Founded and named in 1980 by Alain Laurent, “La Ripaille” originates from an 18th Century expression, “faire ripaille,” meaning “to feast.”

For forty years, patrons at Alain Laurent’s West Village bistro have been doing just that: Leisurely feasting on dishes traditional and modern, from sublime broccoli mousse to cassoulet; from escargots to saumon au fenouil; from ravioli de homard to steak au poivre et frites. 

Guests often wonder how the tiny neighborhood bistro has endured  through decades of swirling restaurant and neighborhood trends. No plate leaves the kitchen without passing muster by the owner who also welcomes each guest and irresistibly describes the specials night after night. Every morning Alain Laurent scours the market for the freshest produce which determines the specials of that evening. 

Near the entrance to the dining room with its exposed brick wall, grandfather clock, and farming implements hanging from the beams, lies a large, well-worn book, its pages inscribed with accolades from celebrities who have enjoyed the personalized dining experience at La Ripaille over the years: Leonardo Di Caprio, Derek Jeter, Anne Hathaway, Alan Rickman, Salman Rushdie, etc., etc. 

But the happiest diners are those who left the neighborhood years ago and return to find La Ripaille still open, beholden to the same impeccable standard they remember from forty years ago.