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. Historic neighbor of the Palais de Tokyo, the splendid Musée d’Art Moderne sits along the Seine in the elegant 16th arrondissement. Currently, you can visit the charming exhibition on Matisse and his daughter, but it’s also home to artworks by great names like Robert Delaunay, Suzanne Valadon, Modigliani, Louise Bourgeois, and Pierre Soulages. A must-see, therefore.

The restaurant. A very chic ephemeral terrace, open until the end of the warm days, seemingly transported from the South of France to the Trocadéro. The Eiffel Tower view is breathtaking in this lush and relaxed setting replacing Forest, adorned with laurels and lemon trees and tinted with furniture in summery orange hues. It’s perfect for a sunset aperitif or a romantic date, while enjoying delicious signature cocktails. A must-try to kick off summer with style!

On the menu: Start with a superb plate of beef cecina (€25) or clams in white wine and coriander sauce evoking holidays with feet in the water (€26). For the main, the lobster linguine (€90 for two) is a must-order, unless you prefer the juicy Chateaubriand with a tender pepper sauce (€49). The bold will indulge in a pistachio-vanilla millefeuille (€12) or the seasonal dessert of the day to conclude this elegant open-air meal.

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

The museum. Did you know Carnavalet is the oldest museum in the capital? Opened in 1880 in the Carnavalet mansions, it occupies a building already steeped in French history, since Madame de Sévigné once lived there (just that!). It tells the story of Paris in a place that has spanned centuries, architectural movements, and hosted great names from the past. Currently, we recommend the exhibition Le Paris d’Agnès Varda, de-ci, de-là, running until August 24.

The restaurant. Nestled between two 17th-century mansions, the former summer terrace Fabula has made way for Joli, a restaurant now extending indoors. Don’t worry: the museum’s gardens remain at the heart of the project, more beautiful than ever. Among these mineral columns, climbing ivy, and old-fashioned groves, Joli is a peaceful haven indoors, both calm and romantic. Enjoy the view under floating luminous balloons in the courtyard, savoring summery plates arranged like works of art, matching its location. On the menu are French gastronomic classics reimagined by chef Issac Romero, trained in Tokyo, who isn’t afraid to twist chic bistro recipes with Japanese inspirations.

On the menu. Our recommendations? The perfectly melting eggplant caramelized with miso (€12), the beautiful and tasty sea bream crudo with raspberry and red pepper (€18), and the flowering peaches. For the main, go for the pork belly confit, possibly the best in Paris (€22), or the smoked whole coquelet for two, perfectly paired with its mirabelle plum jus (€56). For dessert, indulge in a vanilla and lime fraisier (€18) or the vegan red fruit nage (€16) to finish on a refreshing note, a menu signed by pastry chef Paloma Laguette. It’s hard to resist the cocktails by mixologist Clément Brousset, who crafts spirits inspired by the garden’s plant elements.

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

The museum. Former museum palace of the Duchess of Galliera, the Palais Galliera stands on the Chaillot hill in the heart of the 16th arrondissement. Today it’s THE fashion museum and hotspot for fashion lovers in Paris. It currently hosts Rick Owens’ first Parisian exhibition, showcasing the most emblematic pieces of the genius of anti-fashion and king of transgression.

The restaurant. At the foot of the Palace, in a tree-lined square facing the Eiffel Tower, it’s hard (impossible?) to find a more wonderful location than Les Petites Mains, the ephemeral terrace of Paris’ most fashionable museum. This year, chef Youssef Gastli has set up here to deliver a French bistronomic menu with Tunisian inspirations from his childhood. Our favorite spot? Under the columns, at the top of the stairs, overlooking the garden with an insane panorama of the Iron Lady.

On the menu. Flavors are taken seriously on this lovely terrace! Pea velouté with shrimp crudo and marinated peaches (€20) or sea bream tartare served on pineapple tomato (€18) are essential starters. Then succumb to the yellow pollock steak cooked in white wine (€33) or the grilled duck breast on the plancha with cherry poultry jus (€28). Back to comforting basics with classic desserts reimagined by Paloma Laguette like the surprising red miso chocolate mousse with puffed rice or the tahini Paris-Brest (€16). For a toast: the ultra-dark Espresso-Négroni pays tribute to Rick Owens and echoes the palette of the Temple of Love creator. Did someone say couture?

Les Petites Mains, 10 Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie. Lunch Tuesday to Friday 12pm to 2:30pm, weekends 12pm to 4pm. Dinner Tuesday to Saturday by reservation 7:30pm to 10pm.
© Maki Manoukian - Pierre Lucet Penato

The museum. Is it really necessary to praise the merits of the world’s most visited museum, home to legendary works such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and The Raft of the Medusa? Currently, the museum is hosting a major exhibition on the Mamluks, military slaves turned sovereigns, who ruled Egypt and Syria with military power from the 13th to the 16th century.

The restaurant. Nestled beneath the museum’s iconic pyramid, the charming Café Pyramide offers a lively and authentic bistro menu. Under the guidance of chef Vivien Durand, dishes are inspired by the Louvre’s collections, using locally sourced ingredients. The decor reflects this authentic and ethical spirit: Marguerite Cordelle and Maël Esnoux from Studiokokumi have created a contemporary, sober, and timeless bistro atmosphere.

On the menu. Start the meal with the essential Prince de Paris rillettes (€16), accompanied by divine sourdough bread baked next door at the museum’s bakery. For starters, the sunny days invite ordering the citrus leeks (€15), but after visiting the current exhibition, the Mamluk-style chickpea stew is especially tempting. Then follow with a salad of confit chicken, duck gizzards, potato grattons, and mushrooms (€24), or a confit duck leg (€30). For dessert, there’s no choice but to enjoy a good piece of Alain Ducasse’s chocolate tart (€16)! The fresh milk ice cream with peanut crumble (€11) will be perfect for the summer heat.

Café Pyramide, Louvre Pyramid, Paris 1st. Open daily 9am to 6pm except Tuesdays. Late nights Wednesdays and Fridays until 9pm.
© Philippe Vaurès Santamaria © Lea Boeglin

The museum. Located in the former Gare d’Orsay, the magnificent Musée d’Orsay borders the left bank and overlooks the Edouard Glissant promenade. Its specialty? Western art from 1848 to 1914. The museum alone holds more than 400 Impressionist paintings and over 600 Post-Impressionist works! Wander to see masterpieces by Manet and Courbet, William Bouguereau’s The Birth of Venus, or Van Gogh’s Starry Night. A must-do at least once in your life!

The restaurant. A jewel classified as a historic monument with spectacular ceilings painted by Gabriel Ferrier and Benjamin Constant. The colorful pop chairs by Jacopo Foggini perfectly match the chandeliers and gilding, complemented by a bar, banquettes, and dessert servers in champagne hues. Simply exquisite!

On the menu. Because roaming the vast Musée d’Orsay works up an appetite, chef Yann Landureau’s seasonal menu (and inspired by exhibitions!) takes classic French comfort food and adds a chic twist. Start lunch with foie gras and toasted brioche (€21) or the very fresh salmon, avocado, and grapefruit tart (€19). A nice chicken vol-au-vent (€28) makes a perfect main, but the duck breast with Morello cherries, chanterelles, and Swiss chard (€29) is a must-order. The beautiful bar is the big novelty, so indulge in cocktails like the Paris-Orléans (Bourbon, Amaretto, Bitters, lemon, rosemary, €13) or a Zaza Dubonnet (Gin, Dubonnet, lemon, €13).

Restaurant of the Musée d’Orsay, 1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur, Paris 7th. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11:45am to 5:30pm, late opening Thursday evenings 7pm to 9pm.
Entry to the restaurant requires museum admission.
© Musiam Paris © Philippe Vaurès Santamaria

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