Per Se Menu 2026: Courses, Dishes & Dining Guide

Quick facts

Per Se at a glance

The four things diners most often ask about Per Se before making a reservation.

Price per person

~$375+

Before tax, gratuity, and wine. Confirm at reservation.

Number of courses

~9 courses

Chef's Tasting Menu. Menu changes daily. Vegetable Tasting Menu also ~9 courses.

Michelin stars

Three stars

Held continuously since 2006 in the Michelin Guide New York City.

Reservations

Weeks to months out

Book via thomaskeller.com/perseny. Strict cancellation policy applies.

Signature dishes

Per Se's most celebrated dishes

These dishes appear on the Per Se menu with regularity and are considered defining expressions of Thomas Keller's cuisine. Because the menu changes daily, no single dish is guaranteed — but these are the ones diners most often encounter and remember.

Opening signature

Oysters and Pearls

Pearl tapioca sabayon with Island Creek oysters and Osetra caviar. The definitive Thomas Keller dish, served at both Per Se and The French Laundry. Rich, textural, impossibly precise — the course that sets the tone for the meal.

Dessert signature

Coffee and Donuts

Warm cinnamon-sugar beignets alongside a cappuccino semifreddo. Another Keller classic that defies the seriousness of the menu with wit and comfort. A dessert that has appeared on Per Se menus for most of its existence.

Seafood course

Maine Lobster 'Poele'

Pan-roasted Maine lobster with butter-emulsion sauce and seasonal accompaniments. The lobster course is a staple of the tasting menu structure — meticulous sourcing, classical French technique, and market-driven sides.

Meat course

Elysian Fields Farm Lamb

Pennsylvania lamb from a long-standing Keller supplier, prepared sous vide or roasted, with seasonal vegetables and lamb jus. The meat course represents the apex of the savory progression.

Foie gras

Moulard Duck 'Foie Gras en Terrine'

House-made foie gras terrine with brioche, sauternes gelee, and seasonal fruit accompaniments. A classic French preparation executed with the kitchen's characteristic precision.

Cheese course

Artisanal Cheese Selection

A rotating selection of domestic and imported cheeses presented with house-made accompaniments: honeycomb, fruit paste, and crackers. Often 3-5 cheeses, explained tableside by the service team.

Tasting menu structure

How the Per Se tasting menu is structured

The Chef's Tasting Menu at Per Se follows a classical French-American progression of approximately nine courses, each calibrated in portion, temperature, and flavor to build the arc of the meal. The table below shows the typical structure with representative dishes — the actual menu changes daily.

Course	Type	Representative Dish
1 — Amuse-bouche	One or two bites	Gougeres, salmon coronets
2 — First savory	Cold or composed	Oysters and Pearls (signature)
3 — Foie gras	Terrine or torchon	Moulard Duck Foie Gras en Terrine
4 — Fish course	Poached or pan-roasted	Maine Lobster Poele
5 — Intermezzo	Palate cleanser	Sorbet or granita
6 — Meat course	Roasted or braised	Elysian Fields Farm Lamb
7 — Supplement (opt)	Additional protein	Wagyu or Prime Beef
8 — Cheese	Artisanal board	Domestic and imported selection
9 — Dessert	Sweet course	Coffee and Donuts (signature)
Mignardises	Petit fours	House chocolates, caramels

Course names and dishes shown are representative of the typical tasting menu structure. The actual menu changes daily based on seasonal availability, market produce, and the kitchen's creative direction. Your actual menu will differ.

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Full menu overview

Per Se menu courses and dishes

An overview of Per Se's tasting menu categories and representative dishes. Per Se does not publish a fixed menu — these are the types of courses and dishes that appear with regularity. The actual menu you receive will be composed fresh on the day of your visit.

Chef's Tasting Menu 10 items

Vegetable Tasting Menu 5 items

Wine & Beverage Program 6 items

Wine & beverage program

Per Se's wine list and pairing program

Per Se maintains one of the most celebrated wine programs in New York City, with a cellar depth in French and Californian fine wine that few restaurants can match. The sommelier team offers curated pairings for each course of the tasting menu.

The wine list at Per Se is famously deep in Burgundy — including allocations from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Leroy, Rousseau, and other premier producers — alongside equally serious collections from Champagne, Bordeaux, the Rhone Valley, and California (Kistler, Marcassin, Sine Qua Non, and comparable producers).

Guests may choose a per-course wine pairing curated by the sommelier team, or work with the team to select bottles from the list. A non-alcoholic pairing of teas, pressed juices, shrubs, and house sodas is also available and is treated with the same care as the wine program.

Wine pricing is not published. A paired dinner for two with wine regularly exceeds $1,000 total, inclusive of tax and gratuity. Budget accordingly.

Burgundy: DRC, Leroy, Rousseau and others
Champagne: Grower-producer and prestige cuvees
California: Kistler, Marcassin, Sine Qua Non
Bordeaux: First growths and Right Bank
Non-alcoholic pairing available
Sommelier team guides each course

Reservations & planning

How to get a table at Per Se

Per Se is one of the hardest restaurant reservations in New York City. Understanding the reservation system is essential — here is what to know.

Book early

Plan weeks to months ahead

Reservations typically release on a rolling basis and are taken weeks to months in advance. The most popular date-and-time combinations (Friday/Saturday evenings) fill within minutes of release. Check the Thomas Keller restaurant group's website for the current booking window.

Cancellation policy

Strict no-show and cancellation fees

Per Se requires a credit card guarantee and charges a per-person fee for late cancellations or no-shows. The cancellation window and fee amount should be confirmed at the time of booking. Plan seriously before reserving — this is not a casual booking to make and forget.

Last-minute

Check for cancellations day-of

Cancellations at restaurants of this caliber do occur. Checking the reservation system the day before or the morning of your target date can occasionally yield a table. Bar seating, if available, may also allow walk-in or shorter-notice dining.

Dietary needs

Notify at the time of booking

Alert Per Se to all dietary restrictions, allergies, and preferences when making the reservation — not at the door. The kitchen needs advance notice to compose appropriate courses. The Vegetable Tasting Menu should also be requested at booking.

Dress code

Business attire recommended

The stated minimum is business casual; most guests dress in business or cocktail attire. Athletic wear, casual jeans, and t-shirts are discouraged. Confirm the current dress code policy directly with the restaurant when booking.

Duration

Reserve the full evening

A full Per Se tasting menu experience typically takes three to four hours from start to finish, including the beverage program and the unhurried pace of service. Do not book plans for afterward that require a strict departure time.

Dietary & accessibility

Vegetarian, allergy, and special dietary accommodations

Per Se is a technically advanced kitchen with extensive mise en place — which means it is better equipped than most restaurants to accommodate dietary restrictions. The full Vegetable Tasting Menu (approximately nine courses, all vegetarian) is available on request and is treated as a complete, composed menu in its own right rather than a reduced version of the Chef's Tasting Menu.

Common allergens including shellfish, gluten, dairy, tree nuts, and eggs can typically be accommodated with adequate advance notice. Vegan accommodations are possible but require more planning. Contact the restaurant to discuss specific needs before booking.

Always communicate dietary restrictions at the time of reservation. The kitchen cannot reliably accommodate last-minute requests of this complexity.

Vegetarian Tasting Menu available on request (~9 courses)
Shellfish allergy — can accommodate with notice
Gluten restriction — can accommodate with notice
Dairy restriction — can accommodate with notice
Vegan — coordinate directly with restaurant
Notify at booking — not at the door

Per Se vs. The French Laundry

How Per Se compares to The French Laundry

Both restaurants are Thomas Keller's three-Michelin-star tasting menu experiences — but they are independent operations in different cities, with different kitchens, settings, and culinary teams. Here is how they compare on the dimensions diners most often ask about.

Attribute	Per Se (NYC)	The French Laundry (Napa)
Location	Columbus Circle, New York City	Yountville, Napa Valley, CA
Michelin Stars	3 stars (since 2006)	3 stars (since 2006)
Menu Format	Prix-fixe tasting, ~9 courses	Prix-fixe tasting, ~9 courses
Cuisine Style	French-influenced American	French-influenced American
Wine Focus	Burgundy, Champagne, California	California, Burgundy, Champagne
Setting	Urban, Central Park views	Converted Victorian laundry
Reservations	Months out, online release	Months out, online release
Shared Signatures	Oysters and Pearls, Coffee & Donuts	Oysters and Pearls, Coffee & Donuts

Both restaurants are independently operated by the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. Menu composition, wine lists, and specific dishes vary independently between the two kitchens. Visiting both in the same year is a common goal for serious diners — the experiences are complementary rather than redundant.

About Per Se

Thomas Keller's New York City flagship.

Per Se opened in 2004 at the Time Warner Center, Columbus Circle — Thomas Keller's first New York City restaurant and a sister operation to The French Laundry in California's Napa Valley. The restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars in 2006 and has maintained that rating continuously, making it one of only a small number of American restaurants to hold the distinction for nearly two decades.

The restaurant is named with deliberate ambiguity: "per se" (Latin: "in itself") conveys that the restaurant is its own thing, distinct from The French Laundry. The kitchen executes French classical technique through American ingredients and sensibility — the defining aesthetic of Keller's cuisine. Per Se changed American fine dining in the 2000s and remains one of the most technically rigorous kitchens operating today.

2004Opened

3Michelin stars

~9Courses

2006Stars since

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Common questions

Per Se — frequently asked questions

Quick answers to the questions diners most commonly ask about Per Se's menu, price, reservations, and what to expect.

How much does Per Se cost in 2026?

Per Se's Chef's Tasting Menu is widely reported to cost around $375 per person before tax, gratuity, and beverages, as of recent years. Wine pairings add significantly to the total — a paired dinner for two regularly exceeds $1,000 all-in. Per Se does not publish prices on its website; confirm the current price when making your reservation via thomaskeller.com/perseny or through the reservation system. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Does Per Se have an a la carte menu?

No. Per Se serves exclusively prix-fixe tasting menus — there is no a la carte ordering. The restaurant offers the Chef's Tasting Menu (approximately nine courses) and a Vegetable Tasting Menu (approximately nine vegetarian courses) available upon request. Both menus change daily based on seasonal availability and the kitchen's creativity.

How many Michelin stars does Per Se have?

Per Se holds three Michelin stars — the highest possible rating in the Michelin Guide. It has maintained this status in the Michelin Guide New York City continuously since 2006, making it one of a small handful of U.S. restaurants to hold three stars for nearly two decades.

How do you make a reservation at Per Se?

Reservations at Per Se are highly competitive and typically book out several weeks to months in advance. The best approach is to use the official reservation system linked from thomaskeller.com/perseny — Per Se uses a timed-release system. Cancellation policies are strict; credit card guarantees are required. Checking for last-minute cancellations the day of or day before can occasionally yield availability.

What is the dress code at Per Se?

Per Se maintains a smart dress code. Business casual is the stated minimum; most guests wear business attire or cocktail-level dress. Jeans, athletic wear, and casual t-shirts are discouraged. Given the price point and occasion, most guests dress formally. Confirm the current policy directly with the restaurant when you make your reservation.

What is 'Oysters and Pearls' at Per Se?

'Oysters and Pearls' is Per Se's signature dish — a 'sabayon' of pearl tapioca with Island Creek oysters and Osetra caviar. Originally created at The French Laundry in Yountville, it has been a fixture on the Per Se tasting menu since the restaurant opened. It is widely considered one of the defining dishes of Thomas Keller's cuisine and American fine dining.

Is Per Se the same as The French Laundry?

Per Se and The French Laundry are sister restaurants from Thomas Keller, but they are distinct operations in different cities. The French Laundry is in Yountville, California's Napa Valley; Per Se is in New York City at Columbus Circle. Both serve French-influenced tasting menus at comparable price points and both hold three Michelin stars. Some signature dishes (like 'Oysters and Pearls') appear at both, but the menus are independently composed by their respective culinary teams.

Does Per Se accommodate dietary restrictions?

Yes. Per Se is well equipped to accommodate most dietary restrictions with advance notice at the time of reservation. A fully vegetarian tasting menu is available on request. Allergies including shellfish, gluten, dairy, and other common allergens can typically be accommodated — notify the restaurant as far in advance as possible so the kitchen can plan accordingly. Vegan accommodations may require more coordination. Contact the restaurant directly to discuss your specific needs.

Where exactly is Per Se located?

Per Se is located on the 4th floor of the Time Warner Center at 10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019 — at the southwest corner of Central Park, just north of the Lincoln Center neighborhood. The restaurant overlooks Central Park through floor-to-ceiling windows. The nearest subway stations are 59th Street - Columbus Circle (A/C/B/D/1 trains).

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Per Se Menu 2026: Tasting Menu Courses, Experience & What to Expect