A Museum + a Restaurant: The Winning Combo

Art gallery and museum lovers will agree: nothing beats a great exhibition to whet the appetite! Solution: sit down on-site to prolong the pleasure. Good news: our favorite museums have really stepped up this year, competing with new tables, extraordinary decor, and terraces worthy of a movie, nestled among the iconic pillars of legendary places. Because gastronomy is also an art, here’s a spotlight on the restaurants adjoining the most beautiful cultural venues in the capital.

The museum. A historical neighbor of the Palais de Tokyo, the splendid Musée d’Art Moderne sits along the banks of the Seine in the elegant 16th arrondissement. Right now, you can catch the lovely photo exhibition Virages Vierges by Pauline Curnier Jardin, but it is also the home of masterpieces by great names such as Robert Delaunay, Suzanne Valadon, Modigliani, Louise Bourgeois, and Pierre Soulages. A absolute must-visit, then.

The restaurant. A highly chic ephemeral terrace, open until the end of the sunny season, which feels like it has been transported straight from the South of France to the Trocadéro area. The view of the Eiffel Tower is breathtaking in this lush and relaxed setting that replaces Forest, greened with laurels and lemon trees, and accented with warm, summer-colored orange furniture. It’s the perfect spot to lounge for a sunset apéritif or a romantic date, all while sipping delicious signature cocktails. A must-try to kick off the summer in style!

On the menu: We start with a superb plate of beef cecina (€29) or fried calamari with tartar sauce that brings a holiday-by-the-water vibe (€26). For the main course, the lobster linguine (€105 for 2) is an absolute must-order, unless you prefer the juiciness of a melt-in-your-mouth Chateaubriand with pepper sauce (€49). The more adventurous will succumb to the seasonal dessert of the day, which beautifully closes this elegant open-air meal.

Corail, 11 avenue du président Wilson, Paris 16th. Open daily from 12 pm to 2 am. © Adrien Ozouf

Joli at the Musée Carnavalet

The museum. Did you know that Carnavalet is the oldest museum in the capital? Opened in 1880 within the Carnavalet mansions, it is housed in a building already steeped in French history, as Madame de Sévigné once lived there (no less!). Here, you learn the history of Paris in a venue that has spanned centuries, architectural movements, and seen the greatest names of the past pass through. Right now, we highly recommend the exhibition dedicated to Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, Marquise de Sévigné, which runs until August 24th.

The restaurant. Nestled between two 17th-century private mansions, the Joli restaurant extends into the indoors. But don't worry: the Museum's gardens remain at the heart of the project, more beautiful than ever. Between these mineral columns, climbing ivy, and old-fashioned groves, Joli is a peaceful haven within the walls—quiet, elegant, and romantic all at once. Guests can enjoy the view under the glow of luminous globes floating in the courtyard while savoring summer plates beautifully styled like works of art, mirroring their location. On the menu, French gastronomy classics are reinvented by Chef Youssef Gastli, delighting both the eyes and the palate.

On the menu. Our recommendations? The incredibly melting beef carpaccio, served with Comté cheese and pine nuts (€13), and the yellow gazpacho with Taggiasche olives, as beautiful as it is delicious (€13). For the main course, go for the pork filet mignon with eggplant purée and baby potatoes (€22), or the yellow ratatouille twisted with rhubarb and tofu (€24). For dessert, we fall for a tarte tatin (€14) or the dark chocolate mousse with red miso (€13) for a refreshing finish—a menu crafted by pastry chef Paloma Laguette. It is also hard to resist the cocktails by mixologist Théo Mébarki, who works with spirits and draws inspiration from the garden’s botanical elements with pure elegance and minimalism.

Joli, Musée Carnavalet, 16 rue Francs-Bourgeois, Paris 3rd. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 7 pm to 1 am. © Maki Manoukian

The museum. Is there really any need to praise the merits of the most visited museum in the world, home to legendary masterpieces like The Mona Lisa, The Venus de Milo, or The Raft of the Medusa? Currently, the museum is dedicating a major exhibition to the master sculptors Michelangelo and Rodin, with a single objective: "to make the inner energy of the body visible."

The restaurant. Tucked beneath the museum's iconic pyramid, the charming Café Pyramide offers a lively, authentic, and reinvented bistro menu. Under the leadership of Chef Vivien Durand, guests can taste dishes inspired by the Louvre's collections, featuring short-circuit sourced ingredients. The decor echoes this authentic and ethical spirit: Marguerite Cordelle and Maël Esnoux from Studiokokumi took a gamble on a contemporary, sober, and timeless bistro atmosphere.

On the menu. We open the meal with the essential authentic Paris ham rillettes (€16), accompanied by divine sourdough bread prepared in the neighboring bakery, the Boulangerie du musée. For starters, the sunny weather makes you want to order the gourmet Comté cheese tart (€17) or the potato croquettes with Parmesan (€14). To follow: a romaine salad with balsamic onions, egg, marinated tomato, capers, and Tomme de Savoie cheese (€22). For dessert, there’s no other choice than treating yourself to a beautiful chocolate mousse (€12)! Meanwhile, the lovely fresh milk ice cream with peanut crumble (€11) will be perfect in this summer heat.

Café Pyramide, Pyramide du Louvre, Paris 1st. Open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, except Tuesdays. Late-night openings on Wednesdays and Fridays until 9 pm.

© Philippe Vaurès Santamaria © Lea Boeglin

The museum. Set inside the former Orsay railway station, the magnificent Musée d’Orsay borders the Left Bank and overlooks the Promenade Edouard Glissant. Its specialty? Western art from 1848 to 1914. The museum alone boasts over 400 Impressionist paintings and more than 600 Post-Impressionist works! You can wander through to encounter masterpieces by Manet and Courbet, The Birth of Venus by William Bouguereau, or The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. A absolute must-do (at least) once in a lifetime!

The restaurant. A jewel listed as a historical monument, whose spectacular ceilings are lined with frescoes by Gabriel Ferrier and Benjamin Constant. The bright and colorful pop chairs signed by Jacopo Foggini perfectly match the chandeliers and gilding, while a bar, bench seating, and dessert trolleys in champagne tones complement this new decor. Exceedingly distinguished!

On the menu. Because exploring the immense Musée d’Orsay works up an appetite, Chef Yann Landureau’s menu—paced by the seasons (and the exhibitions!)—takes inspiration from French comfort food classics, reinvented with a stylish touch. To start lunch, the parsley ham from Maison Verot (€21) or the sublime marinated salmon with fresh cheese and blinis (€20). The sautéed hunter-style poultry (€28) hits the spot as a main, but the duck breast with celery mousseline and chips (€29) is an absolute must-order. Since the gorgeous bar is the big new feature, take the opportunity to give in to cocktails like the Boulevardier (Bourbon, Campari, sweet vermouth, €12) or a Lutèce Tonic (laurel, lemon, linden, and gentian, €14).

Restaurant du Musée d’Orsay, 1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur, Paris 7th. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:45 am to 5:30 pm, late-night on Thursday evenings from 7 pm to 9 pm. The restaurant is accessible subject to a museum admission ticket. © Musiam Paris © Philippe Vaures Santamaria

The museum. There are museums you just pass through, and those where you linger. The Grand Palais clearly belongs to the second category. Between its monumental nave, its jaw-dropping Belle Époque architecture, and its always highly-coveted exhibitions, it’s a spot people visit as much to feed their culture. Right now, head over to the exhibition on the work of Henri Matisse, whose luminous pieces offer a colorful getaway.

The restaurant. Driven by Chef Thierry Marx, the upper floor of this historical monument reveals a restaurant open to both museum visitors and locals looking for a gourmet break. The green touches in the decor naturally evoke the building's architecture, while the seasonal menu has been designed with local products and respect for artisanal expertise. People come here from breakfast to afternoon tea, as well as for an intellectual lunch facing the nave of the Grand Palais.

On the menu. The restaurant side displays accessible dishes without skimping on flavor. To start at lunch, the vichyssoise (leek and potato cream soup, €13) delights just as much as the small Parisian salad (ham, organic egg, Comté cheese, seasonal vegetables, and crushed hazelnuts, €14).

For mains, coquillettes pasta with market-herb pesto and hazelnut (€19) or the pleasant duck burger with Comté and fig chutney (€24), before finishing beautifully with the seasonal fruit tart (€13) or, even better, the succulent praline cream chou pastry with chocolate (€15). For early birds catching exhibitions at sunrise, pastries signed by MOF Joël Defives, organic eggs prepared every which way, and tartines with artisanal jams make up the morning offer. On Sundays, you can even enjoy a brunch with eggs, cheeses, and pastries. Finally, on the café side, you can grab a bite from the all-day snacking menu to refuel before exploring every corner of the venue!

Réséda Café - Grand Palais, 3 avenue du Général Eisenhower, Paris 8th. Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm, Friday from 9:30 am to 10 pm, Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm.

Discover also The Best (Free!) Exhibitions in Parisian Galleries and Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely Reopen the Grand Palais.