About The 11th Street Cafe
About 11th Street Cafe – Philippe and I, have been in the food business since childhood. I grew up working alongside my parents at their restaurant in Versailles. I met Philippe at the age of 7, when he began culinary school next to Paris. Our parents were friends and we lived in the same building. He would prepare what he learned at school for us to try. When he moved back to his native NYC, he started his career as a sous-chef at La Cote Basque and continued at the Essex House. In his early 20s, Philippe decided to open up his own food business. This is when Bonsignour coffee shop was born on the corner of Jane Street and 8th Avenue in the late 80s. When I turned 18, I joined him in New York City, where we got married and had our two kids, Enzo and Eva.
We sold Bonsignour to spend a couple of years in the French Basque country with the kids, and then moved back to the West Village. This is when we opened 11th Street Cafe, on 11th street between Washington and Greenwich Street. We have seen many changes in the neighborhood, and I have to say, I feel really nostalgic about the old Bleecker Street and the Village in general, but we keep that feeling alive at 11th Street. We love the relaxed friendly atmosphere, and we still know the families that have been around as long as we have. We can barely go a block in the Village without seeing someone we know — the moms, the babies, the grandmother’s name, the dogs… it reminds us of our small village in France.
11th St Cafe – offers catering for your special occasions, parties or just to share breakfast or lunch at work.