Good bones
Gramme 11, best Copenhagen restaurants, 14th arr listings, Ex-Libris Paris, Le Bizetro, Le Perche, Beyoncé tix, Ombellule, MORE
RESTAURANTS • FOUND Table
Doing it for the Gramm
The Backstory: A companion to Gramme 3 — the cozy brunch and coffee shop in the Marais that often requires queuing to get a table in the morning — chef Marine Gora’s Gramme 11 is larger and hosts all-day dining, with both brunch and dinner as the highlights. Opened in 2022, the 11th arrondissement outpost also accepts reservations, although the terrace tables are walk-in only (and worth a wait in the summer).
The Food: Inventive and ever-evolving. During the day, the bacon and egg breakfast sandwich laden with a heap of herbs on a brioche bun is a hit, as is the crispy potato mille-feuille. In the evening, dishes get more seasonal and daring, incorporating French flourishes with global flavors. A spring standout: white asparagus hammered flat, served as dan dan noodles with a cured egg yolk.
The Vibe: Casual, cool, and buzzy, with locals filling the terrace for a drink and a snack. The drinks trend more traditional than the food, with good coffees in the daytime and a thoughtful wine list available later, but Gramme 11’s general aesthetic is young and hip, as befits the neighborhood.
Why It’s FOUND: Both iterations of Gramme feel like an in-the-know discovery, showcasing the edgier side of Parisian cuisine. And while the atmosphere is great, it’s really the slightly off-kilter (in the best way possible) food that drives return visits, whether for coffee, brunch, or dinner. –Emily Zemler
→ Gramme 11 (11th arr) • 96 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud • Wed-Fri 18h-00h30, Sat-Sun 10h-00h30 • Book.
PARIS WORK & PLAY LINKS: Renault boss Luca de Meo quits, taking over luxury group Kering • French museums, bump prices for non-EU visitors • Wildcat strike at Louvre rankles tourists: ‘LET US IN IM HUNGRY FOR MONA LISA’ • Astier de Villate’s Ivan Pericoli talks taste • Why cigarette cases are smoking hot.
WORK • Friday Routine
On the ink block
LAUREN EASUM & IGOR TELINGE • founders & creative directors • Ex-Libris Paris
Neighborhood you live in: Le Marais, 3rd arr
Neighborhood you work in: Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 6th arr
It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
It’s a gentle, golden-lit Friday at our atelier in Le Marais. We’re wrapping up the final touches on a capsule collection in collaboration with a Japanese brand — a very special project close to our hearts. Our studio is a blend of old-world charm and clean modernity, scattered with moodboards, fabric swatches, and stacks of old books. We balance working from home with studio time, but Fridays are always for in-person creative sessions with the team. During a mid-afternoon chat, we suddenly realized we’d run out of brass plates for our engravings! So off we went, to the last true artisanal metal supplier in Paris: Tartaix Métaux Outillage on rue du Pont aux Choux — that street name? Pure poetry.
What’s on the agenda for today?
We're finalizing color variations for a signature design — a client in Tokyo requested three exclusive shades. There’s also a shoot next week at Le Bon Marché for our corner on the second floor. Teaser: We’re redesigning our display — think sculptural minimalism meets literary chic.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Tonight, it’s dinner with friends at Le Bizetro in the 16th — classic French food, a warm, noisy, joyful atmosphere. People talk loud, sometimes yell with laughter. It’s the kind of place where you always feel at home.Tomorrow, we might do a relaxed lunch on the terrace at Cherche Minuit, a modern Breton brasserie in the 6th we love recommending to out-of-towners — chic but unfussy.
How about a little leisure or culture?
Saturday afternoon, we're heading to Mobilier National for the current exhibition: Le Dernier Sacre, curated by none other than our ultimate design idol, Jacques Garcia. Expect drama, history, and French opulence. Sunday morning, it’s back to childhood memories: sailing little wooden boats in the pond at Jardin du Luxembourg. We race them across the water like we’re five again. It’s deeply nostalgic — Igor used to come here as a child, and every time, it feels like time travel.
Any weekend getaways?
Not this weekend, but next one we’re escaping to Le Perche with friends for a breath of fresh air. We often stay at our house in Mortagne-au-Perche, or sometimes at the utterly charming D’une Île — a cozy countryside hotel run by the same team behind Septime in Paris. Also, a must: we always pick up wine from La Vie en Rouge — a true hidden gem.
What was your last great vacation?
Hangzhou and Shanghai! Igor used to live in China, and wanted to show Lauren the country through his eyes. We stayed at The PuLi Hotel and Spa which was beautifully serene — an oasis in the middle of the city. And for an unforgettable dinner? Din Tai Fung, of course.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
We've been collecting rare books and prints from the 17th and 18th centuries at auctions — these pieces deeply inspire our design work and creative direction. Check out Librairie Clavreuil.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Astier de Villatte — for their ceramics, candles, and unapologetically poetic world. A classic for hosting afternoon tea with friends in style.
REAL ESTATE • On the Market
Three properties currently on offer in the 14th arr:
→ Rue des Plantes (metro Alésia) • 4BR/2BA, 176 m2 • Ask: 1.78M € • fixer-upper with good bones and dramatic fireplace • Annual property taxes: 5051 €; annual maintenance/condo fees: 6720 € • Agent: Carole De Vellou, Daniel Feau.
→ Vavin (metro Vavin, above) • 3BR/1.1BA, 144 m2 • Ask: 2.365M € • top-floor apartment with full-length balcony and sweeping rooftop views • Annual property taxes: NA €; annual maintenance/condo fees: 6172 € • Agent: Nathalie Penicaud, Barnes.
→ Rue Daguerre (metro Denfert-Rochereau) • 4BR/4BA, 392 m2 • Ask: 6.2M € • 3-story residence with garden and covered pool • Annual property taxes: NA €; annual maintenance/condo fees: 3984 € • Agent: Thibaut Lerda, Engel & Völkers.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Americana
Beyoncé • Stade de France (Saint-Denis) • Sat @ 19h • carre or, 278 € per
Lucinda Williams • Le Trianon (18th arr) • Tue @ 20h • carre or, 69 € per
Wilco • La Cigale (9th arr) • Mon @ 19h30 • waiting list
GETAWAYS • Lyon
Reinventing heritage
When I learnt that the busy Brasserie Theodore was sold to Tabata and Ludovic Mey, who wanted this space for their new culinary showcase — a gastronomic restaurant attached to a brasserie — I envisioned a silent tremor in Lyon’s 6th arrondissement. The resulting restaurant, Ombellule, born a year after the Mey couple closed their widely applauded first table Les Apothicaires, does prove it is possible to shake up the traditional in the world capital of gastronomy.
On a recent visit, duality was everywhere. The place is beautiful, with an architecture reminiscent of the historic Maisons Lyonnaises and an embrace of the traditional high-end gastronomic codes (white tablecloth, Christofle silverware, Bernardaud argenterie). But some artistic touches — poems on the menu; art on the wall from Galatée Martin — quickly warm the ambiance before the chefs themselves invite every table in the kitchen, during their preparation of the amuse-bouche.
The food is also rooted in duality. The eclosion menu in nine services would not have been disowned by Lyon’s culinary masters with its traditional products: seasonal asparagus in three textures, scallops and roasted lotte, braised beef from Boucherie Lyonnaise. But the heritage is reborn with the aromatic seasoning sublimating each ingredient. There’s no traditional Lyonnaise heavy cream here. Instead, herbs and flower scents soften the peas, while a ginger marinade gives a gentle kick to the asparagus. I barely remember what came after the razor clams, because I still think of its zesty oil extracted from lime leaves.
The duplexity continues through dessert, a Valrhona chocolate variation topped with fresh mushrooms for the most fabulous praliné I’ve tasted since that iconic cream mousse from Maxime Bouttier (at Géosmine in Paris). There’s lively paradox on the drinks too — the wine list showcases the historic, prestigious Côte Rotie through young talented producers, before a Chartreuse chariot makes its way with the mignardises, a delightful turn on the traditional liqueurs selection.
Word of mouth travels fast, and this maison fills quickly. But I will come back to explore the adjacent Brasserie Roseaux, expecting more edge on the Lyonnaise classics. –Marine White
→ Ombellule (Lyon) • 36 Cr Franklin Roosevelt • Mon 12-1330h, 1945h-2045h, Tue 1945-2045, Wed 12-1330h, 19h45-20h45, Thu 12h-13h30, 19h45-20h45, Fri 12h-13h30, 19h45-20h45, Book.
GETAWAYS LINKS: On vacation in France, finding pleasure in the good-enough • In London, St Pancras rebrands, joins Autograph Collection • Belmond’s storied Splendito reopens in Portofino following elaborate revamp • Rocco Forte’s Munich hotel The Charles completes makeover • Checking in to Pulitzer Barcelona.
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Restaurants, Copenhagen
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of the best in Paris and surrounds. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or email found@foundparis.com.
Alchemist (Refshaleøen), for an explosion of art and science
Udtryk (Indre By, above), chef Edward Lee’s Chinese-influenced Nordic cuisine, including Shaoxing beurre blanc turbot w/ aged tangerine peel
The Samuel (Hellerup), opulent fine dining w/ irreverent touch and astounding wine cellar in historic brick villa just north of city
Koan (Langelinie), Kristian Baumann blends Danish upbringing and Korean heritage for effortlessly ingenious tasting menu
Epicurus (Indre By), sexy jazz lounge offers tasting menu dinners plus powerhouse performances every night
Jordnær (Gentofte), no meat on the menu at husband-and-wife run restaurant, just impeccably prepared seafood and sublime sauces to sop up w/ pull-apart brioche milk bread
Texture (Indre By), tiny 6-table dining room, precisely executed classical French fare, including lots of lobster, foie gras, caviar
Marchal (Indre By), young new head chef Alexander Baert brings fresh creativity, and lighter vegetarian dishes, to beloved restaurant at Hotel d’Angleterre
Eat in Time (Valby), Celine Li displays her art on the walls and serves Chinese home cooking in this private kitchen, often on plates she made herself
ASK FOUND
First, a quick primer on how this works: You send us the pressing questions of the day (on dining, services, living in Paris and surrounds). We all put our heads together (us, FOUND, + you, FOUND subscribers, who are also FOUND) in search of truth and beauty.
Three PROMPTS for which we continue to seek intel:
What is your favorite Paris flower shop (or flower delivery service)?
Who’s your go-to tailor?
What’s your Restaurant of the Summer?
Got answers or more questions? Hit reply or email found@foundparis.com.