Photo by Bobby Panza
Sacre bleu! After just over a year on Amsterdam Avenue and West 68th Street, French bakery Le Petit Parisien is closing due to a whopping rent hike, according to an employee.
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“The main reason is they doubled the rent,” said bakery employee Joel Sacramento. “We’re looking for another place now.” It’s unclear what the terms of the original lease were, but we’ve attempted to reach the owner for clarification.
A sign recently posted on the shop’s front door states the bakery’s last day at that location will be August 4. Le Petit Parisien has three other outposts in the city–in Harlem, the Upper East Side and the East Village.
“We are relocating this Le Petit Parisien due to reasons above our control,” the sign reads, adding that a new shop at an undisclosed location will be coming soon.
The bakery is known for its French sandwiches made with fresh crusty baguettes filled with delicacies like roasted ham, caviar, foie gras, smoke salmon, comté cheese and fig confit. Their sweet treats include authentic macaroons, fruit tarts, eclairs and a variety of croissants. They also serve coffees and teas and, at the Upper East Side location, a selection of beers and wines.
The small bakery chain opened in 2015 with its location in the East Village, in a former jewelry shop near Astor Place. In homage to its heady name–Le Petit Parisien was the name of a popular French newspaper published from 1876 to 1944–the walls of the small cafe were decorated with old newspapers, including some copies of their namesake publication.
The UWS location was the fourth and most recent to open. In May of last year it moved into space formerly occupied by another French eatery, Boule and Cherie, which had been there since 2015.
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Reviews of Le Petit Parisien on the UWS were mixed. On Yelp, a few customers complained the pricey food was disappointing.
“I”m always happy to try new places, so I ordered (the) Le Parisien sandwich. It is… just not edible. Super super dry, and nothing inside except ham and bread,” wrote one unhappy customer. “Unfortunately, this former Boule and Cherie has become even worse in terms of value for money,” wrote another.
Despite the lackluster reviews of the UWS bakery, it’s a different story on the Upper East Side where customers give the shop there high praise overall.
Food never looked that good.
The sandwiches are actually really good (though somewhat pricey). Simple baguette and good ingredients. The one with ham and comte is my fave.
A favorite of mine and not overrun with students
I would assume they signed a lease when they moved into that space. Commercial leases are always longer than the standard 1 or 2 year apartment lease. I don’t see how the could have been suddenly ‘doubled’.