12 Chic Addresses Around Place Vendôme

The Louvre, Rue Saint-Honoré, the Tuileries... It's hard to get more touristy than the bustling heart of the capital, which houses true gems of French heritage. True Parisians also know that, from Palais-Royal to Vendôme, you can dine in the most beautiful tea rooms and the most prodigious restaurants of the moment, between two breathtaking cultural visits. 

Location? The corner of Rue Saint-Roch and Avenue de l'Opéra, where Thierry Gillier, founder of Zadig & Voltaire, has set up his first 5-star hotel in the former headquarters of the brand. Let's explore a place that is generating excitement... If we were to pitch the atmosphere? A place that is both chic and effortlessly cool, reminiscent of the social and laid-back spirit of Château Marmont and the unmistakable style of Chiltern Firehouse in London. A striking name, a classified facade that stands out from afar, a carpet recognizable on Instagram, a unique service, a fashionable brasserie, 32 sublime rooms with design built to last: no wonder the fashion world has made it their headquarters.

Château Voltaire, 55 Rue Saint-Roch, Paris 1st. Rooms from €630.

Attention to fashion enthusiasts and fashion addicts eager for new finds: the concept store La Chambre has recently opened a stone's throw from the Tuileries Gardens. Designed like a department store, the space is divided into several corners spread over 150 m² where heritage brands coexist with young eco-responsible labels. Among the lucky ones chosen, you'll find the seventies tailoring of Pallas, the upcycled creations of Françoise, the customizable shoes from Chamberlan, the vintage selection from Bygone Days, the fancy jewelry from Hypso, and the ready-to-wear brand The Ethiquette.

La Chambre, 5 Rue Rouget de Lisle, Paris 1st. Françoise Polo €320.

It's a very discreet address that you may have never heard of. Yet, adorned with two stars, Philip Chronopoulos's table deserves to be lingered over for a sunny lunch in the most beautiful garden in Paris. The menu calmly unfolds divine dishes with Mediterranean accents, including a memorable monkfish - saffron - broad bean - kaffir... to the substantial sweets that must be finished so as not to offend, like at the grandmas in the South! We gladly succumb...

Palais-Royal Restaurant, 110 Galerie de Valois, Paris 1st. Lunch menu €145.

© Virginie Garnier / Butterfly and Angelina

Sébastien Gaudard : The meeting place for stylish ladies is none other than this gourmet boudoir with a very Vendôme spirit that Sébastien Gaudard, the talented pastry chef from Rue des Martyrs, opened facing the Tuileries... His specialty? The art of reconnecting with the old-school French tea room tradition, like a retro-hype journey back in time... Among the delicacies as delicate as they are regressive, our sweet obsession is a caramelized cabbage filled with light cream puff pastry and topped with crunchy caramel. Another must-try is the unanimously acclaimed Paris-Brest! 3 Rue des Pyramides, Paris 1st. Caramelized cabbage €8.20.

Maison Verlet : Upstairs in this Downton Abbey-style setting is an ultra-cozy lounge, ideal for chatting quietly away from prying ears. Here, the signature drink is a grand cru coffee roasted artisanally nearby, in their own Palais-Royal roastery. Among our guilty pleasures to honor an epic iced latte: homemade waffles with whipped cream and chocolate sauce, a caramel Fontainebleau, or a pavlova with red fruits, mmmh! 256 Rue Saint Honoré, Paris 1st. Viennese coffee €6.50.

Café Kitsuné : Mandatory stop at the mini coffee shop of the fox-branded brand, located right in front of the Palais-Royal garden, under the arcade of the Montpensier gallery. Just to pass the time in the (sometimes long) queue, discreetly observe the incognito stars hiding behind their Ray-Bans while waiting for their specialty coffee, flat white, or chai latte. We also order a carrot cake as an accompaniment, unless we decide to come back for lunch and devour a cheeky sando chicken katsu and mayo. 51 Galerie de Montpensier, Paris 1st. Matcha latte €6.

Angelina : It's the most iconic tea room in Paris, established in 1903 on Rue de Rivoli and former headquarters of Gabrielle Chanel. The myth is so enduring, and the Art Nouveau decor so fabulous, that we willingly indulge in touristy activities at least once in our lives... and why not more? While reservations are no longer possible, we sneak in at tea time to taste the house's must-haves: a perfect club sandwich, a Mont-Blanc with chestnut (the signature pastry), a millefeuille, or an eclair, not to mention the hot chocolate with whipped cream that needs no introduction. 226 Rue de Rivoli, Paris 1st. Tea time €25. Hot chocolate €8.90.

Butterfly Pâtisserie : It's hard to be friendlier than Crillon's pastry chef Matthieu Carlin, whose beautiful cakes and ice creams delight us all year round, and who recently opened Butterfly, his adorable and cocotte-like tea room. Birds, butterflies, woodwork, marble tables, and pretty sofas: welcome to a decor worthy of Alice in Wonderland! Among the delights to order for a 5-star snack, on-site or to go: a rhubarb tart, a vanilla Tahitian and milk jam millefeuille, an incredible marbled flan and hazelnut praline, or a strawberry and orange blossom charlotte, mmmh... We complement it with a particularly comforting old-fashioned hot chocolate or an airy latte. 10 Place de la Concorde, Paris 8th. Hot chocolate €15.

For those bored with the usual food scene who thought they had seen it all. Let's spoil the cool combo: a unique surprise menu, a beautifully vaulted cellar, and an ultra-chill service. Bingo! It must be said that Chef Matan Zaken had always dreamed of a gourmet restaurant where all the chefs would each bring a dish to the dining room to tell a blind menu, changing according to market arrivals: smoked eel, foie gras, onion and turnip broth, seaweed and wild garlic asparagus, blue lobster artichoke... Up to the signature dessert: an incredible bowl of puffed and toasted cereals. When do we come back?

Nhome, 41 Rue de Montpensier, Paris 1st. Unique menu €115, wine pairing €65.

It's the experience to try once in your life in Paris: put on your prettiest stilettos and sit on a leather chair at Bar Hemingway at the Ritz for a drink in a palace from another time... It must be said that if the Ritz, led by the genius mixologist Romain de Courcy, seduces cocktail connoisseurs with ultra-sophisticated drinks, we love the padded decor of this club-style bar that was the headquarters of the wandering author. Anne-Sophie Prestail improvises custom cocktails that never disappoint, to accompany with hot dogs and mini hamburgers. Our recommendation? Since the bar doesn't take reservations, we suggest aiming for dinner hours to secure a table.

Bar Hemingway at Ritz Paris, 15 Place Vendôme, Paris 1st. Cocktails €35.

© Bernhard Winkelmann

This chic brasserie, nestled in a street where Alfred de Musset lived, ticks all the boxes: a Mondrian-style decor and a gourmet and refined bistronomic cuisine. The chef reinvents the great classics of bourgeois bistro cuisine and ensures pleasure from the start with chive mimosa eggs or a lively seasonal vegetable tatin, before a juicy beef fillet with pepper and whiskey sauce. In the realm of sweetness, be sure not to let the delicate White Dunes with chocolate sauce slip away.

Alfred, 8 Rue du Mont-Thabor, Paris 1st. Beef fillet €33.

Your date won't believe it. Head to the Normandy hotel, renamed "Le Chantier" as it remains open during renovations. Behind a hidden door, just go down a narrow spiral staircase (watch out for heels) to discover Rehab, the most cutting-edge and desirable speakeasy of the moment. In a cozy and sensual setting, sit on an antique opium bed to sip incredible cocktails that come with a real show featuring smoke, infusions, doubled glasses, superb garnishes, and unique flavors, including some potions with CBD...

Rehab, 7 Rue de l’Echelle, Paris 1st. Cocktails €17.

At Place de la Concorde, the former Crown furniture depository takes on the appearance of a Parisian palace. After serving as the Ministry of the Navy, this high place of French chic and know-how has returned to its original vocation, now housing an office, dining room, apartments, and bathrooms reflecting the lifestyle of the 18th-century aristocracy. A must-visit again and again, especially after indulging in breakfast at Café Lapérouse, at the entrance.

Hôtel de la Marine, 2 Place de la Concorde, Paris 8th. Full price €17.

Also, discover the best addresses in the 16th arrondissement and the must-know hot spots in Batignolles.