Openings

Former L’ybane Space Will Become ‘French Citarella’

Photo: Darren Atkins

While restaurant L’ybane sets to reopen August 3 at 709 Eighth Avenue, a couple of Parisians have already snagged its old home on the Upper East Side. Chefs Adil Fawzi and Anthony Raggiri have been serving up French fare down the block at Bistro 61 for over five years; now they’ll open a French gourmet bakery. “There are plenty of Italian markets, but we want ours to be like the French Citarella,” says Fawzi. The classically trained Parisians scored the space because they were friendly with L’ybane owner Al Rineh, who was looking for (he tells us) “a much livelier, happening neighborhood.”

Marche de Sud will open this fall with a rustic restaurant, garden, and wine bar. The menu will feature Southern French savories like tartares, anchoyade (anchovy paste), charcuterie, and a create-your-own cheese plate. The item they’re most excited about introducing is their varied selection of tarte flambée, a wafer-thin Alsatian-French pizza. Other French classics will include a lavender-cheese soufflé and sole gougeres, lightly fried strips of sole with dollops of tartar sauce.

Marche de Sud, 1136 First Ave., nr. 62nd St.

Former L’ybane Space Will Become ‘French Citarella’