I’ve always enjoyed going to brunch at Marseille in Hell’s Kitchen before theatre. Service and food are generally good and the location is close to many theatres. It was only a five-minute walk to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre where we were seeing a matinee performance of Company.   

We skipped the “go bottomless” drinks of $21 for 90 minutes along with food that’s available 12 to 3 pm as we were off to theatre. Instead, I sampled their purportedly spicy, Moroccan Bloody made with Absolut Peppar vodka, cumin, fennel cardamom and harissa ($12) that was tasty, yet didn’t have much of a kick. My dining partner had their Le Pamplemousse made with grapefruit vodka, Campari and elderflower served up in a salted rim ($15).

Luckily my dining partner agreed to share two breakfast entrees as I couldn’t decide between them.  The Lorraine Omelette ($19) came filled with Gruyere, herbs and bacon served with potato chunks, a green salad and whole-grain thick toast.  Their Croque Madame ($20), a griddled ham & Gruyere sandwich on brioche, came topped with some mornay sauce and a sunny-side-up egg. The latter came with housemade potato chips.

We finished with a cup of their delicious coffee before heading to the curtain of “Company” that I saw when in London, pre-pandemic. This version starred Katrina Lenk, best known for her role as Dina in The Band’s Visit where she won the Tony for Best Actress, and Patti LuPone, who won Tony’s for Evita and Gypsy.  I had seen Patti Lupone in her same role in London where she sang — to great acclaim,— The Ladies Who Lunch.

I highly recommend both!

Marseille
Hell’s Kitchen
630 9th Ave
New York, NY 10036
(212) 333-2323
marseillenyc.com