1) Le Procope.
The oldest café in Paris is considered to be “Procop”, located in the 6th arrondissement of the capital on Ancienne-Comedi Street. It was named after its founder – Sicilian native Francesco Procopio dei Cotelli, who in 1686 opened a coffee house serving ice cream, a fashionable novelty of that time.
The establishment immediately became famous among the artistic and intellectual elite of Paris. In the XVIII century, Renaissance philosophers such as Voltaire, Rousseau and d’Alambert liked to visit here. It is believed that it was at the tables of the Procope that Diderot wrote his articles for the Encyclopedia, and Benjamin Franklin thought over the US Constitution.
During the French Revolution, the café hosted meetings of the Cordilliers’ Club, led by Marat and Danton. Robespierre often came here for lunch.
Procope did not lose its popularity even in the XIX century: the regulars of this place were both poets and writers: Musset, Verlaine, Anatole France, and political figures, for example, Gambetta.
The restaurant is decorated in an old-fashioned cozy style; at the same time, the memory of famous visitors of Prokop is carefully preserved. For example, an armored showcase displays a triangle, which, according to legend, was used by the young officer Napoleon Bonaparte to pay for dinner.
The menu is based on traditional French cuisine: oysters of different kinds (from 13.8€ for six pieces), grilled lobster (57.5€), veal head in cocottes according to the recipe of 1686 (28€), puff pastry with chicken (32€), assortment of homemade ice cream and sorbet (13€ for 4 balls). On weekdays you can take advantage of a special offer: order a two-course lunch (main course and an appetizer or dessert) for 21,50€ or a full three-course lunch for 28,50€.
Address: 13 Rue de l’Ancienne Comédie, 75006 Paris
2) La Tour d’Argent.
The oldest restaurant in Paris, Tour d’Argent (“Silver Tower”), was opened in 1582 by the talented chef Rourteau, who decided to house an inn and tavern in one of the towers of the city’s fortifications.
The culinary talent and the beautiful view of Notre Dame Cathedral soon made the establishment popular. Even kings Henry III and Henry IV visited the restaurant: the latter introduced the fashion for forks, which were served with dishes.
In the following epochs Tour d’Argent’s fame did not fade away: in the XIX century the restaurant became a culinary Mecca of Paris, where Honoré de Balzac, Bismarck, Napoleon III, members of the Russian imperial family liked to visit.
At the end of the XIX century the new owner of the restaurant – Frederick Delaire – introduced an original specialty in the menu – roasted duck, each of which was assigned a special number (the cost of this dish, which is served for two people, is 230€). The restaurant’s varied menu also includes other French gastronomic specialties: king crayfish with white butter dressing and garnished with beans, two types of pumpkin and bacon (145€); poached scallops with caviar flavored with white chocolate and lobster oil (135€); pear “Charpini” glazed with coffee caramel, served with truffle and chocolate (38€).
Address: 15 Quai de la Tournelle, 75005 Paris
3) Le Grand Vefour.
Le Grand Vefour, one of the oldest restaurants in Paris, is located in the Beaujolais Gallery in the Palais Royal garden. Originally called Café des Chartres, it was opened in 1784.
In 1820, its owner was restaurateur Jean Vefour, who changed the name of the cafe and turned it into the best gastronomic restaurant in Paris. During the whole XIX century “Grand Vefour” was a meeting place for politicians, artists, writers and actors. Napoleon liked to visit here (there is a special plaque over the table where he liked to sit nowadays), Georges Sand, Lamartine, Victor Hugo. The restaurant retained its popularity into the 20th century: its regulars were such celebrities as Jean Marais, Sacha Guitry, Louis Aragon, Elsa Triolet, Colette, André Malraux, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir.
The restaurant serves exquisite dishes in a luxurious interior. Among the Grand Vefour specialties that are always on the menu: foie gras ravioli in truffle-flavored cream (98€); potato casserole with beef tail and truffles (112€); Prince Rainier III pigeon (128€); walnut cake with milk chocolate, glazed with dark caramel and sprinkled with geranium salt (36€). During the day, diners can order a three-course set and cheese plate for 115€.
Address: 17 Rue de Beaujolais, 75001 Paris
(4) Restaurant Montparnasse 1900.)
One of the oldest restaurants in Paris – Restaurant Montparnasse 1900 – was founded in 1858. However, its heyday began in the early XX century after a large-scale restoration performed by the new owner of the establishment Edouard Chartier. It was he who decorated the restaurant’s interior in luxurious Art Nouveau style, decorating the room with glazed showcases, mirrors in carved frames, a long wooden balustrade, elegant lamps with dim light.
The exquisite decor and high quality of served dishes were appreciated by many celebrities: among the visitors of the restaurant “Montparnasse 1900” one could see Picasso, Modigliani, Lev Trotsky, Ilya Ehrenburg, Scott Fitzgerald and others.
You can enjoy the beauty of the interior and traditional French cuisine even today. The specialties are particularly famous, ranging from 16 to 26€: veal kidneys with mustard sauce; duck confit with potatoes sprinkled with parsley; royal choucroute (a dish of braised cabbage and several types of smoked meat).
For 25€, guests can order a set of main course and an appetizer or dessert, and for 35€ – the Belle Époque menu: in addition to three courses, it includes a cheese plate, aperitif, coffee and half a bottle of wine.
Address: 59 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 75006 Paris
5) Lapérouse.
In 1766, a supplier of lemonade to the royal court, bought an old mansion where he decided to open a wine store. He also had a small restaurant, which soon became popular with the merchants and customers of the nearby market. Noticing that many visitors were discussing the details of transactions at the table, the owner began to offer separate parlors where they could talk about business in privacy while enjoying a delicious meal.
In the second half of the 19th century, the owner of the establishment was Jules Laperouse, who invited Auguste Escafier, “the cook of kings and king of cooks”, to head the kitchen. It was during this period that Laperouse became a symbol of high gastronomy in France. The restaurant was especially popular with Parisian literati: it was highly appreciated by Guy de Maupassant, Gustave Flaubert, Emile Zola and Alexandre Dumas.
The interior of the restaurant has remained unchanged since the 18th century: it consists of countless rooms, passages and staircases that lead to several large halls as well as small salons.
Among the offerings on the menu: foie gras with lemon on brioche toast and citrus chutney (35€); Victor Hugo lobster (70€) sauteed in salted butter with avocado; roasted halibut with seasonal mini vegetables and watercress puree (46€); lemon cake with coconut sorbet (21€).
Address: 51 Quai des Grands Augustins, 75006 Paris
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