A brasserie is a type of French restaurant with a relaxed setting, which serves single dishes and other meals. The “brasserie” emphasized the fact that beer was brewed on the premises, rather than brought in elsewhere. A brasserie can be expected to have professional service, printed menus, and, traditionally, white linen. Typically, a brasserie is open Wednesday to Sunday and serves the same menu all day. A classic example of a brasserie dish is steak frites.
The decor of the brasseries is inspired by the style of Alsatian restaurants. They feature mirrors, ceramic tiles, copper seats and chandeliers and often, especially the older traditional brasseries, still have typical period decoration. The Mucha – style stained glass windows, flowered floor, moldings and other Art Nouveau and Art Deco elements blend together, creating a welcoming and emblematic atmosphere of the Belle Époque.
In tradition a brasserie offers a relatively simple cuisine; you can order only one dish, sit down outside the usual lunch and dinner hours, possibly only have a drink between meals. It was initially a simple place for making beer that passers-by could consume on the spot. There is no official definition to categorically differentiate this kind of establishment from a classic restaurant. The amount of the addition varies greatly depending on the establishments, their location or their reputation.
A brasserie in hospitality way, refer to a type of restaurant and bar large enought to offer a show while during meal, often open continuously, at least until “after the show”, possibly open all day and night. This tpye of brasserie became rarer in France nowaday. Over time, the word has come to designate large bistros with inimitable and typically Parisian charm where it is possible to eat traditional French dishes such as onion soup, blanquette and other pots au feu in an elegant setting.
The brasseries generally offer an extensive fixed menu and a few suggestions of the day, linked to the seasons. In Paris, brasseries have a seafood bench near the entrance, the scaling generally working outside. Typical brasserie dishes include sauerkraut, steak tartare, steak frites, snails, blanquette, beef bourguignon, osso buco and many other French specialties. Beer is generally more common here than in traditional restaurants, but the wine list, offered by the glass, pitcher or bottle, is often extensive. The breweries have privileged agreements with beer brands, the flow there being very high, but no longer depend on them directly as in the past.
Mainly in Paris, brasserie often speak of “Alsatian brasseries” indicating many establishments having been opened by Alsatians after the Franco-German war of 1870. Indeed with the defeat of the French Empire in this conflict, France lost the territory of Alsace-Moselle. It was then that many Alsatian families who wanted to remain French and not fall under Prussian domination settled in Paris to open brasseries.
The annexation of Alsace by Germany posed a problem, because of customs duties: beer arrived more from Lorraine afterwards, until 1918. Several large Parisian breweries – including those which were said to be Alsatian – belong to large national and international groups (Flo, White Brothers). In Paris in particular there are brasseries that are now essential, among which we can mention La Coupole, Lipp, Bouillon Chartier, Le Procope, Le Mollard and Bofinger. Founded in 1867, the Mollard brasserie is the oldest brasserie in Paris.
Highlights
A brasserie is a best place to immersed in the old Paris lifestyle. Many historic brasserie are still open and these unique hidden gems are scattered across different parts of Paris. The very special atmosphere that emanates from it, the period decor and grandmother’s dishes make the brasseries unique and unmissable places for any stay in Paris.
Alcazar
In an elegant setting, this bar-restaurant offers modern cuisine to the sound of electro music. Festive atmosphere. At the Alcazar, everything happens live under the large glass roof in front of the busy cooks. Whether you are in the large room, on the furnished mezzanine, you will not be insensitive to the charm of this trendy London-inspired brasserie. From Thursday or Sunday, change of atmosphere, the mezzanines of the Alcazar indulge in clubbing with the participation of handpicked DJs. The kitchen is eyeing world cuisine to sometimes return to more traditional dishes.
At the Cadet of Gascony
Our Chef, Georges Guinot offers traditional French cuisine in the heart of Montmartre. Breakfast and lunch with the painters on the terrace and dinner to music with our piano-voice duo. You will find on the menu Onion soup, Saint-Marcellin roasted with apples, Beef Bourguignon, Duck breast, Puff pastry with red fruits… traditional and homemade. At the Cadet de Gascogne and its artists, you will discover the Place du Tertre.
At the Little Rich
The elegant intimacy of the place, the authentic “Belle Epoque” decor, and pleasantly Bourgeois cuisine, have made this restaurant a real Parisian meeting place for more than 150 years. The energy of a brasserie combined with the conviviality of a bistro, a mixture of history, flavors, local produce and good humour. The finest directory of Loire Valley wines in Paris.
At the foot of the pig
True beating heart of the capital, close to the Canopy of Les Halles and the Louvre, Au Pied de Cochon is the first establishment to offer, since its opening in 1947, a continuous service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This mythical brasserie welcomes its customers in a very friendly atmosphere around a beautiful and generous traditional French cuisine. The chef offers specialties such as Périgourdine-style stuffed pig’s trotter, the Saint-Antoine temptation or the Ibaiama double pork chop to share.
Auberge Dab
Located at Porte Maillot, facing the Palais des Congrès, this elegant restaurant in the 16th arrondissement has everything to seduce. From the reception, leather benches, woodwork, large windows dressed in salmon fabrics set the scene for a warm, even intimate place. Upstairs, the lounge is ideal for business or family meals. To this feeling of well-being, is obviously added that of gustatory pleasure. Here, quality rhymes with generosity, like the famous seafood platters: perfect freshness with the most beautiful varieties of oysters, the intact flavors of shellfish and crustaceans. To taste on the spot or to take away. And if the meats are first-rate, the magnificent fish also offer their delicate taste.
Montparnasse oyster bar
The Oyster Bar, high seas restaurant par excellence! In a contemporary and classy place, you can taste exceptional products: benches of seafood bringing together the greatest oysters of the capital, misty seafood platters, menu on iPad, gigantic tanks and walls of spectacular waters, everything comes together for a trip to the seaside. The menu also gives pride of place to wild fish and shellfish.
Bib & Cast
Bib&Guss Restaurant & Bar, within the U Arena at La Défense – the largest performance hall in Europe – presents itself as a real place of life in which “eating well” occupies a very special place. This contemporary brasserie comes alive throughout the day from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. and evenings and weekends according to the musical and sports program.
Station Bistro
The Bistrot de la gare welcomes you every day, in continuous service, from 7:30 am for breakfast to midnight. In a deliciously retro decor, we discover walls patinated in cream tones enhanced by a fine collection of period posters to the glory of the SNCF of yesteryear, or even pretty retro railway photos in black and white mottled here or there.
Beef on the Roof
An illustrious meeting place for artists from the Roaring Twenties, Le Boeuf sur le Toit offers traditional brasserie cuisine in a prestigious setting. The cozy and opulent atmosphere has been preserved: oak woodwork, engraved mirrors, paintings, sculptures and mahogany counter… Everything evokes a festive and luxurious era. The restaurant organizes Jazz evenings once a month.
Bouillon Chartier Grands Boulevards
Chartier is over 100 years, over the decades and anecdotes, has vibrated to the rhythm of all those, illustrious or anonymous, who have loved it as a couple. Enter the immense and legendary classified room. Sit quietly at your table, take a look at the famous chest of drawers where the regulars collected their napkins, on the painting by the painter Germont, who created this work in 1929 to repay his debt. On the plates, tradition and diversity come together at unbeatable prices. Leeks with vinaigrette, egg mayonnaise, vegetable soup or delightful snails as a starter; meat, fish or well-simmered scoundrel dishes later: the menu is extensive, the flavors authentic and each dish runs around €10. The suppliers are reliable and consistent. Indulge yourself with the famous homemade whipped cream, you won’t find it elsewhere.
Chartier Montparnasse Broth
Le Bouillon Chartier was born out of a simple idea: to offer a meal worthy of the name at a modest price, to respect the clientele in order to win their loyalty. The restaurant has gone through the ages without losing its authentic charm to be finally listed in the registers of Historic Monuments on July 16, 1984. In 2019, the rebirth of Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse, which finds its original vocation, to offer a meal worthy of the name, at a low price.
Julien broth
In this brasserie, classified as a historic monument, refined dishes are served. Magnificent Art Nouveau decor.
Republic broth
After Bouillon Pigalle, a new Parisian broth is opening its doors a few steps from Place de la République. The Bouillon République offers oysters at €1, eggs with mayonnaise at less than €2, privatized lounges, a Bouillon service (takeaway or delivery)… The setting is that of a brasserie from the 1960s. 30 redesigned by the Lafond firm.
Brasserie Barbes
The Barbès brasserie is a must in the cosmopolitan Goutte d’Or district. Opposite the mythical Le Louxor cinema, Le Barbès reveals beautiful post-industrial architecture from the beginning of the 20th century. The light bathes the different floors thanks to the beautiful volumes of the building (750 m²). On the ground floor there is a café-restaurant, on the 1st floor a patio restaurant, on the 2nd floor a dancing bar. On the plates, you can taste traditional brasserie cuisine.
Brasserie Bellanger
Located between Poissonnière and Barbès, the Brasserie Bellanger offers traditional and gourmet French cuisine (beef bourguignon, sole meunière, etc.) in a typically Parisian brasserie setting. The menu is short, the products are fresh and the prices are low.
Brasserie Bofinger
A true Alsatian institution, between the Place des Vosges and the Opéra Bastille, the Brasserie Bofinger has survived the ages while preserving its soul in an exceptional historical setting. The Chef of the most Alsatian of Parisian brasseries offers specialties such as sauerkraut, cooked according to tradition, Kougloff French toast style, apple strudel…
Brasserie Gallopin
A typically Parisian brasserie since 1876, this institution serves inventive and tasty traditional cuisine.
Brasserie Lipp
The Brasserie Lipp has been an essential address in Saint-Germain-des-Prés for over 135 years! Since its creation in 1880 by Léonard Lipp, the Brasserie has enjoyed a solid literary and political reputation. Over the years, it has welcomed the big names who have marked French literature (Gide, Malraux, Proust, St Exupéry, Camus, Sartre, etc.) and has gradually become a veritable “branch of the Chamber of Deputies”. The Brasserie LIPP menu is characterized by traditional dishes, simple and always of exemplary quality, giving pride of place to Alsace and of course Auvergne.
Brasserie Mollard
Listed as a Historic Monument, this luxury Brasserie offers you a unique and typical “1900” setting in Paris: ceramics, mosaics and Art Nouveau style ceilings. This century-old establishment is one of the most beautiful and oldest brasseries in the capital. Its chef, Joël Prodhomme offers traditional French cuisine using fresh, quality products. Located opposite the Saint-Lazare train station, 2 minutes from the department stores, Place de la Concorde and the Opéra Garnier.
Brasserie Thoumieux
The decoration of the brasserie Thoumieux, located in the 7th arrondissement between the Invalides and the Eiffel Tower, is a mix of vintage objects and contemporary elements which give it a rock’n’roll side. On the plates, the chef uses, in his own way, great classics… at reasonable prices.
Café Campana
To enter Café Campana is to enter an imaginary place; the blue of the sea and the orange of the coral, are the colors wanted by the Campana designers to express a marine idea. Modern setting in which you can take a restful break at the end of the visit to the Impressionist gallery of the Musée d’Orsay.
Café Charbon
The Café Charbon, created in 1900, is open until 4 am to the great satisfaction of night owls. A real institution on one of the liveliest streets in the 11th arrondissement. In a largely preserved Second Empire decor, it serves classic cuisine and finger food to share. Although the terrace is narrow, it is particularly sunny on sunny days. Glued to the performance hall of the Nouveau Casino, people come here before or after a concert.
Café Dad
This brasserie run by three Normans, Vincent, Florian and Édouard, offers home cooking, “generous and tasty”, at any time of the day. The slate changes daily, the products are fresh and the chefs are inspired! We take advantage of the neat decor and enjoy ourselves, comfortably seated in the blue and orange velvet armchairs, or on the vast terrace which is always sunny.
Café de Flore
The Café de Flore is one of the two cafés, with its eternal neighbor the Deux Magots, legendary in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. In its beautiful art deco room or on the terrace directly overlooking Boulevard Saint-Germain, celebrities, locals and tourists meet. People come here for coffee, lunch or dinner. Hot chocolate is one of the house specialties. High place of intellectual Paris, the Flore hosts each year the Prix de Flore (created by Frédéric Beigbeder), rewarding a young literary talent.
Café des Deux Magots
Just like its neighbour, Flore, the Café des Deux Magots is elevated to the rank of Parisian legend. Located directly on the Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, it offers a breathtaking view of one of the oldest religious buildings in the capital, the Abbey of Saint-Germain. Since its creation in 1885, the brasserie has welcomed the greatest artists: Paul Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud, André Breton and even Simone de Beauvoir. Today, intellectuals, national and international celebrities mingle with tourists in a traditional atmosphere and decor (waiters in black and white coats, red banquettes, mahogany tables). Inventor of the literary café concept, the Café des Deux Magots opens the literary prize season each year with the Prix des deux Magots (January).
Café Lapérouse
Café Lapérouse Concorde is the first destination “outside the walls” of the mythical restaurant at 51, quai des Grands Augustins. It is within the Hôtel de la Marine that this new address opened its doors in June 2021. Located at Cordélia de Castellane, with two terraces protected by arcades, one side la Concorde for a spectacular view and the other side of the main courtyard, for an intimate and privileged setting. A central shell bar delimits the interior of the restaurant into two lounges: the Navigators and the Orient. You will find an enveloping, wooded, timeless atmosphere… a call to travel.
Champeaux
At Champeaux, everyone is free to invent their own experience. This bright and open place located opposite the Saint-Eustache Church lives throughout the day. You can have lunch on the go, nibble and drink a cocktail at aperitif time or even have a feast at dinner. Champeaux revives the most beautiful classics of brasserie cuisine, with the best products of the season. A special mention to the soufflé, the signature dish, to which chef Luc Broigniez gives an elegant and modern interpretation, with savory and sweet versions.
Chez Francis
Combining freshness and delicacy, the prestigious brasserie Chez Francis, completely renovated by Pierre-Yves Rochon, offers creative and refined cuisine. In addition, a view of the Eiffel Tower offers an exceptional setting in a cozy atmosphere.
Flora Danica
Mythical address located on the Champs-Élysées, the Flora Danica is a Danish brasserie, warm and lively. Lively throughout the day, people meet there for lunch or dinner in the large dining room with its Scandinavian design, or to sip a cocktail around the huge green marble central bar. On sunny days, take advantage of the garden for a Nordic meal away from the hustle and bustle of the avenue. The menu is signed Andreas Møller, the young Danish chef from Copenhagen, and his Parisian accomplice Guillaume Leray. On the decoration side, we find the elegant and natural style of the Danish agency GamFratesi.
Fouquet’s Paris
Erected on the Champs-Élysées for more than 120 years, the brasserie Fouquet’s Paris is an unmissable place in the capital. Recognizable among a thousand thanks to its red awnings, it houses an authentic Parisian brasserie decor and proudly displays its links with the world of the 7th art. The brasserie also extends onto two beautiful terraces. The menu, signed by the three-star Chef Pierre Gagnaire, evolves with the seasons and offers a selection of great brasserie classics revisited, such as steak Tartare, sole meunière or delicious homemade pastries.
L’Alsace
Legendary brasserie on the Champs-Elysées since 1968, Alsace welcomes you in continuous service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in a typical Parisian brasserie spirit. The Brasserie L’Alsace showcases Alsatian gastronomy through various specialties such as sauerkraut or regional wines. Alsace also offers a good range of seafood.
L’Assiette
An address recommended by gourmets: a decor full of charm and revisited classics of French cuisine on the plate.
L’Européen
Opposite the Gare de Lyon, the Européen has existed since the beginning of the century, long before Europe was in the news. Magnificent brasserie of great Parisian tradition, its reputation is second to none. It is thanks to the decorator SLAVIK, that the European has been personalized. A place that is both warm and comfortable: wooden scrolls and sets of mirrors, glass chandeliers, English furniture with armchairs on wheels and Chesterfield-style benches. Everything here is designed to make you have a good time in a unique, retro and friendly decor. As soon as the fine weather returns, L’Européen opens its terrace, located on boulevard Diderot, opposite the Gare de Lyon and its famous clock.
La Cantine des Tontons
An original canteen where you help yourself, as much as you like! With family or friends, enjoy simple and good dishes in a friendly atmosphere. Starter-dish-cheese-dessert formula at a single price.
La Closerie des Lilas
At the same time restaurant, brasserie and piano bar, La Closerie des Lilas is one of the legendary places of the capital. Since its creation in 1847, the establishment has welcomed the entire artistic and intellectual Paris: Émile Zola, Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway and more recently Tim Burton or Johnny Depp. The interior is chic and cozy with its mosaic floor and its red moleskin benches. The shaded terrace is particularly pleasant in summer. On the plates, the essentials of the Parisian brasserie, and in the restaurant a gourmet cuisine leaving a good place for fish and seafood.
La Coupole
Since 1927, La Brasserie and the Dancing de La Coupole have been essential symbols of the history of Montparnasse. In an art deco decor, listed as a historical heritage, organize for your private and professional events. La Coupole guarantees you a menu rich in flavors. The Chef and his brigade carefully select the products for their freshness and taste, and cook them daily with passion.
La Fidélité
The green and pink neon lights on the facade immediately catch the eye of the Parisian night owl. In the pure tradition of Parisian brasseries (service until 1 a.m.), La Fidélité offers an enticing menu. The volumes of the spaces are impressive: stuccos, moldings, mirrors and subdued lighting. Above the restaurant, hides “L’Appartement”, accessible by a magnificent Art Nouveau staircase, only for privatization during parties and cocktails. Under the restaurant, “La Cave” and its jukebox welcomes customers to have a drink and dance. An unusual place to discover just a stone’s throw from the Gare de l’Est.
La Rotonde Montparnasse
La Rotonde Montparnasse is one of the mythical brasseries of the Montparnasse district. Artists have been jostling there since 1911: painters and surrealists in the interwar period or filmmakers today. We savor traditional French cuisine: meat from Salers, ribs of beef, oysters…and changing dishes of the day. Customers take advantage of a beautiful, large terrace to observe the permanent bustle of the boulevard. There are many theaters and entertainment venues in the neighborhood.
Le Bonne Nouvelle
Le Bonne Nouvelle is a brasserie located rue du Faubourg Poissonnière in the trendy district of the 10th arrondissement. With its 1950s atmosphere, large mirrors, neon lights and old tables, it has a certain charm. At noon, he presents a brasserie menu with sandwiches and a menu at 15 euros. In the evening, it is frequented mainly, but not exclusively, by a clientele of gay thirtysomethings and quadras.
Le Congrès Auteuil
A stone’s throw from Roland Garros, the Parc des Princes and the racetracks of Auteuil and Longchamp, the Congress enjoys a privileged location. With its frame, it appears as the flagship of good taste, sporting a luxury of refinement without ostentation.
Le Congrès Maillot
Located near the Palais des Congrès, hotels and in the heart of the business district, the Congrès Maillot is the ideal place for a business meal at lunch or dinner or with friends, to share the pleasure of a beautiful and good food. The “Business Club” menu served for lunch and dinner will delight families and friends as well as businessmen. From April, the terrace surrounded by greenery and flowers echoes the elegance of the place.
Le Dôme
Le Dôme is one of the legendary restaurants in the Montparnasse district. In its entirely Art Deco decor (woodwork, stained glass, large lampshades, fawn or green leather benches) since its creation in 1898, all of Paris has been jostling politically and artistically. Elegance and tranquility are at the rendezvous in the beautiful and spacious dining room as well as on the fully glazed terrace. Fish and seafood specialties are the stars of the menu: red mullet, bouillabaisse and the famous sole meunière.
Le Floréal
A former tobacconist’s bar in the 10th arrondissement on a very popular crossroads, a stone’s throw from the Saint-Martin canal, the owners have literally transformed the place into an ultra-modern and cozy New York-inspired brasserie, in a decor that pays tribute to Mondrian. You can eat tasty dishes at very affordable prices. The small raised terrace is just as pleasant for a drink when the warm weather arrives. The more observant will notice that the storefront is freely inspired by the work of architect Charlotte Perriand.
Le Petit Pont
Located opposite Notre Dame, the Petit Pont is a brasserie with a beautiful terrace, famous for its relaxed and musical atmosphere. It offers a wide choice of cocktails, dishes and gourmet desserts.
Le Ragueneau
Located in the 1st arrondissement, at the epicenter of the capital, Ragueneau rubs shoulders with the high places of French cultural heritage such as the Place du Palais-Royal and its gardens, the Comédie Française, the Louvre Museum and the Paris Opera. It also offers a “tea room” service and entertainment throughout the year with jazz concerts.
Le Restaurant du Musée d’Orsay
The restaurant of the Musée d’Orsay, mixes a listed place with a contemporary style, with 1900 decor whose frescoes by Gabriel Ferrier and Benjamin Constant line the ceilings of the small lounge and the large dining room. The restaurant’s chairs were designed by the Italian artist Jacopo Foggini, for an elegant and modern touch.
Le Stella
Chic brasserie from the 1950s renowned for its oysters (daily arrival), its seafood platters and its myriad of French “terroir” specialities. A true gastronomic institution.
Le Syphax café
The Syphax café enjoys an excellent location, very close to the Notre-Dame-de-Lorette metro station. The department stores and the Opera are easily accessible on foot. You can savor traditional French cuisine or come here for an aperitif, at very reasonable prices.
Le Train Bleu
Luxury brasserie located on the 1st floor of the Gare de Lyon, built for the Universal Exhibition and inaugurated in 1901 by the President of the Republic, Emile Loubet. Two rooms classified as historical monuments. We also owe the reputation of the establishment to the 41 paintings present on its walls and ceilings: the most famous represent the landscapes crossed by the trains of the Paris Lyon Mediterranean network. Among the faithful, we can mention Coco Chanel, Brigitte Bardot, Jean Cocteau or even Dali and Jean Gabin. Closer to us: Luc Besson immortalized the place in his film “Nikita”. Today, the success is still there: some 500 covers are served every day at Le Train Bleu. Le Train Bleu, an iconic establishment at Gare de Lyon, joins forces with another French legend, Michel Rostang.
Le Vaudeville
Opposite the Stock Exchange and a stone’s throw from the Opera, the Brasserie Vaudeville is open 7 days a week to host all your events. Since 1918, this Parisian brasserie with its timeless charm welcomes you in a typically Art Deco setting. Le Vaudeville has built its reputation on the quality of its products and its know-how.