Our History
Fifty years on Bush Street
Le Central opened its doors in November of 1974, founded by brothers Pierre and Claude Cappelle from Normandy, France, and was the first brasserie-style French restaurant in San Francisco. Through the seventies, eighties and nineties it was where the city's movers and shakers came for the power lunch, and Willie Brown has kept his Friday table for nearly fifty years. Pierre and Claude sold to their own cooks and maître d' in 1993; in 2024 the restaurant passed again to two long-time employees, David Gabiné and Ignacio Colorado.
Opened November 1974
SF's first brasserie
Over 17 wines by the glass
4.6 stars on OpenTable
The Menu
Bistro Classics & the House Cassoulet
Lunch 11:30–2:30 · Dinner 5:00–9:00 · Closed Sundays
Happy hour at the bar Monday to Saturday, 4:30 to 6:00. Half-price wine bottles Monday evenings.
Onion Soup Gratinée
onion, crouton, gruyere, fines herbs
$14
Escargot Bourguignon
french escargot, garlic, butter, pernod, parsley
$17
Pâté de Campagne
cornichon pickles, toasted baguette, dijon mustard
$14
Frisée aux Lardon
frisée, lardon, poached egg, fuji apple, honey-dijon sherry vinaigrette
$19
Le Central Cassoulet
white beans, carrot, duck leg confit, lamb, pork shoulder, pork sausage
$36
Steak Frites
10oz. center cut prime NY steak, pommes frites, marchand de vin butter
$47
Beef Bourguignon
braised short rib, carrot, pearl onion, butter & herb egg noodles
$36
Sautéed Petrale Sole
marble potatoes, baby carrot, lemon, butter, capers
$32
Roasted Chicken
half chicken, fingerling potatoes, broccolini, romesco sauce
$28
Truffle Pommes Frites
truffle oil, parmesan, shaved truffles, parsley
$12
