New York’s Finest French Fries

Pommes Frites
123 2nd Avenue
Btwn.  7th Street and St Mark’s Place
(212) 674-1234
http://www.pommesfrites.ws/ 
Piled in paper cones, these twice-fried potatoes serve as the
foundation for twenty-five different sauces, ranging from Vietnamese
Pineapple Mayo to Irish Curry.  Leave your calorie counter at the door
and indulge in the frites with poutine. Topped with Canadian-cured
cheddar and doused in rich chicken gravy, it requires a fork and a
brave soul to down an order in one sitting.

Rare Bar & Grill
303 Lexington Avenue
Btwn. 37th & 38th  Streets
(212) 481-1999
www.rarebarandgrill.com
Though this Murray Hill restaurant is better known for its burgers and steaks,
take advantage of their $10 basket of fries with dipping sauces.
Shoestring fries come in a crispy tangle, alongside thick and round
cottage fries (with the skin on of course,) but it’s the pencil-thin
sweet potato fries with their honey maple dipping sauce that really
steal the show here.

JG Melon
1291 74th Street at 3rd Avenue
(212) 650-1310
This UES burger fixture is praised by New Yorkers
for its decidedly classic approach to the cheeseburger. The cottage fried
potatoes are a must. Pillowy and crisp, they have the ridged appearance
of bread and butter pickles and a salty bite, ideally washed down with
a pint of beer.

La Goulue
746 Madison Avenue
Btwn. 64th and 65th Street
(212) 988-8169
http://www.lagouluerestaurant.com/home_ie.htm
This Madison Avenue bistro manages to elevate the french fry to a haute cuisine.  Its extraordinarily crispy, homemade frites are a signature “garniture” amongst a menu of roasted duck, steak tartar and souffle aux fromages. We advise a leisurely Sunday brunch — for $36.95, diners can ease into the day with a Kir Royal, morning pastries, a steak with bernaise sauce and, of course, a pile of their delicious fries.

Jackson Hole
3501 Bell Boulevard
Bayside, Queens
(718) 281-0330
www.jacksonholeburgers.com
This neighborhood greasy spoon offers a consistently thick, juicy
burger and unusually thick fries.   Don’t mind the sometimes, gruff service.  Instead, focus your
attention on the fries, which accompany virtually every dish — these golden wedges are a meal unto themselves, and well worth
the long walk back to the Long Island Railroad station.

Resto
111 East 29th Street
Btwn. 3rd and Lexington Avenues
(212) 685-5585
www.restonyc.com 
The “frites,” served in  at this authentic Belgian restaurant are
thick, crisp and served with a variety of unique dips.  Mayo, sweet
chili, and lime pickle are frequent choices, but go for the gribiche,
an oil and vinegar concoction made with piquant capers, pickle,
shallots and parsley.  They’re best eaten with Resto’s seasonal
“Brentwood” cocktail, a biting blend of Plymouth gin, chartreuse, and
kaffir lime.

Nice Matin
201 West 79th Street
At Amsterdam Avenue
(212) 873-6423
www.nicematinnyc.com
Nearly anything you order from Nice Matin’s bistro menu commands a side of steak frites with mayo;
their light, delicate texture makes for an addictive accompaniment to
this French spot’s hearty fare. Try a Nice Royale cocktail to wash them
down.  Made with peach, gin, champagne, sage and lemon, it’s a clean
and crisp counterpart to the salty, grease-free fries.

Ship of Fools
1590 2nd Avenue
Btwn. 82ndand 83rd Streets
(212) 570-2651
Patrons don’t seem to mind taking their eyes off of the game to give
their attention to the fries at this Upper East Side sports bar.  The
double-dipped batter coating endows each fry with a hot crispy outer
layer, while still maintaining the rich potato interior. Though they
also offer sweet potato and cottage versions, stick with tradition for
the finest fry experience.

Brasserie
100 East 53rd Street
Btwn. Lexington and Park Ave.
(212) 751-4840
http://www.rapatina.com/brasserie/
The fries at this refined, modern French bistro are given crunch and flavor from the generous amount of fleur de sel sprinkled on top, all the while retaining a light, airy consistency that pairs well with everything from their bacon oyster mushroom cheeseburger to a filet mignon with béarnaise sauce.
F&B Gudt Food
269 W 23rd St
Btwn. 7th Ave & 8th Ave.
(646) 486-4441
www.gudtfood.com
This small European import offers an impressive list of hot dogs,
wursts, Swedish meatballs and beignets, but the real find here are the
battered sweet potato fries. Served in a white paper cup with a fork,
their bright orange hue is highlighted by bits of potato skin.  They’re
best devoured with a glass of lemonade.

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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