The culinary scene in New York's West Village is about to get even more exciting as Zimmi's, the charming French bistro that has been making waves since its opening, is now set to expand with a new next-door wine bar. According to a report by Eater, chef and co-owner Maxime Pradié confirmed the addition of a 15-seat wine bar adjacent to the existing 40-seat restaurant at 72 Bedford Street. Slated to open in the spring, the venue may begin by offering pastries—potentially from a new chef yet to be introduced to the New York market—alongside coffee during the day before shifting to savory and sweet pastry selections in the evening.
Pradié, who earlier left his cooking position at Lodi in Rockefeller Center, seems to have always been aiming to find a smaller venue where he could exercise creative control over the menu. He and Jenni Guizio, his partner in Zimmi's, share a commitment to a culinary experience that embarks to capture the essence of regional French cooking with an Italian influence. Guizio detailed in an interview with Grub Street how they named the spot after Marie Zimmermann, a 20th-century designer and a nod to craft, which is also a key term Pradié uses to describe their kitchen's ethos.
Tradition plays a pivotal role in Zimmi's menu, which is inspired by Pradié's grandmother, an Italian-born French woman. The menu is a confluence of time-intensive, craft-based regional French dishes infused with flavors from both Provence and Lombardy. Pradié ensures that dishes like trout mi-cuit, lamb stew, and Bang Island mussels highlight this blend of cultural influences, all the while maintaining a flagship presence of the Niçoise pissaladière, as he prepared during his initial tasting for Guizio.
A closer examination of the pastry offerings at Zimmi's reveals creations by pastry chef Harper Zapf. The menu will feature delicacies like a fougasse sucrée scented with orange-blossom water and an ice cream so thoroughly infused with vanilla it attains a rustic gray hue. In her plans to be shared with Zimmi's patrons, Guizio emphasized her design approach—which marries antiques with commissioned pieces from local artisans—to create an ambiance that truly reflects the restaurant's inspiration.
With the wine bar set to further elevate the dining experience at Zimmi's, West Village locals and visitors can expect a welcoming extension to an already-beloved establishment. Those looking to savor the restaurant's embrace of old-world culinary traditions will find themselves right at home, glass in hand and perhaps, a sweet pastry to match.
