July 14 is Bastille Day and there’s no better place to celebrate France’s independence than at Demarchelier Bistro (471 Main St., Greenport, 631-593-1650).
Owned by Emily Demarchelier, the bistro packs in plenty of authentic French cuisine, fine wine, a pastis bar, loads of French décor, Clarke’s Garden and Home (416 Main St., Greenport, 631-477-6770) floral arrangements, over 50 cockades (the national ornament of the country, made up of red, white and blue pleated ribbons) and a livestream of Bastille Day fireworks from Paris.
The bistro, inspired by her Paris-native parents’ former restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan that they opened after immigrating from France in 1978, was established in 2020 and has been hosting Bastille Day celebrations from the start.
“It’s so fun,” says Demarchelier. “People come and they really want to experience the holiday with us and they want to be part of it. It’s always one of the busiest days of the year.”
In previous years, local apparel store Salt and Sea (15 Front St., Greenport, 631-477-5970) has put on a French-influenced fashion show in the bistro with models dressed as Marie Antoinette for the holiday. This year, there will likely be another fashion component featured, plus printouts of La Marseillaise, the French national anthem.
While it’s always one of the busiest days of the year for Demarchelier, this year may draw an even bigger crowd thanks to the World Cup Semifinal scheduled for 3 p.m. on July 14.
Throughout the entire sporting event, Demarchelier has streamed the games on televisions at the restaurant, and loads of North Forkers and visitors alike have come by to cheer on France and other participating countries.
Authentic French tradition is followed at the bistro, Demarchelier says, with a French recipe-forward menu influenced by cities across the country — including Demarchelier’s father’s native city of Normandy and her mother’s of Versailles.
“I learned from working in the city that consistency is really important to customers,” says Demarchelier. “They have their favorite things and they come for that. What I do is keep it fresh and seasonal by offering specials every day.”
All summer, Demarchelier emphasizes fish, crudo, cold soup and tomatoes when they’re in season, and in the winter, she focuses on hearty meats, stews and cassoulet every Thursday.
Make a reservation here as space fills quickly for the Bastille Day celebration. Learn more on Demarchelier Bistro’s Instagram.
