Paris has many restaurants with a garden which offer a relaxing break away from the hectic pace of city life. These hidden green oases provide the perfect setting to enjoy fine dining in exceptionally idyllic surroundings. Whether you’re looking for a Michelin-starred restaurant in an 18th-century townhouse, a restaurant tucked away in the heart of a Parisian museum, or a hidden gem at the end of a secret courtyard, the French capital offers unique culinary experiences in leafy locations.
‘Before the cuisine, there is nature’, says Alain Ducasse … One of the world’s most celebrated Michelin-starred chefs celebrates his two passions in a single venue, the Jardin Ducasse Baccarat, during the summer months. This elegant townhouse has a secluded garden and terrace - a delightful oasis. The entrance is via a classic Parisian entrance hall (originally designed to allow horse-drawn carriages to enter) furnished with display cases showcasing exceptional handcrafted pieces from the Vosges-based factory and works by artists, such as the giant crystal chandelier by Harry Nuriev that hangs above the majestic central staircase.
In the garden, beneath the chestnut and lime trees, and among vines and wisteria, and kiwi and hop plants, Alain Ducasse, Christophe Saintagne and Robin Schroeder offer a light gourmet menu: French toast with blue lobster and fennel (€48), burrata with courgettes and mint (€24), barbecued yoghurt-marinated cockerel, milk-fed lamb shoulder confit with herbs… The desserts (strawberry and marjoram tart (€18), apricot clafoutis) are served at a small table. Throughout the day, you can relax with a drink (served in a Baccarat crystal glass, of course) or enjoy afternoon tea in a rustic setting. On Sundays, brunch (€85) is served at your table. Opening onto the terrace, the Bar is open all day and offers a creative cocktail menu.
On the other side of the garden, redesigned by landscape gardener Jérémie Attali, the Orangerie is in a secluded spot, away from prying eyes, a true haven of biodiversity in a setting (with limited watering and manual maintenance), where you can discover plants that were once native to the Paris region but which have become rare, such as the Tauzin oak.
Open daily from midday to midnight.
📍Ducasse Baccarat - 11, place des Etats-Unis, Paris 16th
In 2004, chef Jean-Pierre Vigato transformed a former bank into a Michelin-starred restaurant in this townhouse overlooking a garden at 137 Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Since 2018, it is Mathieu Pacaud - son of the renowned Bernard Pacaud, at L’Ambroisie, in Place des Vosges - who is the resident chef. You enter via a tree-lined driveway featuring works of art, and find yourself, in the heart of Paris, in the atmosphere of a chic country house, surrounded by a bucolic 1,500 m² garden. Complete with large parasols, a stone fountain, hydrangeas, jasmine and climbing plants, wrought-iron furniture and elegant cushions, and a perfectly manicured lawn, lunch promises sunshine and tranquillity in this elegant garden, much like the menu itself. Awarded a Michelin star, the Apicius restaurant offers high-end cuisine and dishes that look like works of art.
Samples from the menu: Roasted lobster with ginger butter, fresh peas with onion and Madras curry (€90), Black truffle in a thin puff pastry tart, pearl onions confit with country bacon, black pepper soufflé (€85), Paris-Brest (€30).
Open from Monday to Saturday, at lunchtime and dinnertime. Four-course menu (€180). Six-course menu (€220).
📍Apicius - 20 rue d’Artois, Paris 8th
Who would imagine that behind this contemporary building is a large garden! It’s the kind of secret spot we love in Paris. At the heart of the Faubourg Montmartre, the hotel - whose interior design, created by Swedish architect Martin Brudnizki, draws inspiration from the world of plants - has extended its terrace into a large open-air garden with upholstered seating. Embellished with shrubs, camellias and magnolias, and illuminated by lanterns in the evening, the garden is an integral part of the dining area: discreet tables are tucked away beneath a leafy pergola, along the paved path. The restaurant offers a gourmet menu featuring seasonal produce and colourful, generously portioned dishes. Enjoy a relaxing meal on the veranda or al fresco on sunny days. For a late-night drink, take the lift to the rooftop bar, Le Bar sur Le Toit, which also has a large outdoor terrace planted with lemon trees and flowers (open from 5pm to 1am in the morning).
Samples from the menu: Lobster tartare (€35), linguine with clams (€29), pecan soufflé tart (€13).
Open daily at lunchtime and dinnertime. Two-course lunch set menu, from Monday to Friday (€29).
📍La Fantaisie - 24 rue Cadet, Paris 9th
A charming 19th-century townhouse, the 5 Particulier offers a secluded, verdant space with a terrace covering over 100 m², surrounded by greenery and dotted with tables, which opens out onto a large garden. Casetta features seasonal produce with a special lunch menu that changes weekly. Colourful dishes, fine ingredients and delicate flavours are on the menu. At the end of the day, relax on one of the comfy sofas and treat yourself to one of a selection of signature, classic or non-alcoholic cocktails. This elegant half-timbered hotel, dating from 1865 and fully renovated in 2021 by Studio Friedman & Versace, has 29 rooms. Its lovely private garden offers a pleasant escape, just a few minutes from La Défense, the Palais des Congrès de Paris, the Jardin d’Acclimatation and the Fondation Louis Vuitton.
Samples from the menu: Scaloppina di Vitello €33), crudos (€20), citron en texture (€14).
Open daily at lunchtime and dinnertime, cocktail bar from 3.30pm to midnight.
📍Casetta - Hôtel le 5 Particulier - 5 rue Paul Déroulède, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine
On the heights of Montmartre, a few steps from Sacré-Cœur, this haven of peace, far from the crowds, is well worth the effort! You have to ring the bell at the main gate at 23 avenue Junot, before reaching the private cul-de-sac known as the ‘passage de la sorcière’ (named after the spring that once flowed there), then passing the large rock surrounded by random cobblestones from the city’s past and now raised up by surrounding vegetation, before coming to a second gate. Behind it lies a delightful garden, surrounding a very chic early 19th-century residence offering five suites, each unique and with highly theatrical interior design. Open in summer, the garden, with its fountain, cobblestones and gravel, white wrought-iron tables with burgundy cushions, white tablecloths, century-old trees and parasols, was spotted in ‘Emily in Paris’. The ‘Très Particulier’ restaurant specializing in home-style and traditional cuisine, serves breakfast from 8am, afternoon tea and brunch at the weekend (€65). It also has a bar on the mezzanine level. The establishment is labelled ‘maitre restaurateur’ and ‘Collège Culinaire de France’.
Samples from the menu: Chef’s pâté en croûte for two (€17), homemade potato gnocchi, spinach purée, pan-fried mushrooms (€26), Montblanc (€12).
Open daily at lunchtime and dinnertime. Lunch from Monday to Friday in two dishes (€25).
📍Hôtel particulier Montmartre - 23 avenue Junot, Pavillon D, Paris 18th
In the Marais district, at the Musée Carnavalet, which traces the history of Paris, the bistro Joli has an outdoor terrace, open in the summer, among the illustrious buildings that were once the residence of the Comtesse de Sévigné. The large terrace is set amidst a French formal garden inspired by fashionable 17th-century designs, featuring geometric flowerbeds and trimmed boxwood, flowers and lawns, colonnades and ivy-covered Renaissance façades. A journey back in time! Orchestrated by chef Youssef Gastli (Lucas Carton, Le Meurice, Yannick Alléno), the sun-kissed and colourful cuisine focuses on indulgent brasserie-style dishes: in summer, guests share small platters and enjoy the fish menu (Arctic char, pike-perch, whole organic sea bass). For dessert, pastry chef Paloma Laguette proposes delicious creations, whilst mixologist Théo Mébarki crafts creative cocktails (poached pear, mandarin daiquiri) using homemade syrups and infusions, as well as French spirits.
Samples from the menu: terrine de campagne (€12), scallops with root vegetable purée (€32), Chai-spiced tarte tatin (€12).
Lunch from Tuesday to Sunday, dinner from Tuesday to Saturday.
📍Musée Carnavalet - 16 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, Paris 4th
What a surprise! An exotic garden in the middle of an interior courtyard of the Petit Palais. Filled with palm trees, banana trees, tropical plants, acanthus, a fountain and water features, the decor was designed by the monument’s architect, Charles Girault, when it was built in 1900 for the Exposition Universelle. The seasonal savoury menu, created by the head chef, Amandine Chaignot (Pouliche, Café de Luce, Rosy & Maria, etc.), is served in the shade beneath the marble colonnades and mosaics, overlooking the semi-circular garden. A haven of serenity for enjoying a croque-feuilleté, a mixed salad, the dish of the day and desserts by Claire Heitzler (Paris-Brest, Racine au chocolat, etc.).
*Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5.30pm. Late-night opening on Fridays and Saturdays until 7.30pm during temporary exhibitions. Freely accessible without a ticket to the exhibitions; open to museum visitors and passers-by. Breakfast (€10), lunch menu (€25), tea-time (€12). *
📍Café 1902 - Petit Palais - Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris - 2 avenue Winston Churchill, Paris 8th
On the hills in Meudon, in the state-owned forest, overlooking the Bassin de Chalais - designed by André Le Nôtre - Hangar Y offers a unique opportunity to experience contemporary art and nature. Set within a 10-hectare park dotted with artworks, the restaurant Les Roseaux is a hidden gem surrounded by greenery. At the helm in the kitchen, Christophe Saintagne (chef of Ducasse Baccarat and ex-Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice) and Laura Portelli (ex-Ledoyen, Rech, Plaza Athénée) serve home-style, gourmet cuisine in a seasonal menu. Housed in a timber-framed building with views of the surrounding countryside, the restaurant has a waterside terrace and large picture windows so guests can fully enjoy the view. Visitors can explore the constantly evolving art trail in the park on foot or by bike, and discover Hangar Y - the first airship hangar, dating from 1878 - which houses an impressive collection of contemporary art.
Samples from the menu: Puff pastry pork pie (€13), roasted cauliflower with mild spices (€22), apple, pear and raisin crumble (€12).
Free entry to the park upon presentation of restaurant booking. Two-course lunch (€29) from Wednesday to Saturday. Sunday lunch and public holidays (€49). Tearoom and cocktails Friday and Saturday (from 4pm to 5.30pm) and dinner Friday and Saturday. Guinguette Open from April to the end of September: Thursday and Friday evenings, Saturday during the day and in the evening, and Sunday during the day. DJ sets on Friday and Saturday.
📍Hangar Y - 9, avenue de Trivaux, 92190 Meudon
Café A, opposite Gare de l’Est, is a lively and creative restaurant tucked away within the former Récollets convent, which now houses the ‘Regional Council of the Order of Architects’ and the ‘Maison de l’Architecture’. Out on the big wooden terrace, surrounded by bamboo and greenery at tables sheltered from both rain and sun, chef José Ribeiro serves up simple dishes with an exotic twist. Service begins at breakfast, continuing through to lunch (a two-course set menu for €19.50) and brunch (€28) at the weekend. In the evening, the atmosphere becomes increasingly lively, lasting well into the night.
Samples from the menu: croquetas (€16), sausage purée (€17), pad-thaï (€19).
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 2am; Monday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 2am; Monday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
📍Café A - 148, rue du faubourg-saint-Martin, Paris 10th
The setting: large bay windows opening onto the garden, a veranda bathed in sunlight, and outside, the terrace extends into the gardens (trimmed boxwood, neatly mown lawns, tall trees), shaded by large white parasols. To access the restaurant and bar, guests are required to become temporary members of the Maison de l’Amérique Latine, though the membership fee is a symbolic €1. The menu features exotic dishes (pork trotter croquettes, honey and spices (€8), guacamole tortilla, Iberian Bellota ham, barbecued rib of beef (€120 for 1kg) and, for dessert, a famous lemon cream with limoncello-flavoured candyfloss.
Open Monday to Friday, at lunchtime and dinnertime. Three-course lunch menu (€51), two-course lunch menu (€44).
📍Maison de l’Amérique latine - 217 boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 7th
This well-known Champs-Elysées establishment, surrounded by the Marigny gardens, was given a makeover in 2023 by Laurent de Gourcuff and his group Paris Society specializing in addresses for night owls. Swept up by this new wave, Laurent - once a very staid business restaurant - has been transformed into a vibrant, contemporary venue where people dance on the tables come nightfall. Guests must produce some identification and adhere to a strict, non-negotiable dress code to gain entry. Set in lush greenery, this historic pavilion resembles a grand Côte d’Azur villa and its interiors have been beautifully redecorated by the group’s artistic director, Cordélia de Castellane. Guests can relax in large armchairs beneath pastel-coloured parasols, listening to the gentle splashing of the fountain, surrounded by pink and lilac hydrangeas and tall trees. On the menu, the appetizers are perfect for those with a small appetite (Pata Negra, tarama, anchovies, gougère, caviar), and the menu features a range of raw dishes and seafood (Brest scallops served as carpaccio (€29), black cod (€45), lobster salad (€140)), as well as fine cuts of meat (roast duck breast, whole roast chicken (€140). In keeping with a quintessentially French tradition, desserts are still served from the trolley (€25).
Open daily at lunchtime and dinnertime, from noon to midnight. Three-course lunch menu (€80).
📍Laurent - 41 avenue Gabriel, Paris 8th
On the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, the restaurant La Grande Cascade is named after a waterfall - artificial but magical, as you can pass behind the falls. Situated opposite the Paris Longchamp racecourse, with a large garden, its unique architecture features Belle Epoque and Art Nouveau decor. Recognizable by an imposing corolla-shaped canopy, La Grande Cascade is a temple of French gastronomy. The style is grandiose: crystal chandeliers, wood panelling, gilding, mirrors, private rooms and a splendid glass veranda opening out onto the woods. This Michelin-starred restaurant is run by chef Frédéric Robert, whose ‘signature’ dishes include the famous black truffle macaroni au gratin with foie gras and celery (starter, €88), flamed veal sweetbreads (€98), praline and vanilla mille-feuille (€28), and a wine list featuring over 500 wines.
Open daily at lunchtime and dinnertime. A three-course market menu is served daily for lunch and dinner (€99).
📍La Grande Cascade - Allée de Longchamps, Bois de Boulogne, Paris 16th
Situated in the public park Anne-de-Kiev, home to remarkable trees, the charming Club House - Maison Blanche restaurant, close to the Blanc-Mesnil golf course, offers a delightful break in bucolic surroundings filled with birdsong. This elegant venue charms guests with its atmosphere: white tablecloths, plates arranged like works of art, and a lounge area with comfortable sofas and armchairs. The terrace is surrounded by lawned areas, bushes and orange trees and shaded from the sun by parasols. Chef Mickaël Poyault offers contemporary, creative and inspired gourmet cuisine that focuses on land-and-sea pairings, as well as vegetables and spices.
Samples from the menu: Haddock milk, burrata, grapefruit, horseradish (€20), Veal, seaweed beurre blanc, artichoke, watercress and broccoli, brousse cheese (€33), Chocolate in two textures, gavotte, black lemon ice cream (€14).
Open Wednesday and Thursday for lunch, and Friday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Three-course lunch menu (€44).
📍Club House - Maison Blanche - 260, avenue Descartes, 93150 Le Blanc Mesnil
Perched high above Suresnes on the slopes of Mont-Valérien, the restaurant Au Père Lapin is the oldest-established restaurant in the Hauts-de-Seine. Housed in a beautiful building surrounded by a garden terrace with flowers and trees, it is a true rural retreat. Chef Guillaume Delage, who has worked in some of the finest restaurants (Michel Bras, Frédéric Anton, Pierre Gagnaire), serves up hearty, rustic home-style cooking (veal kidneys, frogs’ legs, rib of beef), whilst co-owner Johann Caillot ensures a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the dining room. The à la carte menu features traditional dishes with a modern twist, an eclectic wine list, and, in warm weather, a barbecue on the terrace. Au Père Lapin has a long history closely linked to that of Paris. In the days when the capital imposed a tax on the import and consumption of wine within its boundaries, Parisians would head out of the city centre to enjoy the cheaper white wine from the Suresnes vineyards - which still produce wine today - before sitting down to eat at the Au Père Lapin inn, inaugurated in 1861. Its name is linked to the construction of the Fort du Mont-Valérien (well worth a visit): the many labourers brought in to dig its tunnels were nicknamed ‘the rabbits’. As a nod to this monument and those who built it, the restaurant continues to offer rabbit on the menu: as a terrine (€12), as rillettes (€10), as saddle of rabbit (€25.50), etc.
Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, and on Sundays for lunch. Three-course lunch menu (€38).
📍Au Père Lapin - 10, rue du Calvaire 92150 Suresnes
A peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, Villa9Trois is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Seine-Saint-Denis - since 2023. Guests enter via a large, tree-lined park with a private car park, set behind high walls and a wrought-iron gate. Opposite this grand 19th-century villa is a wooden terrace with banquettes covered in soft cushions, wicker armchairs and white tablecloths, surrounded by bamboo plants and lit in the evening with pretty lanterns. On request, guests can take a tour of the citrus greenhouse, the chicken coop, the vegetable garden and the beehives. Chef, Sylvain Grosjean draws on his Mediterranean roots in the kitchen, whilst his wife, Julia, oversees this charming restaurant with a green vibe. Following stints at Villa Madie in Cassis, L’Ambroisie, L’Apicius and the Domaine de Murtoli, the chef serves sunny, fresh and freshly prepared dishes, accompanied by estate wines and, for after-dinner drinks, an excellent selection of whiskies, and rums.
Samples from the menu: Bouillabaisse, poached egg and aniseed sabayon (€24), smoked veal sweetbreads with garrigue herbs (€54), hazelnut and coffee mousse (€25).
Open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Lunch menu (€49). Six-course tasting menu (€149).
📍Villa9Trois - 71 rue Hoche, 93100 Montreuil
More info on Villa9Trois
On sunny days, the terraces of Parisian cafés, restaurants and tea rooms are hugely popular with locals and visitors. And there's plenty to choose from in every district: the Marais, Montmartre, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Champs-Élysées, the Latin Quarter...!
Browse our selection of the capital’s most beautiful terraces to find that special place you simply mustn’t miss, a hidden gem where you can sit back and relax, or a spot known only to locals where you can soak up the Parisian way of life.
