17 Best Restaurants For French Onion Soup In NYC, Ranked

Soup is truly a universal food. Cuisines around the world have their unique varieties of warm and comforting broth-based concoctions, from ramen to Italian wedding soup. But nothing is quite as decadent and rich as a bowl of French onion soup (soupe à l'oignon gratinée as it is called in France). French onion soup recipes typically include a meat-based broth (traditionally beef) flavored with herbs, onions that have been caramelized in butter, croutons made from yesterday's bread, and topped with a layer of gruyère cheese. Often wine and sherry are also added.

The origin of this famous French soup is hard to trace though one legend claims it was created by King Louis XV when he returned famished from a day of hunting and found only onions, butter, and champagne in the kitchen. However it began, it has been used as a late-night hangover cure for hundreds of years. Today, it's still a hearty soup for a late dinner, and where better to enjoy it than the city that never sleeps. New York City is home to some of the best French restaurants in America, many of which unsurprisingly serve this classic soup. From tucked-away spots in Brooklyn to popular destinations in Manhattan, let's take a closer look at the best restaurants in NYC to dig into some French onion soup.

Tartine has been around since 1992, one of the few French bistros in the West Village that popped up in that decade that is still around. Located at the corner of West 4th Street and West 11th Street, this small but charming casual spot serves classic French food with specifically a focus on the seaside region of Brittany, which is apparent from the maritime-themed art that hangs in the dining room. There's limited seating indoors, and they don't take reservations, so you can likely expect a line during prime lunch and dinner hours. However, when the weather isn't inclement, there is outdoor seating as well.

The bowl of French onion soup here is certainly a classic-tasting one. And at $12, it's a reasonably priced one as well. Tartine is also a BYOB restaurant, so feel free to bring your favorite French bottle to sip alongside the cheesy and crusty goodness.

Owned by Jacob Hadjigeorgis of Jacob's Pickles, a pickle-focused Southern cuisine restaurant with several locations in the city, Maison Pickle is more focused on effortlessly cool American food with apparent French inspiration throughout the menu. Located on the Upper West Side, it's first and foremost a French Dip spot. The beef sandwich, which isn't French at all but rather American, which comes with a side of beef broth for dipping, is their specialty. But before diving straight into the sandwiches, first sample the flavorful beef broth in the French onion soup. The $14 bowl is served with a toasted baguette, and like any good French onion soup, it's loaded with overflowing gruyère cheese.

The cocktails here are also their specialty, and they have plenty of fun options to choose from, including ones based on the zodiac signs. So if you're looking for a place to get a great bowl of French onion soup that's outside of the ordinary, beyond the usual bistro, then Maison Pickle is worth a try.

Located in Soho on Prince Street, the folks behind the restaurant have labeled it as a "bistro non-classique." While owner-chef Paul Denamiel's other restaurant Le Rivage is upscale French comfort cuisine with a traditional ambiance, Little Prince aims to be more laid back and modern with a touch of effortless Parisian style. With a charming exterior and an interior with white brick walls and photographs hanging of French and non-French legends alike, such as Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin and Prince, the environment is sleek and contemporary.

The French onion soup here has a touch of cognac, and the cheese on top gets browned to perfection. However, priced at $18, it is a touch on the expensive side. Afterward, if you find yourself longing for even more French onion flavor, order the French Onion Soup Burger, which is loaded with caramelized onions and gruyère and is a customer favorite.

If you decide to get your French onion soup fix at Cafe Luxembourg, you'll be slurping on rich broth at one of the most classic restaurants in Manhattan. Located on the Upper West Side, Cafe Luxembourg has been around since 1983, and it can be best described as coyly famous. It was once a favorite of celebrities like Calvin Klein, Warren Beatty, and Lorne Michaels and was the location of a dinner scene in the '80s rom-com "When Harry Met Sally." But for all its claims to fame, it isn't touristy and, in fact, has remained largely unchanged since the 1980s.

The menu is French-focused with bistro classics like croque monsieur and shrimp cocktail, but you'll also find unexpected oddities like buffalo chicken dumplings and fish and chips. It goes without saying that the $18 French onion soup here is an absolute classic, with perfectly sweet and savory onions and plenty of crusty bread on top.

If you want to truly visit a Parisian restaurant without flying to Paris, Benoit will fulfill that longing. Located in Midtown Manhattan, this is the American location of the Michelin-starred restaurant now owned by Alain Ducasse that has been in Paris since 1912. The white exterior with a bright blue owning and charming bistro chairs on the sidewalk make this a distinguishable, eye-catching dining destination.

The chef uses a homemade beef broth made from oxtails as the base of the French onion soup here. Blended with the sweet, caramelized onions, this creates a deeply rich soup layered with flavors. The $18 typical portion comes in a soup crock and makes an excellent appetizer after hors d'oeuvres like marinated mussels and before diving into the mains like roasted duck or steak tartare. And, of course, there is a well-curated list of French wines to pair with the dishes. At Benoit, you'll be immersed in a true French fine dining experience.

Opened since 2006, Cafe d'Alsace, located in the Upper East Side is committed to serving the best Alsatian cuisine in Manhattan. Alsace, a region in France that borders Germany is known for its cuisine that melds both cultures with dishes like choucroute garnie. The chef, Philippe Roussel, hails from France and is heavily inspired by food from this particular region.

At Cafe d'Alsace, the soupe à l'oignon gratinée is topped with an extra toasty layer of aged gruyère and "country" bread. Priced at $16, it's a crowd favorite with a heap of glowing reviews online. Not only is this spot known for its authentic and flavorful cuisine, it's also a destination for beer lovers. On staff is a beer sommelier who curates the beer list, which includes over 130 rare, artisanal, and small-batch brews that you likely haven't had anywhere else, several of which, like a dark lager, would pair nicely with the soup.

Le Charlot opened in 1995 and has the feel of an established New York bistro. The tables are close together and covered in white tablecloths. The servers, who wear traditional uniforms, bring baskets of bread and butter while you wait for the traditional French fare like steak au poivre or beef bourguignon to be made. Yet for all its old-school charm, there isn't an ounce of stuffiness, and it feels like a place you can truly relax and sip a glass of wine and enjoy a comforting bowl of French onion soup.

Located on the Upper East Side, it's the perfect place to grab lunch after a stroll through Central Park, and the lovely sidewalk seating is ideal for a warm meal on a crisp day. The $23 bowl of onion soup here may be on the pricier side, but it's one of the most decadently rich ones you'll ever have.

Located in the Upper West Side, Manny's Bistro is a newer addition to the neighborhood that feels like it's been around forever. That may be because the owner, Manny Colon, was the general manager of the previous restaurant in the building, Bistro Cassis, for 15 years before it closed during the pandemic, which made the transition to opening his own restaurant in the spot seem effortless. With Manny's Bistro, he has elegantly blended New York and Parisian culture, creating a timelessly romantic ambiance.

When ordering the $17 soupe à l'oignon, expect the gruyère to have a deeply browned layer of crust on top that, once broken through with a spoon, will reveal the saporous broth and soaked croutons. If there was ever a place in New York City to truly indulge in a French meal and order the classics, it's here. So go ahead and order the escargot and the gâteau de crabe along with the soup and then move on to the very popular Trout Almondine. It just might end up being the best meal you've had in a while.