There are restaurants with good views of New York, and then there is Le Pavillon — a place where architect Isay Weinfeld has constructed a garden-like interior inside the One Vanderbilt skyscraper that makes the view secondary. Soaring ceilings, lush greenery cascading from the walls and ceiling, modern sophistication in the materials and lighting — the room is a statement that a Midtown skyscraper restaurant need not look like a Midtown skyscraper restaurant.
Chef Daniel Boulud brings his deepest convictions to the menu: a focus on vegetables and seafood that reflects his background in the gardens of Lyon, a commitment to French technique applied with New York clarity, and a refinement that comes from forty years of cooking at the highest level. The onion tart with époisses is one of the most discussed preparations in Midtown right now — a dish that sounds simple and is executed with surgical precision. The seasonal menu changes to reflect the best available produce; the seafood courses draw from American waters as much as French tradition.
The wine list is extensive and the sommelier team is skilled at navigating it without intimidation. Le Pavillon's two Michelin stars reflect both the kitchen's quality and the building's unique position as a destination in Midtown that rewards a specific kind of visitor: someone who wants a meal that feels significant without the suffocating gravity of the three-star tier.
