Author: paris-bistro

In 2017… La Coupole celebrates its 90th anniversary but it seems to have forgotten the spirit of its founders… The inauguration of La Coupole on December 20, 1927, on Boulevard Montparnasse was one of the most celebrated events in Paris during the Roaring Twenties. The 1500 bottles prepared for the 2500 carefully chosen famous guests wasn’t even enough. Anecdotes and stories of happenings in the place spread around Paris and soon a legend was born. This favorite hangout of artists was created by two Auvergne natives, Ernest Fraux and René Lafon. Their great idea was to buy an old wood and…

Lipp is an integral part of French history. It’s a legendary place that has attracted Parisiens and tourists alike. It is, in itself, the center of the story of 20th century Paris, when Saint-Germain des Prés was at the top of the world in ideas and politics.    Even integrated in a large group, Lipp is still the quintessential Parisien brasserie. The French still make pilgrimages there in order to catch a glimpse of a well-known political figure or a star. Many governments have raised and have fallen at Lipp’s. Lipp owes much of its glorious fame to its owners during…

In 1880, on the terraces and boulevards of Montmartre and the Latin district, there was a time called “the green hour” that went on every evening at about 6 p.m. Men and women, young and old, from the chic saloons of the grand cafés to the worker’s cafés, participated in the green hour, which was the time to drink absinthe. Absinthe in Paris In order to taste absinthe properly you have to follow a particular ritual in preparation, which the French of this magnificent era adopted with pleasure. You put a measure of absinthe in a shot glass and place…

From Waterloo to the modern day, the Grand Boulevards have attracted in their famous cafés, the whole of Paris and the crowned heads of old Europe. From the Café de la Paix at Tortoni, this was the golden age of cafés. With the nineteenth century, the centre of Paris in fact moved towards the West side, that is to say the boulevards of Capucines, Italiens and the Madeleine…. Theatres, luxury shops, restaurants and prestigious cafés followed. Here, you could met all the fashionable people. All throughout the nineteenth century, cafés of the grand boulevards also gave the tone and set…

If you are looking for a genuine Parisian bistro with a great atmosphere this is the ‘Ruby’ you have to join. This wine bistro is named in reference to the color of the gamay grape used to make the wines of Beaujolais.This old bistro has not changed in the past 50 years. It continues to whole heartedly promote the Beaujolais wines and the bistrot spirit. The casks are still outside the entrance door, with aperitifs placed atop their glass tops to enjoy with friends. The Rubis is a perfect example of the tradition of true Parisian bistros. This is especially…

This is a refined dish often found on all menus in brasseries and bistros. The scallops in Parisian bistros come from Brittany and Normandy (Trouville sur Mer, Fécamp). They are served in their shells having been lightly warmed in the oven or only the white parts of the scallop fried in butter, garlic and parsley and accompanied with ratatouille for example.

Haddock, like cod, is a saltwater fish. It needs to be rinsed in cold water and milk for several hours before cooking. It is then lightly cooked in boiling water and served with steamed potatoes. It is often seen on the bistro menu even though it’s as popular in England, as it’s the fish often eaten when you order “fish and chips”.

Bass, which is called “Loup” in the Mediterranean, is a coastal fish. It is present on the menus of many bistros because it can be cooked in many different ways and dressed with vegetables of all colours.

The Quenelles de brochet is a typical dish of Lyonnaise cuisine. The word « quenelle » comes from the German « knödel” meaning ball of paté. In fact it’s a mixture of pike (fresh water fish) and flour or wheat presented in the shape of a rugby ball. They are placed on a dish and baked in the oven, accompanied with a prawn sauce called Nantua sauce.

Salmon is a fish often served in bistros. It can be proposed as a starter like “tartare de saumon”. But it’s often as a main dish that it is found on the menu. It is thus proposed as a square lightly cooked but is often served with a sorrel sauce.