Sauntering along the pavements in the summer sunshine is one of the delights that Paris has to offer ... Long walks to work up an appetite and enjoy delicious food in ever more atypical settings! Good weather means lunch outdoors, and why not in a ... park or garden? A small selection of restaurants that offer original places to eat in a bucolic setting.
Known for its avant-garde and undisputed chic, the Right Bank offers numerous places for a quick dinner or lunch, in a green setting! The restaurant at Hotel Amour, a landmark address in the Pigalle district, has a small exotic garden filled with ferns ... Not to miss! A few streets away in the heart of the New Athens district, the le Musée de la vie romantique - Hôtel Scheffer-Renan has a tearoom in a beautiful garden - a real haven of peace, perfect for tea and cakes after a visit to the museum.
Towards the Gare de l'Est, is the much talked about Café A. Attached to the Villemin public garden, it is housed in the former Les Récollets convent a few metres from the Canal Saint-Martin. The Café A garden is open in summer and winter and DJ sets, trendy cocktails and brunch are staples that attract a regular crown. It's ’A’ must !
On the Grands Boulevards, the Starhotels Collezione Castille Paris is a chic address par excellence, created out of three 18th-century mansions. The hotel’s gastronomic restaurant L’Assaggio opens out onto a large Florentine open-air patio, with a Roman fountain in the centre. A feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. Delightful!
On the Champs-Elysées, Le Joy is a little haven of peace within the Hotel Barrière le Fouquet's. A place to taste good simple dishes in a bucolic atmosphere. Just a stone's throw away, on Avenue George V, the botanical patio of the Hôtel Prince de Galles is a lovely spot to take tea and refreshments in comfortable armchairs. Cute and so refined! At Trocadéro, the sumptuous Renaissance Paris Nobel Tour Eiffel offers a 1,200 m² garden setting. A delightful place for lunch in the shade of trees, just a few metres from the Eiffel Tower. And for a total change of scenery and a light snack, head to the Jardin du Petit Palais, an elegant setting decorated with mosaics and colonnades. And finally, the Loulou, located in the Musée des Arts décoratifs, in the carrousel garden. Its large terrace affords incomparable views of the Tuileries Gardens and the Eiffel Tower.
The Musée Jacquemart-André and the Musée de Montmartre also have delightful green interior gardens.
In the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Maison de l’Amérique latine opens its large garden for lovers of Mediterranean cuisine alfresco. An ideal pause after a visit to the Latin American Cultural Centre and maybe even after the nearby Musée d'Orsay. Another restaurant, ‘Les Climats’, is housed in the former Maison des dames des Postes – a building classified as a historical monument. It offers elegant interiors and a Michelin-starred menu to be enjoyed on its garden terrace. For an exotic escapade, the flower-filled patio of the Mosquée de Paris is a must for tasting oriental pastries in a unique setting. Close to Les Invalides, the Musée Rodin also offers an enchanting interlude. The Café du Musée Rodin is located in the museum’s beautiful garden dotted with sculptures.
Located on the banks of the Seine, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac is an architectural masterpiece designed by architect Jean Nouvel and surrounded by an 800 m² lush garden designed by Gilles Clément. Here, Le Café Jacques, an oasis of peace away from the noise of the city, is a pleasant spot to have a drink or a snack.
And in summer, there are plenty of opportunities for dining in bucolic settings in Parisian parks. For a break in the shade, the Café des Marronniers in the Tuileries Gardens serves traditional French cuisine at any time of the day. The Rosa Bonheur, in the heart of the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, is a summer institution and draws a large crowd for drinks in the park. Music, affordable prices and a refreshing youthful atmosphere. The Pavillon Montsouris, stands in a park of the same name, in the 14th arrondissement, just across from the Cité Universitaire campus. Founded in 1889, it is a listed historic monument and boasts a stunning glass roof.
In the majestic Jardin des Plantes, in the 5th arrondissement, the restaurant Les Belles Plantes is a lovely place for something to eat or drink on a visit to the park or the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. At the Bois de Vincennes, the Chalet des îles Daumesnil is a veritable Swiss chalet located on the île de Reuilly, an exceptional place to enjoy market and seasonal cuisine, after a scenic boat trip on Lac Daumesnil. On the other side of the city, in the Bois de Boulogne, are La Grande Cascade – with a Michelin star - and the Auberge du Bonheur, two charming addresses with refined and traditional cuisine.
Finally, on the edge of Paris, in the Île Saint-Germain park, the restaurant L’Île has a lovely terrace for alfresco dining in the heart of a large garden. A change of scenery guaranteed!
