Petite Left Bank brings French flair to downtown Tiburon

If you subscribe to the belief that good things come in small packages, then Tiburon’s latest dining destination is sure to delight! Petite Left Bank opened in September and is a “petite” version of the local and longtime Left Bank brasserie that has delivered delicious and classic French comfort food to Marin County residents for decades. Managed by Vine Hospitality and overseen by Michelin-star chef Roland Passot, the new restaurant brings an authentic taste of Paris to downtown.

“Petite Left Bank transports guests from quaint Tiburon across the Atlantic to the heart of Paris with authentic ambiance and aesthetics, and of course, delicious French fare and drink,” says Obadiah Ostergard, Chief Executive Officer of Vine Hospitality in a press release. Located in the space once occupied by New Morning Café, Petite Left Bank will initially be open for dinner. Eventually, according to Vine Hospitality, they’ll fold in lunch and morning café service. Whatever time you arrive, rest assured that Passot, together with Executive Chef Justin Minnich, blend classic French home cooking and California’s lush bounty to dishes that are as timeless as they are rooted in French café culture. The only hard part about booking a table at Petite Left Bank is deciding what to order.

The onion soup topped with a bubbling blanket of Emmenthal cheese and the succulent Boeuf Bourgignon (a red wine-based beef stew made with boneless short rib) taste just right when the fog rolls in. The Salade Nicoise, with poached tuna, fingerling potatoes, cherry tomatoes, haricots verts, boiled egg, and anchovy, is a meal to itself. Moules Marinères (mussels in lemon, garlic, shallots, and white wine) and the Petrale Sole Grenobloise (fish with brown butter, lemon and capers) pair well with warm days and some chilled sauvignon blanc, as do their selection of baked and raw oysters. Of course, no French brasserie is worth its salt without French quintessentials: escargot en-croute (snails in puff pastry, with garlic butter), steak-frites (bavette steak with Béarnaise sauce and fries), and classic roasted chicken, among other mouthwatering options. A delicate crème brulée makes a sweet end to a meal seasoned with French savoir-faire.

The Left Bank gets its name from the left bank of the Seine River, which winds its way through the center of Paris. French-born Passot trained with some of the most famous chefs in his home country before moving to the USA in the ‘70s. He opened the iconic La Folie in San Francisco in 1988. Sadly, the Michelin-star restaurant closed permanently in 2020.

Say “oui” to a reservation!

Petite Left Bank
1696 Tiburon Blvd.
1+415.910.1010

Sunday – Saturday, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.