A meeting that runs over, an appointment coming up and just 30 minutes to grab lunch? No way are we sacrificing pleasure or settling for a sad little sandwich wolfed down in front of a screen. From the Sentier to Rue Sainte-Anne, via the Marché Saint-Honoré, we've tracked down three Paris addresses that give the quick lunch break a whole new appeal. On the menu: seriously satisfying salads, generous smash burgers and customisable onigiri, freshly prepared right before your eyes. Clever concepts and seriously delicious recipes: just the change of scene you need before diving back into the day's hustle.
The Salad Project
The concept: After London, The Salad Project has finally landed in the Sentier neighbourhood, with one clear ambition: to give salads all the indulgence they deserve. Here, you can build your own lunch by choosing from dozens of toppings, or let the house recipes do the work for you. Everything is served in generous bowls that might just make you forget your Tupperware for good.
What to grab on the go: Our favourite? The Caesar Protein Bowl (€14.95), made for gym girls, featuring red rice, spinach, cucumber, Cajun chicken, dukkah sweet potatoes and chipotle Caesar dressing, with almost 80 g of protein. A much heartier take on the classic Caesar salad, and one that kept us full until dinner. If you prefer to create your own, choose from a selection of vegetables, crunchy toppings and delicious sauces (from €10). Pair it all with an Archipel grapefruit and ginger kombucha (€4), then finish on a high note with the Salted Vanilla Matcha + Raspberry Mousse (€4). A fresh new take on the lunch break, all without changing addresses: a real favourite!
The Salad Project, 107 rue Réaumur, Paris 2nd arrondissement. Open daily from 11 am to 9 pm. +33 1 89 29 44 69.
SAINTO
The concept: Just a stone's throw from the Marché Saint-Honoré, SAINTO ticks every box for the kind of lunch spot you'd love to make your regular haunt: generous smash burgers at friendly prices, interiors straight out of our Pinterest boards and a wonderfully welcoming atmosphere. An address that pays just as much attention to its décor as to what goes between the two halves of the bun.
What to grab on the go: The menu keeps things simple with the Original (€12), featuring a double aged beef patty, American cheese, onions, iceberg lettuce, pickles, ketchup and mustard, all tucked into a potato bun. Another tempting option is the Sainto’s Special, served with the house sauce (€12), alongside shoestring fries (€4) or smoked paprika sweet potato fries (€5). Don't leave without trying the delicious Parmesan & pepper lettuce (€5), washing it all down with a peach and hibiscus iced tea (€3.50). And to make the most of your break, finish with a vanilla milk ice cream affogato (€5). Your next appointment can surely wait until after dessert!
SAINTO, 10 rue du Marché-Saint-Honoré, Paris 1st arrondissement. Open Monday to Friday from 11:45 am to 3 pm and 6:30 pm to 10 pm, and Saturday from 11:45 am to 10 pm.
Onigiri Mamma
The concept: Head to Rue Sainte-Anne, where Onigiri Mamma takes your lunch break on a little trip to Japan. For its first location outside the Japanese archipelago, the brand is putting the spotlight on a street-food favourite: the onigiri, a ball of seasoned rice filled with delicious ingredients, wrapped in a sheet of nori and made right before your eyes. The fun part? Choose two ingredients from 25 available fillings to create your perfect combination. Here, you're the chef!
What to grab on the go: If you're spoilt for choice, you can do as we did and leave it to the chef's creations. We're still thinking about the onigiri filled with cooked salmon and cream cheese, whose creamy richness pairs beautifully with the rice; the karaage chicken version, wonderfully comforting; and, best of all, the unexpectedly delicious combination of aged beef and confit egg yolk. Three favourites we'd happily have ordered twice. Between the house recipes and all the combinations waiting to be invented, we're already planning our next order. Turns out a quick lunch break can be pretty wonderful. As for prices: one onigiri and miso soup: €8.50; two onigiri and miso soup: €15; three onigiri and miso soup: €21.50. A set menu with two onigiri, three sides and tea costs €16 to €18, depending on your choice of onigiri.
Onigiri Mamma, 58 bis rue Sainte-Anne, Paris 2nd arrondissement. Open daily from 11:30 am to 8:30 pm. No reservations. +33 1 40 28 48 90.
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