{"type":"article","siteId":"dish-finder-toronto","siteName":"DishFinder","canonicalUrl":"https://www.dishfinder.co/articles/toronto-french-bistros-compared","title":"Le Sélect or La Plume? Two French Bistros, One Wellington Choice","description":"Looking for the perfect French spot on Wellington? Maya Thompson compares the classic Le Sélect Bistro with the breezy, modern La Plume.","category":"french_restaurant","keywords":["Toronto French bistros compared","Le Sélect Bistro","La Plume Toronto","Wellington Street restaurants","best French food Toronto","French"],"author":"DishFinder","datePublished":"2026-06-26T13:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-23T13:01:06.628767+00:00","keyTakeaways":["La Plume focuses on southern French and Mediterranean flavors, offering a lighter, breezy alternative to traditional butter-heavy bistro food.","Le Sélect Bistro delivers classic, rich Parisian fare, featuring a great-value $39 weekday prix fixe alongside high-end options like dry-aged côte de boeuf.","La Plume is perfect for a relaxed vibe with citrusy cocktails and unique tartares served with taro and potato chips.","Le Sélect Bistro is the go-to for traditionalists wanting a bustling, historic atmosphere, seafood platters, and classic steak frites."],"sections":[{"heading":"Summary","text":"Key Takeaways - La Plume focuses on southern French and Mediterranean flavors, offering a lighter, breezy alternative to traditional butter-heavy bistro food. - Le Sélect Bistro delivers classic, rich Parisian fare, featuring a great-value $39 weekday prix fixe alongside high-end options like dry-aged côte de boeuf. - La Plume is perfect for a relaxed vibe with citrusy cocktails and unique tartares served with taro and potato chips. - Le Sélect Bistro is the go-to for traditionalists wanting a bustling, historic atmosphere, seafood platters, and classic steak frites."},{"heading":"The Vibe: Historic Parisian Charm vs. Breezy Southern French Energy","text":"Wellington Street offers two distinct versions of French dining: the established bistro tradition at Le Sélect Bistro and the lighter, contemporary approach at La Plume. Directly across the street, inside The Well, sits La Plume. The name means \"the feather,\" and the space lives up to it with a much lighter, airier feel. It is modern and relaxed, making it a great spot if you want something comfortable, stylish, and easygoing."},{"heading":"The Food: Rich Bistro Classics vs. Light Mediterranean Plates","text":"The menus at these two spots could not be more different, even though they both speak French. At Le Sélect, it is all about the rich, butter-loving classics. Traditionalists flock here for the steak frites and the excellent $45 weekday prix fixe, which runs Monday through Thursday and features comforting dishes like boeuf bourguignon. If you are celebrating, you can go big with their grand seafood platters or a massive 32-ounce dry-aged côte de boeuf. La Plume takes a completely different route, looking south toward the Mediterranean. The kitchen skips the heavy butter in favor of bright, clean flavors inspired by places like Nice. You will find unique tartares served with a mix of grilled baguette, taro chips, and potato chips. To drink, they lean into fresh, citrusy cocktails with plenty of bubbles."},{"heading":"Planning Your Visit: Cozy Dates and Group Dinners","text":"Choose Le Sélect for classic bistro atmosphere, a deeper cellar, and traditional French dishes. Choose La Plume for a brighter room and a more contemporary interpretation of French dining."},{"heading":"The Verdict: How to Choose","text":"So, how do you choose? Go to Le Sélect if you want the classic, rich Parisian experience with deep history and comforting bistro standards. Choose La Plume if you are in the mood for a fresh, breezy meal with bright Mediterranean flavors and a modern, easygoing atmosphere. Either way, Wellington Street has you covered."}],"linkedEntities":[{"type":"restaurant","name":"Le Sélect Bistro","canonicalUrl":"https://www.dishfinder.co/restaurants/le-select-bistro","category":"bar"},{"type":"restaurant","name":"La Plume","canonicalUrl":"https://www.dishfinder.co/restaurants/la-plume","category":"french_restaurant"}],"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.dishfinder.co/articles/toronto-french-bistros-compared","url":"https://www.dishfinder.co/articles/toronto-french-bistros-compared","name":"Le Sélect or La Plume? Two French Bistros, One Wellington Choice","description":"Looking for the perfect French spot on Wellington? 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Maya Thompson compares the classic Le Sélect Bistro with the breezy, modern La Plume.","datePublished":"2026-06-26T13:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-23T13:01:06.628767+00:00","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.dishfinder.co/#organization","name":"DishFinder","url":"https://www.dishfinder.co","logo":"https://www.dishfinder.co/images/dishfinder/brand/assets/transparent/lockups/dishfinder-lockup-transparent.webp"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.dishfinder.co/#organization","name":"DishFinder","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.dishfinder.co/images/dishfinder/brand/assets/transparent/lockups/dishfinder-lockup-transparent.webp"}},"image":["https://www.dishfinder.co/api/images/cd5d2031-e3e9-4d1c-8880-1b8e3f235535?maxWidth=1200&format=auto"],"articleSection":"french_restaurant","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.dishfinder.co/#website"},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.dishfinder.co/articles/toronto-french-bistros-compared"},"keywords":"Toronto French bistros compared, Le Sélect Bistro, La Plume Toronto, Wellington Street restaurants, best French food Toronto, French","about":[{"@type":"Restaurant","@id":"https://www.dishfinder.co/restaurants/le-select-bistro","name":"Le Sélect Bistro"},{"@type":"Restaurant","@id":"https://www.dishfinder.co/restaurants/la-plume","name":"La Plume"}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.dishfinder.co"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Articles","item":"https://www.dishfinder.co/articles"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Le Sélect or La Plume? 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