Fashion folk are bidding adieu to Lincoln Center this season, and with it, P.J. Clarke’s, Bar Boulud and Lincoln Ristorante for easy grub in between shows. Enter Petite Cocotte, in the heart of SoHo and an easy walk from one of fashion week’s new homes, Skylight Clarkson Sq at 550 Washington Street.
Opened at the end of August, the café is a spinoff of Cocotte, the French bistro located next door on Thompson Street. Chef and owner Sebastien Pourrat wanted the little sister restaurant to feel lighter and more easygoing. “Cocotte is masculine and Petite Cocotte is feminine, that’s my way to explain it,” he says.
Colorful Carocim tiles from Aix-en-Provence decorate one side of the tiny, light-filled space, while weathered bricks line the other. French woodworker Francois Chambard, who is now based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, designed custom stools that line the wraparound bar. The plates and vases are made by hand by Farmhouse Pottery in Vermont. The result feels like stepping into a rustic farmhouse — it’s a far cry from the commercial chains that dot the area.
Related Articles
“People are very happy to have a local café that isn’t Starbucks,” admits Pourrat, noting that with a 7 a.m. opening time, he can appeal to early crowds.
You May Also Like
Serving croissants, egg sandwiches, granola and the like for breakfast, the space transitions from a coffee shop to a café to a tapas bar from morning to evening. Chicken béarnaise sandwiches, beet-terrine salads and chorizo-and-pepper quiches feature on the lunch menu, while oysters, ribeye carpaccio and duck confit make up the dinner portion.
Plus, Pourrat’s wife Sofie Roelens whips up light-as-air desserts like the green-tea tart and chocolate crème for after a meal — or anytime. Because if you ever deserve sweets, it’s during fashion week.