RESTAURANTS

Les Antiquaires in Paris: a little like coming home

By Corinna Gronau·9 October 2026

Weinglas mit eingraviertem Schriftzug LES ANTIQUAIRES auf einem dunklen Holztisch im Restaurant Les Antiquaires in Paris

Our table at Les Antiquaires on the Rue du Bac. The glass carries the name of the house.

There are restaurants you go to. And there are restaurants you go back to. For me, Les Antiquaires on the Rue du Bac is the second kind.

We are in Paris several times a year, usually for the trade fairs. On every visit we go to Les Antiquaires once, most recently in October. It is not a question any more; it is settled before the suitcase is packed.

Polo says hello, and we are back

Polo always greets us. That is the one moment when I realise we are not simply walking into somewhere, we are back. It feels a little like coming home, in the middle of a city I do not live in.

Polo in a dark suit serving at the table in the restaurant Les Antiquaires in Paris — Polo at the table. He greets us every time, and then the evening begins.

The restaurant is in the seventh arrondissement, a few minutes on foot from our hotel. No taxi, no metro, no looking at the clock. I have written about a whole day in this part of town here.

My usual order

I order the same thing every time. I have never regretted it, and I have never wanted it any other way.

First, nine oysters. I eat oysters in France and nowhere else. Here I enjoy them particularly: cold, with a squeeze of lemon, a glass of wine beside them and the street in view.

Nine oysters on ice on a silver stand at the table in Les Antiquaires in Paris — Nine oysters on ice, on the stand above the table.

Then the onion soup. I have tried a great many of them over the years, in a great many places. This one I find divine. I look forward to it every time, before we have even sat down.

Onion soup with a cheese crust in a white tureen with a lion’s head at Les Antiquaires in Paris — Soupe à l’oignon gratinée, under a thick layer of grated cheese, in the white tureen with the lion’s head.

And finally crêpes Suzette. They arrive at the table in flames. The flame stands over the plate for a moment and then it is gone.

Flaming crêpes Suzette with a blue flame on a white plate at Les Antiquaires in Paris — Crêpes Suzette, in the moment when the flame is still standing.

Three courses that add up to Paris for me. Our other fixed address in the city is Le Relais de l’Entrecôte in Saint-Germain, but that is another story.

The evenings that stayed with me

I celebrated a milestone birthday here. So Les Antiquaires belongs not only to my visits to Paris, but to the particular moments of my life.

We have also seen in the New Year here twice. We stay at the restaurant until about a quarter to midnight and sit outside if we can, watching what goes on in the street.

Glass on a table on the terrace of Les Antiquaires on the Rue du Bac in Paris — A glass on the terrace facing the Rue du Bac. On New Year’s Eve we sit right there if we can.

On those evenings my bag holds two glasses and a bottle of champagne. Shortly before midnight we walk to the bridge in front of the Louvre and wait there for the fireworks. I find the view from there wonderful.

There are more elaborate ways to start a year. I do not know a lovelier one. And on our next visit to Paris we will sit on the Rue du Bac again, order nine oysters and look forward to the soup.

The house describes itself as a café, restaurant and bistrot, with a small terrace on the street. It is open daily from 7am to 2am, with the kitchen serving continuously from 11am to midnight, and until 11.30pm on Sundays.

Les Antiquaires
13 rue du Bac
75007 Paris
Telephone +33 1 42 61 08 36
lesantiquaires.net