Yellow onions caramelize for hours until deeply sweet and rich, then are simmered in beef stock. Served in an individual earthenware crock with a thick crust of melted gruyère and bread broiled until golden. The soup beneath is silky, complex, and warming. This is the platonic ideal of French onion soup—comfort and luxury in a single bowl.
A dozen large escargots in their shells, filled with vibrant parsley-garlic butter (snail butter) and served in a shallow dish, still bubbling from the oven. You extract each snail with a small fork, the butter cascades, and the tender mollusk melts on the tongue. This is one of Paris's most iconic dishes, and at La Petite Chaise, the butter is made fresh daily, the snails are tender, and the preparation is textbook-perfect.
Fresh foie gras sliced thick and seared quickly in a screaming-hot pan—the exterior caramelizes while the interior stays silky and warm. Served with warm, crispy brioche toast and a pinch of fleur de sel. The simplicity is the point: no sauce to hide behind, just the pure luxury of foie gras prepared with respect. Reviewers consistently call out the quality and generous portion.
A thick-cut duck breast (magret) is seared skin-side-down until the fat is rendered crispy and golden, then briefly on the flesh side to keep the meat pink. It's rested, sliced, and fanned on the plate with seasonal vegetables and a light jus. The contrast between crispy skin and tender, pink meat is the essence of this dish. Reviewers consistently praise the execution.
The sole arrives whole, is filleted tableside with theatrical precision, and is served glistening in nutty brown butter, finished with fresh lemon juice and parsley. The presentation is beautiful, the technique impeccable. The flesh is delicate and flakes from the bone cleanly. This is classical French cooking at its most refined—a dish that has remained largely unchanged since the 1700s.
Established in 1680, La Petite Chaise is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Paris. A narrow storefront on rue de Grenelle opens into a small, intimate dining room with tightly packed tables and period décor that whispers rather than shouts its age. The kitchen honors pure, classical French technique: slabs of foie gras, perfectly cooked escargots, Dover sole, French onion soup, duck breast. The wine list is excellent. Prices remain remarkably democratic for the location and quality.
This restaurant opened in 1680—that's 346 years of continuous service. You're eating in one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants in the world. The building, the decor, the style—everything whispers history.
The €24 lunch menu (one dish, glass of wine, Illy coffee) is one of the best deals in Paris. Or choose the €33 three-course prix-fixe for lunch. Dinner is more expensive (€80–100), but even those prices feel fair for the location and quality.
Tables are tightly packed—this is part of the charm and ambiance, but you will hear other diners' conversations and they will hear yours. It's convivial and Parisian. If you prefer privacy, book lunch rather than dinner.
The wine list is excellent and well-curated. Many bottles are fairly priced for Paris. If you're not sure what to order, ask the server—they're knowledgeable and enjoy making recommendations.
The foie gras is excellent and portions are generous. At €28, it's priced well for the quality. If you eat foie gras anywhere in Paris, La Petite Chaise should be it.
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