Copinette

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Story in Two Names

The address at 891 First Avenue carries history. It once housed Copain — French for boyfriend — a landmark restaurant that opened in 1945 and served the neighborhood for more than thirty years. Copain earned a particular kind of fame when Gene Hackman's character staked out its patrons in the 1972 Best Picture winner The French Connection. Copinette, French for girlfriend, picks up where Copain left off, honoring the same space while telling its story from a different perspective — a woman's.

The Room and the Feel

The dining room is relaxed and refined in equal measure: feminine touches, beautiful chandeliers, and modern decor that never tips into fussiness. The result is a space that works as easily for a weekday lunch as for a private event. A mezzanine accommodates up to 24 seated guests, while the full dining room and bar can host up to 100 — making it a practical choice for everything from intimate celebrations to larger gatherings.

American Cuisine with French Influence

The kitchen's identity sits squarely at the intersection of American cuisine and French sensibility. Fresh, quality ingredients run through the entire menu — seafood, pastas, burgers, salads, and steaks — each prepared with what the restaurant calls its "Copinette finesse." Brunch on weekends brings dishes like a Smoked Salmon Benedict with lemon Old Bay hollandaise, a Lobster Linguine with black pasta and mascarpone cream, and Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes that have drawn repeat visitors from the neighborhood. Lunch and dinner extend the range to Grilled Branzino with garlic mashed potatoes and capers, Pappardelle Ragù with Angus beef and sweet Italian sausage, and a Steak Frites built around an NY strip with peppercorn sauce.

The Wine List

Wine Spectator recognized Copinette with its Award of Excellence — a distinction that reflects the care given to the list. The selection focuses on North American, French, and Italian wines across a wide range of price points, designed to suit a business lunch as comfortably as a celebratory dinner. Wine pairings are available across service periods, including a curated add-on during the lunch prix fixe.

A Neighborhood Restaurant That Earns Repeat Visits

Copinette serves lunch, brunch, and dinner through the week, with outdoor seating available alongside the main dining room. The American cuisine here is straightforward in ambition — classic dishes executed with care — and the room's warmth tends to bring people back. For a corner of Midtown East that could easily feel transactional, Copinette manages to feel like somewhere worth returning to.