Drouant

Drouant has been hosting the Prix Goncourt jury on the first Tuesday of every month since 1914 — the salon Goncourt upstairs is where the most famous French literary prize is decided each November. Downstairs, chef Romain Van Thienen runs a French classics menu with serious technique: vol-au-vent, sole meunière, steak tartare prepared tableside, and the famous hors d'oeuvre carousel that arrives in four small dishes. The room has the dignity of a 1880s grande maison without the stiffness. It is the literary destination of the 2e and a benchmark French lunch when you want competence rather than experiment.