On Place de Valois, a few steps from the Bourse de Commerce, La Comédie-Française, the Palais-Royal the famous Buren’s columns, and the Louvre of course, Paris has a new hot spot. Le Gratin, the latest restaurant from Chef Michel Puech, whose prestigious addresses include Biche, Margaux and Bistro Blandine, has taken over the former Bistrot de Valois, bringing a polished new energy (and new colours) to one of the city’s most cinematic venues.

The setting is almost impossibly Parisian: arcades, cobblestones, classical façades and, beyond them, the grand institutions of the 1st arrondissement. Place de Valois has also found a second life on screen, appearing in Emily in Paris as the home of Savoir. But step inside Le Gratin and the mood is one of Parisian classicism, with exquisite food and impressive wine list to match.

There are white tablecloths, red gingham chairs and banquettes, warm wood, vintage lighting and the unmistakable air of a restaurant that understands the romance of the traditional French dining room. Paintings on the wall feature calm landscapes and stunning portraits.

Puech’s approach is deliberately nostalgic without being sentimental: the references are familiar, but everything feels considered rather than preserved behind glass. A classic zinc bar anchors the dining room, while a wonderful veranda and terrace open the restaurant towards the square with plants. At the back, a quieter room offers a more intimate setting for groups.

The visual identity is striking, with bright red used throughout the menu, which depicts the façade of the restaurant alongside playful illustrations of typical “French garçons” and cuisine-related figures. It resonates with the large, welcoming table and the patterned floor tiles. The atmosphere is very welcoming and chic!

The food follows suit. Le Gratin is built around the generous pleasures of the French bistrot, with dishes that are recognisable, reassuring and rich. Devilled eggs with mayonnaise, leeks vinaigrette, garlic-parsley frog’s legs. As starters, wonderful highlights include sea bream carpaccio with lemon vinaigrette, bone marrow with salt, Granny’s pâté and the infamous snails. So French! Continuing with delicacies, main courses feature a delicious chicken supreme with morels and Châteaubriand, Charolais beef tartare and baked cod fillet.

There are more extravagant moments, too. Tagliatelle with morels and lobster gratin give the menu a certain sense of occasion, while the restaurant’s cordon bleu, recently named Best Cordon Bleu in Paris at Biche, continues Puech’s particular affection for the dish. The signature dish!

Desserts are sumptuous with crème brûlée, salted caramel apple pie, and strawberries and cream for example. And then there is the chocolate mousse, served by the spoonful, a detail that says quite a lot about the restaurant’s approach to pleasure. Perfect for social moments, too. The presentation of each dish, is gorgeous, and the staff are both very attentive and discreet. This is high gastronomy and beautiful drinks.

For sharing, there is a one-kilogram côte de bœuf and sole meunière, reinforcing the sense that Le Gratin is as much about the table as the experience. With its dining room, veranda and expansive terrace accommodating up to 250 guests (great for large events), it is made for the rhythms of a Parisian day: lunch that lingers, an afternoon aperitif, dinner that stretches into the evening in one of the city’s most stunning squares.

The wine list keeps the focus resolutely French, with more than 100 labels bringing together established producers and a younger generation of winemakers. Names including Alain Graillot and Domaine Gramenon appear alongside Yann Chave and Caroline Frey. At the bar, meanwhile, the aperitif receives equal attention, with an extensive spirits selection and cocktails including Amaretto Disaronno, Diplomático Pasión and Leslie Gracie.

Perhaps that is Le Gratin’s greatest appeal. At a moment when Paris is full of restaurants competing to be the next big thing, this one is doing something quieter. It is looking backwards, but not nostalgically; taking the codes of the classic bistrot, red seats, great visuals, white tablecloths, good wine, generous food, and making them feel so relevant again.

Open daily from noon until midnight, Le Gratin is designed for the kind of dining Paris does best: unhurried, convivial and slightly indulgent. Clientele is a mixture of Parisians and French people enjoying life and curious tourists. A restaurant for eating well, drinking well and, above all, staying a little longer than planned. Carpe Diem!

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