — are known as the default spots for New Yorkers and tourists beelining to Lincoln Center for a night at the symphony, ballet, or opera. Next time, consider Manny’s Bistro just a few blocks away from the arts hub. Manny Colon was the general manager of this restaurant, called Bistro Cassis for 15 years before it shuttered during the pandemic. He reopened the the spot in October 2020 as Manny’s Bistro and kept French standards like the trout almondine and steak frites on the menu while also adding new items like biodynamic wines. If anything, the establishment feels more like a neighborhood spot than ever before: Occasionally, there’s live music, or catch Manny singing a tune himself some nights.

This Alain Ducasse-helmed spot is the U.S. spinoff of a Parisian bistro that’s been around for over a century. The Midtown bistro got a makeover in 2016, complete with a fresh paint job and some new additions to the menu. Plenty of familiar classics are still served up, like escargot, roast chicken, and hand-chopped beef tartare. The restaurant recently announced that Alberto Marcolongo is the new executive chef.

Solid French fare can be found at this Long Island City spot, which has an affordable menu filled with dishes like croque-monsieur, foie gras terrine, and endive salad with blue cheese, pears, and walnuts. Appetizers mostly ring in under $14, with entrees ranging from $19 to $29. Brunch is also very reliable for dishes like a ham-and-cheese croissant or French toast.

A pint-sized bistro in the West Village, La Ripaille — which translates to “the feast” — is a quaint, candlelit space, complete with a fireplace and rustic, farm-themed antiques. The unexpected signature starter is a deeply flavorful broccoli mousse served with butter lemon sauce; other standouts include steak frites doused in a three-peppercorn sauce.

Gaggles of New Yorkers have flocked to this tiny West Village stalwart for the BYOB factor, but the classic range of French bistro fare, with almost all entrees sticking under $30, is the real draw. The food here goes a bit beyond the standard steak frites and onion soup; the menu also includes dishes such as veal milanese and spicy chicken with guacamole and fries. Expect a wait, even on weeknights.

Chef Andrew Carmellini’s lavishly appointed bakery and brasserie is situated in a spacious, gleaming corner space, with tall ceilings and big arched windows on both sides. It’s particularly nice during the daytime, with plenty of natural light and a lovely brunch menu that includes fluffy omelettes stuff with ham and cheese or smoked salmon Benedict. Opt for anything involving baked goods on the menu, or come solely for the fine pastries. The bakery, located in the front and open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., is great for an excellent croissant and coffee break.

This Soho bistro has garnered a passionate following for its burger: The peppercorn-crusted Pat LaFrieda brisket blend is seared in butter, topped with creamy Saint-Andre cheese, watercress, onions and cornichons, and served on a challah bun from Amy’s Bread. Duck fat fries and a side of cream and cognac sauce for fry dunking accompany it. A dozen or so patties are available nightly at the bar, but it’s also now available on the weekend brunch menu. Don’t miss the well-executed range of bistro standards that comprise the rest of the menu, like pâté, frisee with lardons and a poached egg, or steak tartare.

This East Village spot opened in 1998 but seems like it’s been around much longer. Highlights include the lapin a la moutarde (rabbit in a dijon mustard sauce) and duck liver mousse served with pink peppercorns and cornichons, but skip the steak tartare, per Eater’s Robert Sietsema. The narrow, warm space is filled with all sorts of paintings of France, and the crowd transitions from an older set of regulars in the early evening to a younger demographic later on.

French bistros can feel staid at times with their tried-and-true formula: a bowl of mussels with a side of fries, a smokey mirror, and antique-looking posters. At Frenchette, Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson opened a modern day bistro that felt refreshing. Natural wines have been paired with dishes like duck frites, blowfish tails a la diable, and smoked eel fritters. This Tribeca spot continues to draw a crowd since opening in 2018.

Another Keith McNally institution — he is the king of the New York brasserie, after all — the Odeon, which the restaurateur’s ex-wife owns and runs, prevailed as a Tribeca hotspot throughout the ’90s, when dining options were really slim in the area. The cool quotient mellowed out some over the years, but it’s also become popular again and is still a reliable classic decked out with recognizable red awnings and pitch-perfect brasserie interiors. The menu ranges from bistro stalwarts (steak tartare as an appetizer or entree; French onion soup gratinee; steak frites) to more new-fangled offerings like an Impossible burger or a vegetarian purple sticky rice bowl.

Come for the big bowls of mussels available three different ways — options include Thai coconut curry and a Provencale style with tomatos and garlic — at this charming, white brick-walled French spot perched on the border of Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill. Also worth considering: truffle croquettes, escargot with parsley butter, and tuna tartare, or mains like steak tartare and seared duck breast.

Bar Bête doesn’t fall for cliche American takes on the French bistro with design touches like antique mirrors and Édith Piaf tunes piped through the sound system. Instead, the kitchen here focuses more on the plates — silky chicken liver parfait, a crisp chickpea crepe topped with spiced swiss chard, and creme brulee with green cardamom — and stellar wines (pet-nats and orange wines play a prominent role on the menu). Where the bistro vibe does match up is how the restaurant feels like it’s a cozy spot where regulars return again and again.