Le Lupanar 103 Essex St. (Delancey & Rivington Sts.)
Lower East Side
212.260.2036
Le Lupanar:
Don't let the posh décor fool you. Le Lupanar was warm and neighborly enough to offer free beer and wine when they first opened, which certainly perked many up to give it a try. Perhaps they just wanted us to get good and drunk so our fuzzy memories would be fond and generate a return trip. Either way, the intimate resto offers a seasonally varying menu of, yes, French-tinged foods. On a dingy stretch of the Lower East Side, Le Lupanar is a welcome addition to the strip of Essex, filling a void left by McDonald's and dive Boss Tweeds. Inside the glass storefront, polished wood finishes, communal tables, and patterned and textured walls give it a pleasant vibe for mingling with friends or low-pressure dates.
