319 219 years ago today, the bourgeoisie stormed the Bastille and liberated its seven prisoners — and, while they were at it, essentially formed modern France. No one’s requiring you to perform any feats of prison breaking (especially considering that, for the powers that be, it’s been a bad week on that front), but you can raise a glass to liberté, egalité, and fraternité nonetheless. Read on for our picks of the best fêtes in town.
• Every day is a Bastille Day celebration with chef Didier Durand, but today he makes it more literal, running a four-course celebration of la belle France at Cyrano’s Bistrot for $39.95.
• Kick back and watch the Tour de France and nosh on a French-style hot dog (er, make that a chien chaud) at Brasserie Jo, while listening to the tres cool music of Alfonso Ponticelli and Swing Gitan.
• $17.89 gets you far at Bistro 110: the year-appropriate price is the cost of any entree or a glass of Krug champagne.
• Cafe Des Architectes honors not one but two revolutionary years — get a croque madame and chilled vichyssoise for $17.89, or a barbecue chicken sandwich with tomato soup for a patriotic $17.76.
• Marche is pulling out all the stops, including French lasses in costume, burlesque grand mistress Michelle “Toots” L’Amour, and a French-music-only DJ. There’ll be food, too.
Planning on storming another city? Find Bastille Day activities in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.