Menus & Dishes
Per Se shares a philosophy with The French Laundry, not a menu. The signatures travel; almost everything else is written in New York, for New York.
By The Reservation Desk Editorial Team · Published July 1, 2025 · Last updated · 10 min read
As in Yountville, a chef's tasting menu and a vegetable tasting menu run in parallel, each nine courses, each rewritten daily. Guests at the same table can order across both.
The New York kitchen sources differently — Hudson Valley and North Atlantic rather than a garden across the road — and the menus reflect that in ways a returning French Laundry guest notices immediately.
The salon offers an à la carte selection in the lounge overlooking Columbus Circle, without the commitment, cost or duration of the full tasting menu. It is the single most underused option in the group.
Signature dishes appear here alongside a shorter list. For a first encounter with the kitchen, or for a meal that ends before midnight, it is the sensible choice.
The salmon tartare cornet and Oysters and Pearls appear here too — the two dishes that function as the group's signature rather than as any single restaurant's.
Beyond those, expect a distinct repertoire. Per Se has developed its own canon over two decades and it is not derivative of Yountville.
Where lunch is served, it is a different proposition — daylight over Central Park, a room at half volume, and appreciably better availability.
Manhattan's cancellation rate also means the dining room turns over more unpredictably than Napa's, which favours the flexible diner.
Caviar, truffle and premium protein supplements are offered seasonally. The cheese course at Per Se is unusually strong and worth arriving with room for.
Decide on supplements before service begins; the pacing does not leave much space for financial deliberation.
Allergies, intolerances and vegan menus are accommodated with notice. Give 48 hours minimum and several days for a full vegan tasting menu.
The vegetable menu is not automatically vegan — it uses dairy freely — so state the requirement explicitly rather than assuming.
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Our editorial team researches fine-dining access, booking windows and menu formats across the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. Every guide is compiled from restaurant-published information, official reservation platforms and first-hand dining notes, then re-checked before each update.
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