There’s something magical about taking American classics and meshing them with another cuisine in a humble diner setting. When I heard about French eatery Raoul’s sister restaurant, Revelie Luncheonette, a French-American diner just right across the street, I made my way over there pronto.
Revelie only just opened last year, but it seems the secret might be out already. I walked in around 1:30 p.m. on a Wednesday and was lucky to snag the last booth in the small space. To enter, you must pass through a red curtain.
The vibe immediately feels like a classic diner: cushioned bar stools, tiled floors, with condiments and salt and pepper shakers on every table. The lunch offerings are simple, with soups, salads and sandwiches like croque monsieur — a grilled ham and Swiss sandwich that often also comes with a Mornay sauce — croque madame (a monsieur with a fried egg on top) and a BLT.
The menu also includes some veg-forward sides like haystack zucchini and sweet potato fries, two types of burgers (one classic and one green chile) and mains like moules frites and hachi parmentier (the French version of shepherd’s pie).
I ordered a large spread: a patty melt, lobster roll, warm goat cheese salad, French onion soup and the leek vinaigrette. When I told my server of my choices, he gave me the gold star of approval and told me that had I not ordered the patty melt, he would’ve made sure I did. He also noted that the fries here are addictive, so I threw in an order of those, as well.
I started with the French onion soup. As I dug into the cheesy crouton to get to the broth, and started to wonder if I’d ever get there. They do not shy away from the cheese in the French onion soup here, something I’m certainly not angry about. It could possibly be the longest cheese pull in the borough of Manhattan, and I’d happily put my money on it if such a competition were to ever arise. The broth is fragrant, salty, and on the thinner side. There were noticeably fewer onions than past French onion soups I’ve consumed, and it seemed almost as though they’d melted down into the broth, creating the ultimate flavor bomb. The gooey cheese, soaked soggy bread, and aromatic broth made for one hearty layered soup.
The leek vinaigrette topped with hazelnuts is simply melt-in-your-mouth. But the warm goat cheese salad won my heart for the veggie of choice. It might not sound like a game changer using warm goat cheese instead of cold crumbles like most spots do, but in doing so, Revelie takes a basic salad and adds depth and texture — and the kind of comfort that can only come from eating warm cheese.
Sticking with the cheese theme, it was time for the patty melt. As the waiter set the plate down, I witnessed cheese oozing from the sides, confirming my theory that cheese reigns at Revelie. My advice? Get a side of crisp, crinkle-cut fries to make a little DIY cheese fry. The patty melt, served on sourdough rye, is loaded with onions, beef and (to reiterate) lots and lots of cheese.
The lobster roll, which is available for lunch or dinner, is served with golden house-made potato chips on the side. I added some crushed chips to my roll for a little extra texture.
For my inevitable return to Revelie, I’ll make sure to plan for a Friday to try the sole francese, a blue plate special that looks most tempting.
- Address: 179 Prince St, New York, N.Y. 10012
- Phone: (212) 696-1917
- Hours: Monday-Tuesday 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Wednesday-Friday 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
- Prices: Breakfast $12-$26; Lunch: Soup & Salad $14-$32; Appetizers $13-$21; Burgers $17-$21; Mains $28-$34; Sandwiches $18-$21; Omelette All Day $21; Sides $6-$9; Dinner Mains $28-$34; Rotating blue plate specials $26-$36
- Takeout available, walk-ins only.
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