I had heard wonderful things about Le Central and was looking for some place to take my partner who loves French cuisine. The place felt somewhat unassuming when we first walked in and I felt like it might be more of a Cafe experience, but as we sat there, the true depth of the place revealed itself. The cocktails and wine list were varied and impressive. The French Onion Soup was the best I've ever had as was the Duck Confit with sweet potatoes puree. The staff was attentive, professional and knowledgeable. An inauspicious gem not to be missed! read more

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OMG! So many details were thought out perfectly in this place and most mostly with the menu and the cooking. I started with a cocktail called the Polaroid. I can't tell you it was in it, but it was absolutely delicious. As was the French onion soup one of the best broths I've ever tasted. And then I have the duck liver mousse & three large toasts and greenery with pickled onions and three little soft dried apricots. It was so delicious. And for my main course I had the duck confit served over creamy sweet potatoes with a side of spicy kimchi and a sausage. Oh my gosh, was that good!! My meal was absolutely outstanding from start to finish. I was in heaven. My partner had the Moroccan chicken with some dried black olives, mixed cooked greens and long carrot ribbons very well cooked, but unfortunately, it was extremely salty. It needed some sweet potato something to kind of balance all that salt. So she didn't enjoy hers as much as I did mine. And for dessert, we shared a crème brûlée and oh the coffee was rich, so strong and delicious. Perfect ending to a fun time and great French meal! a treat!! Merci beaucoup!! read more

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Late lunch at Le Central Friday afternoon. Great service and food prep. My Smoked Salmon Sandwich was LOADED with lightly smoked salmon, crisp cukes, and pickled onions. MAGNIFICENT! read more

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A bistro menu with wonderful food The staff was great and very professional. Appropriately friendly. Foodmates raved about the mac & cheese/lobster, tasty shrimp & avocado salad. Order the frites 'for the table' as soon as you order beverages. Very creative and flavorful' Morrocan chicken' My salmon niçoise was really salmon on a bed of string beans (delish but not what was expected) The 'touted' vanilla ice cream was not worth the calories but the crepe was consumed with glee by all Ez parking on street Nice neighborhood for the stroll (We love a full menu with desserts listed) read more

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Food was amazing , wonderful presentation and appropriate amounts. Wonderful staff. Delicious deserts . Unlike other restaurants food was distinct and not overdone or over salted. Would definitely go back and recommend for a special occasion! read more

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Nicest staff!! My car broke down on Hope St and I sat outside for 3 hrs but desperately needed to use the restroom so I was wandering around until I found a place with lights on. They were closed but saw I was crying and let me in to use the restroom, then asked if I need anything. Such nice people and I can't wait to come back to try the food. Vibes in there are great and so are the employees (shoutout Ellie and Sam!!!!) read more

My wife and I went to here for Easter Sunday brunch/lunch. We have been here quite a few times and we were not disappointed; in fact, this is one of the best meals I have had here. My wife had the chicken BLT, which she really enjoyed. Because I was in a French themed restaurant I decided to have the Coq Au Vin. It was perfectly cooked and delicious, and the waitress made a wine pairing suggestion, which was also excellent. We shared the chocolate bread pudding for dessert. It's made with brioche and was therefore lighter than bread pudding usually is for me, this makes it even more enjoyable. It was also delicious. They outdid themselves on this occasion. I recommend it highly. read more

My family went to Le Central and loved it. The food was amazing. My favorite was the crème brûlée for dessert. My mom's favorite was the chicken liver mousse. My brother's favorite was duck confit. Our waitress was very kind. We will definitely be eating there again! read more

First time for dinner. Had been to their heralded Sunday brunch a few times. Always a pleasant evening - cozy and well staffed. Round of craft cocktails ("Homestead" was particularly good) followed by appetizers. Three French onion soups and a pate; the latter could have done with less greens and mustard and a bit more pate. Entrees were 2 steak frites, lamb, and grilled salmon. All tasty! The frites were not served in the traditional cone... Too full for dessert. Recommended! Damages for 4 including tip and $60 bottle of wine was $375. read more

The service was good, the food was disappointing and the large sparce open room doesn't look or feel like a French bistro. My friend ordered the Endive and Roasted Beet Salad. We could only find a few tiny chopped up pieces of beets. It was mostly finely chopped endive! More like cole slaw! I had the shrimp and avocado salad, there was way too much dressing on it. We basically left without eating much except the 3 shrimp. I couldn't find a wine that I liked so I had water. I wanted an oaky Chardonnay, none available on the wine list. There was only one other table in the restaurant while we were there. When we were leaving, 4 people came in. Are you happy? read more

Dined at Le Central 2 weeks ago with family. They had been before and recommended it and invited us to join them for another dinner. Walking in the atmosphere is cool and comfortable, with a very nice bistro vibe. There is room to sit at the bar for cocktails (no TV which is a plus) but the tables are preferable here, nicely spaced for comfortable dining. We were seated at a window table - nice for people watching! We started off with apps: endive beet salad and french onion soup. The soup was good, easy to eat (some french onion soups are impossible to eat without making a big production). The endive and beet salad was huge and great for sharing with the others. Main dishes ordered were duck leg confit (nicely grilled) with sweet potatoe puree as a light sauce; salmon nicoise and mussels with a side frites (the frites are wonderful!) All dinners were delicious! We shared the Chocolate Bread Pudding and the Lemon Ricotta Crepes for dessert. Service was great. Our servers were training a new server that evening and even though she was learning the ropes, she was doing just fine. All servers were pleasant and attentive. Le Central had been on our list of places to dine and we were not disappointed. Will be back. read more

Excellent service and delicious food. Highlights are the avocado and shrimp salad, the cod stew and the coq au vin. We have had many of the interesting dinner choices over the years and have always enjoyed them. Highly recommended. read more

Nice French restaurant in downtown Bristol, RI. Very attentive service. Onion soup was good, I had coq con vin which was so good! read more

Stopped in for a very late lunch on the Friday after Christmas. The place was empty but the servers were awesome. We both had the French onion soup and shared a burger. Both were very good. The soup was hot and cheesy. The half of the burger was the perfect amount of food if you are not really hungry. Cool ambience, nice seat at the window overlooking the quaint town of Bristol. I would definitely recommend stopping in. read more

Le Central - Cheeseburger - French Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

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Bottom line: a delightful French bistro with absolutely delicious food, a casual, cozy vibe, and an excellent value. Something different in the East Bay. An underappreciated gem. We've been going to Le Central for a few years and recently rediscovered just how good it is. The vibe is French bistro, complete with black and white checkerboard floors. It's casual, relaxed, and cozy. It feels like French comfort food. The menu is thoughtful and amazing for how truly delicious the offerings are. It's a 'who's who' of some of the best French dishes, without pretense or weirdness (no snails or frogs legs). Starting with the table bread, half of a baguette, perfectly toasted and partly sliced, with soft butter and some olives on the side. The onion soup is full of melted Guryere cheese, caramelized onions, rich beef stock, and toasted baguette slices, served in a ramekin. It's perfect and utterly irresistible. Pair it with a salad and it's a meal. The Salad Nicoise has perfectly cooked green beans, roasted fingerling potatoes with butter and parsley, roasted red peppers, a bed of arugula, a nice filet of perfectly poached salmon, and a mouth-watering lemon-caper compote. It's hearty enough as a main course for lunch or dinner, and is deliciously satisfying (and I'm not usually a salad person). The hamburger might be one of the best you'll have. A hand formed patty of organic beef on a toasted Brioche bun, served simply with tomato and lettuce, cheese (cheddar, Guryere, or Roquefort) and applewood smoked bacon optional, and a side of ultra-thin and super-crisp potato frites (too good to be called mere 'French fries'). We love burgers, and both think this is hands-down the best we've had in the area (it's the spiritual opposite of Chomp burgers which are excellent in their own right but very different with many heavy, spicy additives that make for a 'wet' burger). Le Central's hamburger stands on its own simply with the highest quality ingredients prepared perfectly (like the rest of the food). Coq au Vin (chicken with wine) was a revelation. A half of a Cornish game hen (breast, leg, and thigh), braised in burgundy wine, served in a crock brimming with mushrooms, sauteed onions, and bacon, in a rich, thick, velvety stock, and a side of roasted fingerling potatoes. Just the smell made my mouth water before even taking the first bite! It was heavenly, deeply satisfying, and very hearty and filling. There are always some specials, often including an omelet. Recently we've had asparagus and brie, and mushroom and Guryere, variations. They were spectacular, served with a side of potato frites. They turn brunch into a special experience and feel decadent despite the modest price. They offer a full brunch menu that looks yummy, though we haven't (yet!) tried it. Desserts are homemade. Our favorite are the Rochers ("rocks"), chocolates like turtles. Dark chocolate filled with the specialty of the day, various nuts and fruits. Order at least one if you're stuffed and don't think you can fit in anything else, but a plate of 4 goes down easily with tea. The drink list is massive. In the spirit of a French bar there are dozens and dozens of liquors of every kind. A nice offering of about 20 wines (French of course), every one we've ever had has been a winner. Some beers, and even several ciders, apple and pear varieties, from Normandy! This area has tons of typical bars/pubs/taverns, seemingly one on every block, along with Portuguese (Portuguese-ish) and Italian restaurants. Le Central stands out, both for being unique in offering a great selection of the best of the best of French foods, and for the amazingly high quality and reasonable prices. It's one of the great, underappreciated secret gems of the East Bay area. If it was in Boston the prices would be more than twice as high and people would be raving about it. We've been finding it hard to go more than a week between visits. read more

Very cute french bistro serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.. My first time going and had a tough time selecting from their brunch menu. My 3 friend's and I loved our breakfast waffles and fresh berries with the best whipped cream I've ever had. My friend had the lemon ricotta crepes which she said were the best crepes she's ever had. I enjoyed my cappuccino and we had a side of the cinnamon sugar popovers. I'll definitely visit again! read more

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Compelled to write this review for several reasons. Firstly, Le Central offers the best quality to value Authentic French Bistro food anywhere around. Including Providence. Secondly , the recent negative reviews were off putting and erroneous to say the least. Excellent French wine selections. Someone mentioned oaked Chardonnay. That's a California staple, not so French unless in the high end offerings. All pates and appetizers are spot on and well executed with great texture. Steak Frites not to be missed. Very reasonably priced for the quality. Fish dishes always simple elegant and delicious. Christine the server is fantastic. She has been there forever and is v professional, attentive and always positive. All of this has me thinking, a friend is in town. Think we will go for dinner!!! Keep up the great work Le Central!! A Bientot! Merci. read more

The food here is incredibly salty-from the onion soup to the main courses. Service is good. Restaurant needs to feel more cozy. Perhaps adding a few tables instead of the large empty space. read more

Six of us went for Sunday brunch and did not have to wait for a table. Drinks were ordered and delivered swiftly, but it seemed to take a while for the waitress to come take our order, so we all closed our menus and she came over immediately. The food was beautifully presented and tasted even more delicious! I had the special of eggs Benedict over latkes. Latkes were perfect and crispy, the ham was chopped which made it easy to eat, perfectly poached eggs and the most amazing Hollandaise I've ever had! It was smooth and tangy and buttery. Yum! Reports are that the omelette was fluffy and nicely wrapped around its filling, a hearty meal. The fries were also excellent as well as Croque Monsieur and a couple of salads. The only critique I heard was that the seasoning on the Moroccan chicken was a bit salty. I look forward to going back. read more

I brought hubby here for a date night a few weekends ago. I made our reservation via OpenTable, and used their rating system to decide on Le Central over other similarly popular date night options in the Bristol/Barrington/Warren area. We parked on the street and walked in a little before our reservation. The place was surprisingly sparsely attended, despite being a weekend night at prime dinner time. The good news was that we were given our choice of basically any table, and we picked one with a good view of the restaurant. To start, we began with the endive salad, which was hands down the best thing we ate all night. The endives were crisp and fresh, and were topped with toasted walnuts, sweet beets, tangy gorgonzola, and were just really delicious. Even thought we said we were going to share the salad, they took the liberty of plating it split for us. After that we tried the onion soup. It was extremely heavy, like perhaps it had cooked down too long. It was also weirdly boozy, like they deglazed the pan with something alcoholic and it hadn't cooked off yet. It was also very salty, and flavor-wise was not well-balanced. For dinner, he opted for the grilled Moroccan chicken and I went for the grilled lobster. His chicken was similar to my soup, not well seasoned, and had the wrong ratio of spices for the flavor they were trying for. My lobster was well cooked, but it was completely not salted at all, including the accompanying veggies which were bland and not seasoned. The food was so unimpressive, we opted not to stay for dessert and walked down the street and got ice cream elsewhere. If we had only had the salad, our experience would have been so different, but unfortunately it was the one-off in comparison to the rest of the dishes. Service was good and friendly, and the restaurant had a good atmosphere with decent prices, but they lost us on the either over seasoning or lack of seasoning. Would not likely return. read more

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The service is always amazing! The food, particularly steak fritte is always delicious! Coming back for New Year's Eve!!!!

Is it bad to actually consider living closer to Le Central so that I may easily walk to one of my favorite restaurants in the state? Why of course not! Having lived in Paris for several years in a past life, Le Central is the closest bistro that I've found short of going into Boston. We're fortunate to have one with a varied menu that is short but with enough choices for the chef to make each one superb and the diners mid-sections sated and satisfied. This is Not The Cheesecake Factory. This is intimate where you can dine with your better half or another couple sharing wine and memories over the most delicious duck liver mousse, country pate and charcuterie board. This is a restaurant where you can dine alone, read a paper or novel (put the darn phones down! Enjoy the moment), splurge on a lusciously velvet St. Emillion Grand Cru (go on! Aren't you worth it?!) and just Be. What's that? Excuse me, I thought I just heard Josephine Baker singing, J'ai Deux Amours. We might not Always have Paris, but we do have Le Centrale. Merci pour ça chef. read more

Little brown feeling, diner like. Burger was cooked medium, flavorful and the fries were crispy. The steak and fries was delicious, simple seasoning with a tasty onion flavor. The onion soup was a nice starter to share. read more

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I had a perfect lunch date at Le Central last weekend! Lunch for 2 (without drinks) was about $50 which was very reasonable! I splurged on the charcuterie board for myself and was not disappointed!! Omg that pate was so delicious! I also had cauliflower soup which was yummy but I wasn't crazy about the fried capers. A little too umami for me but the soup was still delicious. My boyfriend ordered the goat cheese salad and French onion soup. He loves French onion soup and says this was the best he's ever had! We will definitely be returning again soon! The brunch and dinner menus both looked great! Before lunch we had spent the morning exploring the gardens at Blithwolde Manor. After lunch we walked all around beautiful downtown Bristol. What a perfect day!! read more

Very good service. Food was served in a short amount of time. Server suggested and explained the dishes Nice variety of drinks and desserts. Would definitely come Back. read more

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For over a decade I have been coming to this gem of a restaurant in Bristol RI and every time I have had an enjoyable dining experience. Yesterday I had an impromptu birthday dinner there for my wife and six of our RI friends. First of all none of our guests have ever dined there and second they were all blown away by the experience. Our server was fantastic and Restaurant Week was in full swing so the place was jamming. With that said I was a little worried about getting our orders in a timely manner. No problem everything was a smooth as come be. If you visit Bristol this should be on the top of your list. Thanks for a wonderful experience! read more

I had an early dinner before a concert, and was close to the only person in the restaurant on a Friday night. The onion soup gratinee was good but not outstanding. The endive, beet and goat cheese salad was so salty I could barely eat it, and I still have a salty taste in my mouth. I don't recommend this place, though I may have just hit a bad meal. There are plenty of other restaurants in the area that are consistently excellent. Try one of those. read more

We have wanted to try this French bistro for quite some time and finally did, it was worth it. My husband had the Coq au vin and I had the Salmon Nicoise. My husbands dish was so good we used the bread to sop up the extra sauce in the cute pot they serve it in. Dessert was equally as good, we recommend the lemon stuffed crepes and the Brioche bread pudding. Our server Kristen was excellent, we'll definitely be going back. read more

Le Central - French Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

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In response to the owners rude, passive aggressive and condescending reply....I suppose a great illustration of the behavior i was describing... 1. Sorry no pic fish as we ate it in one bite 2. The incident with wait staff occurred when we arrived---- nothing to do with my complaint--- the second rant you noted below was not heard by me. 3. My husband did not agree with you he simply was trying to make me feel better and minimize as he knew how upset i was and didn't want the terrible meal to ruin our night. read more

Le Central - Lamb chops were out of this world! This is one order split - French Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

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Best French Onion soup I have had in over a decade! Steak Frites and Grilled Lobster were very good. House-made Chocolates were Decadent. What a great find on our weekend trip. We WILL come back. You should try it too! read more

I'm Franco-American and love all things French so I was really looking forward to lunch here. The aromas outside alone would draw most hungry people in. Cute decor, an interesting menu with intriguing specials and attentive service were positives right off the bat but then things went downhill. The 3 appetizers we ordered-beet salad, potato soup and garden salad were the blandest foods I've ever encountered. This chef ain't French, I'm thinking. The entrees were better: a Croque Monsieur, Cod Chowder and Mushroom Mac and Cheese. But they were just ok. Meanwhile the wines, at a ridiculous price, were awful. Do not order the Vouvray. There I warned you. Disappointing lunch for 3 that came to almost $150 with tip? Plus Jamais! read more

I took my family there. Staff were condescending and rude to my family because my toddler touched the window. I immediately took my family and left the place. I absolutely do not recommend! read more

OMG! The food is outstanding! I had the Lamb cassoulet and my husband the duck leg confit, our friends had the Mediterranean chicken and another duck leg. We were all so impressed. The desserts were also amazing - lemon ricotta crepes with fresh berries and the dark chocolate candy with cognac that you order by the piece. We ordered two and split between the four of us. We can't wait to return! read more

My wife, daughter, and I had a great dinner at Le Central tonight. We've been to Bristol many times, but for some reason have never been here before. I'm definitely coming back. There are a few negative reviews out there and I honestly don't know what they were for. The food is great and the service was terrific. It's a nice place. Not super fancy but nice. There is something on the menu for everyone. Some French classics, great New England seafood, and more basic fare. A nice wine list. Delicious appetizers. Desserts were all great, too. Oh, and did I mention the service? That was fantastic. Sam was our waiter. Everything came out quickly, but he was so knowledgeable of the menu. He even created a non-alcoholic cocktail for our daughter which was delicious and fun. (Sam - you really need to give that one a name!) Great job tonight, Le Central. Thank you. I'll be back. read more

Le Central is a hidden gem in Bristol RI! The service and quality of food is consistently outstanding. They have a great menu and Bristol RI is a charming place to visit. read more

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Great food, great service. We can always count on a delicious lunch with a laid back atmosphere. Love this place.

Nice menu options Numerous gluten free options Stopped in for a tasty lunch of French onion soup gratinee and beet salad. Excellent! read more

A fun french bistro on the main drag in Bristol. The service was terrific and the staff made our meal even more enjoyable! We shared some fresh, small and super tasty oysters to start, washing it down with some Chenin Blanc. And figured we would give the french onion soup a try as well - good and hearty. Our entrees included the hangar steak and pomme frites, done perfectly and a healthy portion to boot, as well as the grilled lobster (why not while in New England). While too full for dessert, we did finish with coffee and called it a good night. Menu is a bit short, less than 10 choices, but offers the bistro essentials, from charcuterie to duck. Definitely would dine here again. read more

Le Central - Todays specials - French Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

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Came for a holiday lunch and left disappointed. The restaurant is dirty. Floors looked as if they've never been washed. Plates and coffee cups looked old and scratched. Lots of little details that add up to feeling like no one cares about the business. Lunch of salmon Nicole's was mixed. While the salmon was perfectly cooked, it was a tiny portion and accompanying beans were undercooked and coated in oil, and under seasoned. The country pate had little flavor. Finished with dessert of apple tart, which was soggy, and crème brûlée that had not been fully caramelized. I used to love this restaurant. I stopped coming when things started to slip. A friend encouraged me to return. After this luncheon, I won't come back. In these times, when cleanliness is so important, feeling like the restaurant is filthy, does not inspire security. I'm so sad that the experience was half hearted and lacking. read more

This is a delightful spot which in the past had nice food, good service. Location is delightful. THIS IS NO LONGER THE CASE. We were the only party seated in the restaurant and it took 1 hour for the food to be served. Upon asking, we were told the fish just came in. Really? So why take the order if you have no salmon? The croque monsieur sandwich which was always the best now comes on some soggy type of bread. It was not edible. The Salmon Nicoise was simply OK--not outstanding. The French onion soup was very mediocre and there was no longer creme brûlée on the menu. On my last visit, the crème brûlée came out like mush without a crusted top. I thought it was just a glitch on that day . . . In the past, lovely French crusted bread and butter was served at each table. Now for $3, they supply you with a very tiny (and I mean very, very tiny) loaf of bread for two people. Other than the lovely location in downtown Bristol, I'd pass on this eating establishment. Sad, as it was always my very favorite. I sincerely hope the owner reads all this bad reviews and improves the food so we can once again return to this lovely spot. Others concur "it's sad, as this was once a great restaurant. Does the owner not care? read more