Le Bernardin
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Predecessor | Le Bernardin (Paris) |
| Founded | 1972 in Paris, France |
| Founder | Gilbert Le Coze and Maguy Le Coze |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | New York City |
Key people | Eric Ripert (Executive Chef and Co-owner), Maguy Le Coze (Co-owner) |
| Products | French seafood cuisine |
| Website | le-bernardin |
Le Bernardin is a distinguished French seafood establishment located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, holding the prestigious three-Michelin star distinction. The restaurant is co-owned by executive chef Eric Ripert and Maguy Le Coze.
History
The original Le Bernardin was founded in Paris in 1972 by siblings Gilbert Le Coze and Maguy Le Coze. The restaurant's name draws inspiration from a traditional folk song their father used to sing, "Les Moines de St. Bernardin," which celebrates monks who embraced "the good life."
After achieving a third Michelin star, the Le Coze siblings moved their establishment to New York City in 1986.
In 1991, Eric Ripert came on board as chef de cuisine and took over as executive chef following Gilbert Le Coze’s passing in 1994. By 1996, Ripert had become a partner alongside Maguy Le Coze.
A comprehensive redesign of the restaurant took place in 2012, carried out by the architectural firm Bentel & Bentel, which included the creation of an expansive lounge area.
Menu and dining
Le Bernardin presents a four-course prix fixe dinner priced at $210, alongside a 10-course chef’s tasting menu with optional wine pairings. Since 2017, diners can also select a vegetarian tasting menu at $250, offering six savory courses plus two desserts, with separate wine pairing options. The lounge menu features à la carte selections, including signature dishes such as pounded tuna accompanied by foie gras and caviar.
Lunch service offers two choices: a three-course menu in the main dining room for $130 available on weekdays only, and a $94 three-course prix fixe menu in the lounge created in partnership with City Harvest—a food rescue nonprofit affiliated with Eric Ripert—which includes a $5 charitable contribution.
With a focus on fish and seafood, the culinary style is rooted in French tradition but enhanced by Asian influences and contemporary global flavors. The menu classifies dishes under "Almost raw," "Barely touched," and "Lightly cooked." Upon request, options like pasta, lamb, poultry, or filet mignon are also offered.
The dress code is business casual; while jackets are suggested, they are not compulsory.
For private gatherings, Le Bernardin provides Les Salons Bernardin on the upper level accommodating up to 80 guests and Le Bernardin Privé located across the building’s Galleria on the ground floor, suitable for events with up to 200 attendees.
Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 12:00 PM until 2:30 PM, with dinner service commencing at 5:00 PM. The restaurant remains closed on Sundays.
Awards and accolades
Since 1986, Le Bernardin has consistently earned a four-star rating from The New York Times, distinguishing it as the only New York establishment to maintain this level of recognition for over three decades.
The restaurant has received numerous honors from the James Beard Foundation Award, including Outstanding Restaurant (1998), Best Chef awarded to Eric Ripert (1998), Outstanding Pastry Chef for Michael Laiskonis (2007), and Outstanding Restaurateur awarded to Maguy Le Coze (2013).
In the inaugural year of Michelin's New York guide in 2005, Le Bernardin was awarded three Michelin stars—a rating it continues to hold as one of only five restaurants in NYC with this top distinction.
It was ranked 15th worldwide in the 2009 edition of The World's 50 Best Restaurants by Restaurant. From 2009 through 2012, it consistently garnered the highest number of votes among New York establishments according to Zagat.
In 2016, Grub Street placed Le Bernardin second in its list of "The Absolute Best Restaurant in New York," trailing only Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
Le Bernardin achieved second place on La Liste's global ranking of the top 1,000 restaurants in 2017 before ascending to first place in 2018.
Since 2022, it has held the number one position on The Infatuation's list of "The 25 Best Restaurants in NYC," boasting a score of 9.5 out of 10.
Cookbooks
- Le Bernardin Cookbook: Four-Star Simplicity (1998)
- A Return to Cooking (2002)
- On the Line (2008)
See also
- List of French restaurants
- List of seafood restaurants
- List of Michelin 3-star restaurants in the United States
- List of Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City
External links
- Articles with short description
- French restaurants in Manhattan
- Seafood restaurants in New York City
- Michelin-starred European restaurants in Manhattan
- Restaurants established in 1972
- Midtown Manhattan
- James Beard Foundation Award winners
- 1986 establishments in New York City
- Fine dining restaurants in New York City
- Michelin-starred French restaurants in the United States