Perhaps the most anticipated movie of the latter half of 2007, Francis Lawrence’s “I Am Legend” hits theaters today. Starring Will Smith, the film is a retelling of Richard Matheson’s 1954 science fiction novel of the same name, following the exploits of the last human survivor on Earth after a bacterial apocalypse has wiped out the rest of the population. One of the more remarkable scenes has Mr. Smith, as the character Robert Neville, walking through a green, overgrown New York City that is covered in cornfields and dotted with wild animals. The central character needs to fend for himself — not the best of pictures for dinnertime. So before attempting to see the film this weekend, make sure to try out one of these three eateries that Dinner and a Movie returns to again and again: All are small and cozy places, where the staff is welcoming — and, even if you are dining alone, you’ll never feel the lonely pangs Robert experiences in “I Am Legend.”

DINNER

Tournesol could be described as a little French bistro, but its menu is anything but slight. The restaurant was opened in 2002 by a former maître d’ at the Midtown restaurant Artisanal, Pascal Escriout. In doing so, Mr. Escriout single-handedly put Vernon-Jackson Boulevard in Long Island City on New York’s culinary map. The restaurant offers deftly made French classics, such as an appetizer portion of tartiflette, a potato gratin served with chunky lardoons and layers of creamy Reblochon cheese (with the rind left on), and a seemingly simple roast chicken that belies a salty crunchiness from its perfectly cooked skin. If you’re left to wait for a table, the owners will kindly hustle you to the restaurant’s next-door wine bar; even better is when they come back to personally accompany you to your table. (50-12 Vernon Blvd. at 50th Avenue, Long Island City, Queens, 718-472-4355)

Lost in the haze of more popular restaurants such as Zucco Le French Dîner, Café Charbon-Epicerie, and Stanton Social, Régate — off Houston Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side — quietly dishes out specialties from the Île de Ré, a tiny island off the northwestern coast of France. True to the island, sauces that use butter or cream, instead of olive oil, dominate the restaurant’s menu: The mouclade de la couarde features mussels cooked in a cream sauce spiced with saffron, and the steak can be sauced with Roquefort, béarnaise, or shallots. Brothers and owners Marc and Jocelyn Jehan can be seen eyeing the crowd at the bar, striking up conversations about the wine and cocktail lists, which include a white Manhattan made with dry vermouth. (198 Orchard St., between Stanton and Houston streets, 212-228-8555)

While the Union Square dining scene grows exponentially, Marquet remains a cornerstone of 12th Street, serving coffee and pastries to nearby office workers during the day, and feeding the communities that bridge Union Square and the West Village at night. The menu combines French, Italian, and — strangely but happily — Brazilian influences, including a changing daily appetizer of pasteis du jour, pastries stuffed with cheeses or meats. The steak entrée comes with a Gorgonzola and Barolo sauce and zucchini puffs, and a braised lamb shank is served with a comforting couscous dotted with raisins. Best of all, separately ordered glasses of wine come in chiseled crystal glasses, making diners feel as if they’re kings or queens of the world. (15 E. 12th St. at University Place, 212-229-9313)

MOVIE

What viewers should know first about Francis Lawrence’s “I Am Legend” is that if you want to see the movie this weekend and haven’t bought tickets yet, do so immediately, as most theaters began advance ticketing earlier this month. That being said, “I Am Legend” is sure to be one of the biggest blockbusters going into 2008, as it retells a 1954 story in terms of the 21st century, complete with an apocalyptic catastrophe of an infectious nature. Will Smith’s Robert Neville — the only human immune to a virus that either kills people or turns them into mutant vampires — roams New York, depicted in the film as almost completely destroyed. There are broken bridges falling into the East River, and elk and tigers strolling the streets of Manhattan. Robert, along with his dog, Sam, tries to find out if anyone else is alive on Earth through radio transmissions, and goes in search of “dark seekers.” At night, he guards his own life in his fortified Greenwich Village brownstone, trying to convince these creatures that he can find a cure for the virus that has afflicted them. This retelling of the novel, which was originally supposed to be directed by Ridley Scott in the 1990s, has been highly anticipated: Call your local theaters or go online for tickets.