The new Paris restaurants set to define 2026, from Ottolenghi to Anne-Sophie Pic
No year has ever concentrated so many ambitious projects for food lovers: the new restaurants opening in Paris in 2026 span an impressive spectrum, from African street food to Michelin-starred haute gastronomie, taking in panoramic rooftops and warm neighbourhood bistros along the way. Here is how to navigate the most exciting openings of the year.
When great chefs choose Paris to reinvent themselves
Among the most closely watched openings, Anne-Sophie Pic is commanding serious attention. The multi-starred chef is launching Utopic, a cocktail bar housed within the Fondation Cartier, followed swiftly by the opening of her gastronomic restaurant in the same building, a stone’s throw from the Louvre. This dual project confirms the growing appeal of Paris’s cultural institutions as settings for high-end dining.
Over at the Palais-Royal, Martino Ruggieri is setting up shop with Maison Ruggieri Palais Royal, right next to the Comédie-Française. The Italian chef has found a prestigious setting for his gastronomic table. Meanwhile, Maxime Bouttier, already at the helm of the starred restaurant Géosmine, is behind Éthanol, a more relaxed address built around sharing plates and an extensive wine list, just steps from his main establishment.
Finally, Anglo-Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi is also planning his arrival in the French capital, a first for him in Paris, though sources indicate the project may be subject to delays.
New tables banking on the diversity of world cuisines
The Paris restaurant scene in 2026 is also distinguished by a genuine openness to global cuisines. BẾP, led by Marie and Antoine Nguyen alongside Émilien Quemener, the team already known for Sobremesa, offers a minimalist menu centred on traditional Vietnamese cơm tấm. It is a pared-back approach that stands in sharp contrast to the trend for sprawling, everything-on-the-menu formats.
In the 11th arrondissement, DKR is opening a space dedicated to Afro street food and Afro-descendant-inspired recipes, driven by BMK. Also in the same neighbourhood, SaltoBar, chef Diego Alary’s first Paris address, offers a contemporary Iberian cuisine centred on fire, drawing on both Spain and Portugal.
Canadian chef Jules St-Cyr, meanwhile, is opening Bittikesu near the bassin de l’Arsenal in Bastille, with a gastronomic menu that weaves together seasonal cooking, global inspirations and artisanal know-how.
Bistronomie, conviviality and new neighbourhood addresses
Not every Paris restaurant expected this year is playing the fine-dining card. Some openings are betting on conviviality and local roots. L’Amic, in the 18th arrondissement on rue Letort, presents itself as a neighbourhood bistro conceived as a living space, with seasonal cooking, natural wines and a large sun-drenched terrace.
In the 10th arrondissement, restaurant Occasion opened in February in the Goncourt neighbourhood. Run by two female chefs, it pairs seasonal cuisine with considered design. Near place Voltaire, Jones offers a cross-cultural cuisine with multiple influences, rooted in urban culture, driven by the duo Juan Pablo Rojas Pineda and Enzo Viola.
- Eskal, near gare Saint-Lazare, helmed by Alexandre Chambat, creative and heartfelt author-driven gastronomic cuisine
- Lotta, in the 1st arrondissement, Charlotte Bereaud’s first restaurant, Mediterranean cuisine and a décor inspired by Italian design
- Calcifer, near République, Antoine Rollin’s table centred on live-fire cooking
- Jones, place Voltaire, cross-cultural cuisine and urban atmosphere by Rojas Pineda and Viola
- L’Amic, 18th arrondissement, neighbourhood bistro with a terrace and natural wines
Rooftops, hybrid venues and large-scale projects
Beyond classic dining rooms, 2026 is seeing the emergence of several projects that blend restaurants with cultural or architectural experiences. Fuga R, backed by the Fuga group, promises a 360° panoramic view over Paris from its rooftop, with an opening set for 6 May. In a similar spirit, Bigoudi, signed by Brasseries à la Mode, is due to open in spring near the Trocadéro, accompanied on the ground floor by Brasserie Rosie Jolie.
The Bus Palladium, the legendary concert venue, reopens in March 2026 transformed into a five-star boutique hotel. On the programme: a restaurant by Top Chef alumnus Valentin Raffali, a rooftop, a cocktail bar and a club. In the 9th arrondissement, the rue Bergère development promises to transform 26,000 m² of Belle Époque heritage into a Parisian hotspot featuring a restaurant, bar, hotel and coworking spaces, expected to open in 2026.
Central Chapelle is also opening its doors on 6 May 2026 at the heart of La Chapelle Arena, combining culture, music and dining under one roof. These hybrid projects illustrate a powerful trend: in Paris, eating out is becoming a holistic experience, inseparable from the space that hosts it.
Projects still in the balance to keep an eye on
Some Paris restaurant openings remain to be confirmed. Le Grand Véfour, now without Guy Martin, is expected to find a new lease of life in spring 2026 under the Paris Society group. Chef Mallory Gabsi may open a high-end friterie, and Sven Chartier, formerly of Saturne, could reopen a gastronomic table in the capital. These projects, still uncertain, are well worth watching closely for anyone tracking the city’s next must-visit addresses.
