RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: What's old is new again, as the saying goes — or in the case of Le Cornichon, cool again. The 11th arrondissement hotspot is technically a restaurant, but feels more like a retro diner or old-school PMU café-bar (the kind selling cigarettes, lottery tickets, and scratchers). Owner and chef Bertrand Chauveau comes from the kitchens of David Toutain and Jean-François Piège, but takes a much less formal approach to dining here.
The Vibe: Packed and lively. Not an all-out party, but everyone’s here for a good time to go with good food. Don’t pick this as a first date spot — come with friends, tuck into dishes together whenever they arrive (go with it, it’s busy). Design-wise, it’s cool, authentic. Claves Architecture jazzed up the interiors while keeping the classic bistro style intact — tiny tiles, basic black tables, and plenty of chrome paired with plush velvet green banquettes. There’s even a ’90s pinball machine.
The Food: Elevated bistro classics, including oeufs mayonnaise (although here with tartare sauce), slices of terrine, and steak frites to share. But there are also less traditional plates on offer: raw scallops with walnut cream, roasted squash with satay sauce and herb vinaigrette, and — one of our table’s favorites — rigatoni with garlic and sage butter. To say the beef fat fries are another highlight doesn’t mean the more elaborate plates are bad, it just means these fries are that good. Desserts are nostalgic and decidedly un-French, like banana splits and other ice cream sundaes — with sprinkles.
The Drink: Check out the wine list, bien sûr, but you’ll spot most locals drinking beer, priced against trend at 6.50 € a pint. Next time, a dirty martini made with cornichon brine.
FOUND Pro: You can reserve for lunch, and if you’re up for a set menu, it’s great value with two courses for 19 € and three for 22 €. That said, dinner is a walk-in only affair, so arrive early for your best chance of grabbing a table.
The Verdict: Fun, delicious, and by night, on the right side of rowdy. –Nicola Leigh Stewart
→ Le Cornichon (14th arr) • 34 Rue Gassendi • Mon-Fri 12h-14h & 19h-22h • Book.