Designers, actresses, editors, and CEOs alike headed downtown on Wednesday, September 20th for the grand opening of Angie Mar’s new restaurant Le. Be. Angie Mar is a renowned chef and restaurateur.
Le. B has taken over the same space her upscale French restaurant Les Trois Chevaux currently occupies. Le Trois Chevaux is heading uptown which Mar feels is a better fit.
“My regulars for Les Trois Chevaux are mostly from the Upper East and West sides, so it makes sense to move it there, to be a real neighborhood spot there,” Mar says.
However, Le. B is undoubtedly going to be downtown’s new gem. She wanted to open a restaurant that embodied the West Village vibe. “The lighting is lower, the jackets are off, it’s come-as-you-are,” Mar says.
Le. B’s menu features 80s and 90s American cuisine using French techniques. There is everything from oysters to lamb chops to trout and Chinese chicken salad. Many of the dishes are modern versions of what Mar and her family enjoy eating together.
Christian Siriano, Peter Som, Stephanie March, Charly Sturm, and Lauren Remington Platt were among the big names who were able to experience Mar’s spunky new restaurant for the first time.
The attendees stood under a chandelier that once hung in the Brooklyn Prospect Hall during the 1980s. Four of the pendant lights in the restaurant once lived in the Waldorf Astoria during the 1930s.
The midnight blue velvet curved banquets match the color of Mar’s father’s favorite restaurant, adding a personal touch to this newly designed space.
When designing Le. B, texture was extremely important to Mar. “I wanted the serveware to be fun and have an immense amount of texture. I sourced a variety of early 1980s Mikasa pieces that had so much movement,” she says.
Angie Mar even included a replica of the original Beatrice Inn sign, which she owned and operated from 2016 until it closed in 2020.
Down to the serveware and dining chairs, Le. B’s design elements are a part of history. Whether it be French history, American history, or Mar’s own family history, Le. B has a personal, home-like feel to it—which is exactly what Mar was going for.
From mingling to sipping on cocktails and taking in all the moving parts that went into creating Le. B, Angie Mar gave her guests an unforgettable night.
If you’re looking to immerse yourself in Downtown Manhattan’s hottest new restaurant experience, you can now make reservations on Open Table.