La Nicoise Cafe

For those of you who long to be sitting outside on the streets of Paris eating traditional French food in an authentic atmosphere…this is as close as you’re going to get.

The owner, Frederic Boukaïa, was everything you’d hope for.

We dined for lunch and started off with a glass of rose—turned into two later on :)

You MUST get the French onion soup to start your meal. We also got the escargot and it was fantastic. First time we’ve had escargot topped on mushroom rather than croissant/baguette. Phenomenal!

For our entrees we chose:

Leg of Lamb & Swiss sandwich on baguette. Perfect combination of succulent and crispy.

Spinach Onion and Mushroom Quiche-we eat a lot of quiche and it was hands down the best we’ve ever had.

So happy we decided to stop in Winchester for lunch here on our way back to DC. Only 1.5 hrs from DC! Well worth the drive. We will be back.

Perfect meal and outstanding service. Shrimp and crab ravioli was perfect. So was the French onion soup. My wife had carrot ginger soup and loved it. The Pate was amazing. Chocolate mousse and Grand Marnier creme brulee was the perfect ending. Coffee was good.

I loved the food so much. The owner was a delight and made sure everyone was having a great dining experience. Our waitress was amazing also. I got the trout with curry sauce and my wife got the duck breast. This place is enchanting. Go eat here.

This place is a hidden gem. It is a family run operation. The father is the cook and his daughter is the waitress. The food is simply amazing. The menu is small, as it should be and they do run specials. My lady got the fillet mignon and I got the Spanish style shrimp. Go ahead look at the pictures, lust all you want because I don't wanna share, it is that good. I rarely will go on about a place and its food but the man is firing on all cylinders. The shrimp and steak we cooked perfectly. Perfectly! Do you know how rare that is now a days? We also got the pate and two deserts, chocolate mousse and creme brulee. Guess what, they were slamming too. We shared all the food stuff, I only did this because I love my lady, I knew in the back of her mind she was doing the same. The food is that good. But what about price you ask surely it must cost and arm and a leg, maybe the soul of your first born? Nope! It cost double what McDonald's would run you for something that is incomparable in flavor. Now I was being a glutton so my bill was up there, but $25 for shrimp that are done correctly is nothing in my mind when Subway will cost you $18 for a sandwich. Be an adult and splurge the extra. It's like chunk lite tuna vs albacore. Just pay the extra quarter a can and enjoy your food and not hate yourself. Well surely the help must be wretched, because you are a nay sayer and think things must have a trade off. Nope! Our waitress was very nice and polite and the chef was fun and cheeky. Now that I've got you all built up you must be like there has to be something bad. There is, it's that you're jelly that you aren't there. Just shut up and give the man money and enjoy yourself. You're overcomplicating things.

This place is legit and loved the French Onion Soup. Skip the over priced imitation French Restaurant American Bar on the walking mall and come here.

My friend and I visited LNC twice this weekend. These were our first visits. They accept reservations for dinner which is nice. It is a quaint cafe. We had dinner and brunch. All of the food was great. The French Oniin Soup and Creme Brulee were awesome! Be sure to try the French toast! There is street (sometimes metered) parking...and a parking garage just down the block. We look forward to visiting again when in town.

Update 3/2019: visited again and tried the duck and the prosciutto wrapped aspara6. Great meal again.

Wonderful experience with "Poppa" and his daughters! Very much enjoyed the food, wine, and a pleasant NYE dinner. Somehow, someway, Poppa is a "one man band" who naps in the back between lunch and dinner to make it all work. Both daughters were so pleasant and striving to make the diners and Poppa happy. We have been to countless French restaurants and for me, the onion soup was excellent!

Amazing restaurant. Fantastic chef. Top quality offerings. Great seafood. Great desserts.

Really excellent bistro with wonderful service. The owner was very charming and added to the experience. Will definitely come back.

This is always a top-notch evening! Everything is impeccably prepared and delicious! The service is friendly and attentive! Reservations recommended.

We really enjoyed our time here last night. Our server was attentive, energetic, and great at recommending the best of the house. The chef was lovely: he came out to help us select a red wine, and to check on our meals later.
The dining room feels like you are eating at your aunts home. Super cozy.
Please support this place during Covid. It’s a gem. My ex, a very savvy businessman, was doing the math based on the number of patrons he saw and the prices on the menu, and said to me, they didn’t have a good night 😥

Excellent food! Service was wonderful. And loved the cozy atmosphere. My husband ordered the tilapia sandwich and he said it was the best he's ever ate. My creme brulee was perfection. We can't wait to visit again.

Been wanting to try this place for awhile and was very impressed! They had a special Valentine's Day menu, I had the calfs liver and it was delicious. The owner came out and spoke to us and was very cordial. Good wine selection, and fairly priced for all you get.

We had a wonderful meal last night. I had the trout with curry sauce and my wife had the beef tips. Both meals were outstanding and cooked to perfection. Truly a great family operation where the engaging owner is the chef and his daughter was our server. Highly recommend you try this restaurant.

Authentic French bistro run almost single-handed by an authentic French chef (from Nice). Must try the onion soup, paté, lamb chops, and desserts. A real find in Winchester. Make reservation to be sure of getting a table.

Absolutely a classic!. Will most definitely return, highly recommended!

Man this place was so damn good. I got the beef tips and my wife got the crepes which both were amazing. We also got the shrimp and sausage appetizer which was very tasty. The wine reco gor my dinner was right on and changed the taste of the wine and food all for the better. It takes a little longer for food but worth everything second to wait. For sure will come back.

Incredible taste, wonderful atmosphere, incredibly friendly staff. A treasure in Winchester.

The food was delicious and the experience was one to remember. I ordered the duck with cranberry sauce. It was moist and tender, and incredibly delicious! It came with mashed potatoes and this delicious vegetable dish that was a cross between a quiche and an egg custard. My family and I also decided to order dessert. Our waiter gave recommendations from his personal favorites. I ordered the raspberry liqueur cheesecake. It was not rich in taste like most cheesecakes, but light and delicate, and incredibly tasty. It also had a perfect creamy texture. The owner/chef was one of the best parts of the whole experience. He would periodically come over to check on us, and had such a great personality as he chatted and joked around with us. This will definitely be a meal to remember and I will certainly be returning again.

My wife and I celebrated our 38'th anniversary with lunch at the cafe yesterday, 10/22. We enjoyed it thoroughly, but suggest that you go with no time constraints, as the owner does it all by himself at lunch time. Food, service, presentation - all excellent, with the humor added for free. Best escargot and onion soup this side of D.C.