In the Michelin Green Guide to New England,
Pot au Feu is one of four restaurants suggested while dining in Providence.

Pot au Feu – 44 Custom House Street.  Closed Sun.  401-273-8953.  www.potaufeu_ri.com.  $$$ French. 
Julia child declared Pot au Feu the kind of place she wished she had access to in Cambridge. 
Whether she was referring to the upstairs salon’s classically inspired Parisian cuisine (carre d’agneua bordelais, entrecote de veau Robert, tournedos Diane) or the downstairs bistro’s provincial fare (bouillabaisse, beef bourguignonne and pot au feu), one can only guess.  But legions of others share her enthusiasm.  Owner Bob Burke, a fourth-generation Rhode Islander, prides himself on his fresh fish (coquilles St. Jacques Nantucket, homard  en croute) and prix-fixe option. 

“For more than a quarter century, the chefs here have worked to perfect the basics…
Such classically rendered dishes-and a distinctive list of French wines-have inspired a devoted corps of regulars.”

“’In the shadow of grim, gray 19^th-century skyscrapers’ stands this ‘top-notch’ Downtown Providence French with a ‘cozy’, ‘romantic’ bistro downstairs and a more formal dining room upstairs; in both locations the ‘staff is great’ as the lamb chops leading loyalists to hope their own personal ‘steady favorite’ remains a ‘secret.’”

“Salon dining upstairs, moderately priced downstairs, but a cozy, romantic atmosphere in both. 
Try the bouillabaisse.”

“Pot au Feu is a downtown fixture among fine dining establishments. 
Pot au Feu offers a taste of Paris right in the heart of Providence.”

“Ensconced in a fine old brick building, the restaurant offers elegant, vaguely fin de siecle dining upstairs; lively, informal bistro dining downstairs…Upstairs is something else again-special occasion dining.”

“You’ll be greeted with ‘Bonjour, Pot au Feu!’ when you call to make a reservation. 
This greeting is a fitting precursor to a French adventure you are not likely to forget.”

“Best Romantic Dining”

“The first of Providence’s fine downtown restaurants, this split level establishment (a charming bistro in the basement; a glamorous French salon upstairs) has long been one of our favorites.  Lovingly tended by Bob and Ann Burke, it helped inspire the city’s culinary renaissance, but like many old timers clings to a comforting niche. 
No less an authority than Julia Child is partial to its food, which received the first five-star rating granted by Rhode Island Monthly magazine reviewers on the occasion of its twentieth anniversary in 1992.”

“As night falls, business-driven downtown Providence clears out, and this bastion of French country cuisine lights up.”

“Could Pot au Feu really be as good as we’d thought?  We’d considered our meal there one of the best – if not the best – in our extensive travels…The answer to our question, we’re happy to report, is an unqualified yes.”

“One of Rhode Island’s best.  Sophistocated, excellent cuisine.  Attractive décor. 
Close to the Providence financial district.  Worth a special trip into Providence.”

“They do it up right, and if English weren’t being spoken all around, you’d think the restaurant was on a village square in Provence.”

“Pot au Feu owes its name to one of the glories of French cuisine, but such hearty dinner fare would be strictly déclassé in this sumptuously romantic salon, where the menu studiously recalls the Apician table of the Duchess of Guermantes.”

“The Pot au Feu is somewhat of a landmark in Providence, having served the finest French food there for over twenty years…No details are spared in preparation and presentation from the first taste of the velvet-like foie gras to the grand wine list providing the perfect accompaniment for every course.”

“Dishes like escargot a la Bourguignonne are exactly as they should be, reminders of what made Gallic cooking memorable long before the excesses of the food revolution set in.”

Oo-La-La.  This well established French restaurant offers fine dining in its upper salon and hearty fare in the lower level bistro that won our hearts.  This is the kind of rustic place where people fall in love and celebrate the moment with a bottle of really good champagne.  It’s also a fine spot for a business lunch…or a martini at the bar after work. Owner Bob Burke is usually on the premises, making one and all feel most welcome.”

“The dining is elegant on the second floor of this authentic French restaurant serving lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday.  In the downstairs bistro, it’s more casual and less expensive, but the food is equally well prepared.”

“About seven dessert choices are all rich, all good.  Hazelnut tart and a pot de crème deeply flavored with chocolate are particularly seductive.”

“We’d rather save up to have dinner here; it’s a sepcial occasion place with perfect lighting, service and classical music…Up to twenty nightly specials supplement chef John Richardson’s regular menu.”

“This split-level restaurant (a bistro in the basement; a glamorous salon upstairs) has long been one of our favorites and we are happy to report it has retained its good name.”

“On the night we dined we were celebrating a double birthday and each ate enough for two.  Fond memories of escargots Bourguignons and clams epinard dance in our heads, as do thoughts of the mushroom soup, the salad with fresh mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, the French bread served from a huge basket with sweet butter, the pink roast lamb, the tournedos béarnaise, the crisp vegetables, the nut tarte, the espresso.  Memories are a bit blurred by a couple of the best (and biggest) martinis we’ve ever had and a bottle of La Cour Pavillon Medoc – well, it was a birthday!  We can’t wait to go back before another rolls around.”