The secret Paris restaurants where Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Natalie Portman like to dine
Some restaurants in Paris appear in no official guide, yet they draw the world’s biggest stars week after week. From Rihanna to Pedro Pascal, Natalie Portman to Dua Lipa, these addresses share one thing in common: they know how to keep their secrets while satisfying an exceptionally demanding clientele. Here’s how to spot them, and, more importantly, what to order once you’re seated.
The Italian and Japanese tables that stars can’t resist
Let’s start with the two most glamorous and most under-the-radar addresses in the capital. Siena, located at 35, place du Marché Saint-Honoré in the 1st arrondissement, is arguably the most spectacular Italian table in Paris. Its signature dish, cacio e pepe pasta served directly inside a wheel of pecorino, was practically made for social media. The guest list speaks for itself: Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Tim Burton, Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, Jeff Bezos, Pharrell Williams and the entire Kardashian clan have all made their way here.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Yen cultivates a demanding minimalism just steps from the Café de Flore, at 22, rue Saint-Benoît in the 6th. This Japanese address has become the go-to for the grandes dames of French cinema: Sandrine Kiberlain, Léa Seydoux, Monica Bellucci and Emmanuelle Devos meet here for working lunches. Must-orders: the hand-rolled soba noodles made on the premises and the fried slices of Iberian pork, whose reputation needs no introduction.
Another Italian table worth knowing among Paris restaurants, Cibus operates in a register entirely different from Siena. Tucked away at 5, rue Molière in the 1st arrondissement, this micro-trattoria relies on flattering low lighting, polished wood panelling and a garlic-free kitchen. It is the best-kept secret of Paris’s art and fashion elite. Natalie Portman, Tilda Swinton and designer Haider Ackermann are among its regulars. On the menu, the lemon escalope, puntarelle salad and fennel ice cream are all worth the trip.
Bistros and counters where French cuisine reclaims its glory
Bistrot des Tournelles, at 6, rue des Tournelles in the 4th, embodies the fantasy of old-school French cooking, which is precisely what international stars seek out when passing through the capital. Dua Lipa and Rosalía have both been spotted here. Rosalía, in particular, is said to have gone for the croque-monsieur. The cordon-bleu and the natural wine selection round out a menu designed for lovers of classics done right.
In the 11th arrondissement, Le Servan (32, rue Saint-Maur) has established itself as one of the finest Paris restaurants for those in search of a cross-cultural bistro kitchen. Hollywood actor Pedro Pascal dines here incognito. The dish to remember: raw marinated sardines served with toasted brioche and smoked chilli butter, a combination that perfectly captures the spirit of the house.
- Yen, 22, rue Saint-Benoît, Paris-6e: house-made soba and fried Iberian pork
- Bistrot des Tournelles, 6, rue des Tournelles, Paris-4e: cordon-bleu and natural wines
- Le Servan, 32, rue Saint-Maur, Paris-11e: raw marinated sardines, brioche, smoked butter
- Cibus, 5, rue Molière, Paris-1er: lemon escalope and fennel ice cream
- Siena, 35, place du Marché Saint-Honoré, Paris-1er: cacio e pepe inside the pecorino wheel
Two Parisian institutions where history meets celebrity gossip
Le Voltaire, at 27, quai Voltaire in the 7th, is one of those Paris restaurants whose décor and service have barely changed in over a century. It was long the headquarters of literary figures and aesthetes such as Jean d’Ormesson, Patrick Modiano and Pierre Bergé. The divas of the 1990s, Danielle Steel and Madonna chief among them, then gave it a new social life. More recently, it has welcomed star couples: Dua Lipa and Callum Turner, as well as Brad Pitt and Inès de Ramon. The menu spans a striking price range, from an œuf mayo at 90 centimes to a grilled beef cut at €105 for two.
Finally, Bar des Prés, at 25, rue du Dragon in the 6th, is a counter restaurant by Cyril Lignac. You come here to see and be seen, over a menu that puts raw fish front and centre. The regulars are a mixed crowd: Géraldine Nakache, Lily Collins and Jaden Smith. The standout dish remains the flambéed Otoro sushi, made from the fattiest and most delicate cut of bluefin tuna, lifted with a yuzu kosho. These discreet addresses prove that the capital’s finest tables know how to balance secrecy with excellence, two qualities that stars and food lovers alike prize above all else.
