Le Barricou Bar / French Restaurant

WILLIAMSBURG, NEW YORK –

Though located on an unassuming stretch of Grand Street that’s abundant with beauty salons and Chinese take-out, chic bistro Le Barricou adds a hearty dose of southern France to Brooklyn.

A popular first (second…fiftieth) date spot, the expansive venue offers a rustic countryside ambiance with lots of natural light, mounted bookcases and vintage mirrors, and dark leather stools that run down the lengthy bar, while enormous bouquets of scotch broom are piled high near the entrance.

During the week an eclectic mix of families, funky couples, and European imports gather for a lunch of croque madames or mac gratinée, and a similar crowd returns for dinner to join the well-heeled hipsters snapping up shrimp linguine and rabbit gnocchi over classic cocktails and free-flowing carafes of wine.

Slender tables, each dotted with a tiny bouquet of fresh flowers, hug the butter-yellow walls and scatter into the inordinately cozy back room, which features oversized armchairs, larger group seating, and the warm embrace of an old wood-burning stove.

Wait times are unavoidable during brunch, perhaps the most popular time here, when mason jars full of Bloody Marys and mimosas mingle with steaming cups of coffee as hungover friends revive themselves with eggs florentine and French toast.

Ideal for everything from wowing the in-laws to catching up with old friends, Le Barricou is dapper, delicious, and damn worth a visit.