Located on the corner of one of Paris’s elegant covered passageways (galleries ), Le Grand Colbert is a traditional French brasserie dating back to 1900, but its history dates back far beyond that.
Tourists and local businessmen come for lunch or dinner not only for the solid, reasonably priced cuisine, but also, if not more so, for the opulent dining room. With its wall-to-ceiling mirrors, ornate wall paintings, green plants and zinc bar, the restaurant seems frozen in Belle-Epoque Paris, and that is precisely its charm. There’s even an imposing and humorously pompous bust of the man for whom the restaurant is named: Jean-Baptiste Colbert, a minister to King Louis XIV, poking out of one of the leather booths.
The striking mosaic tile floors adorning the premises are identical to those found in the adjoining Galerie Vivienne, and for good reason: Before it was converted into a restaurant in the early 1900s, the Colbert was itself a covered passageway, built in 1825 and Vivienne’s rival. This long legacy led to him being awarded a great honor: being named a Parisian heritage site.
Serving solid traditional French brasserie dishes and large seafood dishes, Le Grand Colbert is a good choice for visitors who want to enjoy a meal in iconic Parisian surroundings. It’s not a Michelin-starred establishment, but it actually comes with a distinct advantage: the restaurant is accessible to visitors on an average budget.
It shares these qualities with other classic Parisian breweries, like the nearby Gallopin (see our full review here). When you’re looking for a bit of luxury and tradition, but can’t afford too much pomp and circumstance, these traditional city restaurants are a very good bet.
The environment
Upon arriving at the Colbert, the first thing you’ll notice is how spacious it is, a feature accentuated by the aforementioned mirrored walls. High ceilings, soft pink light, ornately painted wall decor, and deep leather booths immediately plunge you into a lost era; The Paris of the boulevards and the popular theaters. From the Folies Bergère to the Theater de la Renaissance, these were theaters and cabarets intended primarily for working-class audiences; They symbolized a bold new period of modernity in the capital.
There is something incredibly romantic about taking a look at that bygone period, whether you’re strolling through the area’s many covered galleries and browsing its shops, or as the case may be, dining at one of its historic restaurants.
The Colbert is ideal for tourists, partly because the atmosphere is elegant but not over the top. A semi-casual lunch is as possible as celebrating a special occasion for dinner, dressed smartly for a show at a nearby theater before or after.
Friendly service
The servers are friendly and helpful and are happy to accommodate requests that elsewhere in Paris have your eyebrows a bit fulfilled (adapting a plate to your dietary needs or adjusting a toddler stroller next to the table) . This makes it doubly attractive to visitors who may be intimidated by establishments that don’t understand their customers’ needs and requests as much.
The menu and the fare
Current owner Joël Fleury and his chef offer a pleasantly accessible, if not particularly inventive menu with French classics, from blanquette de veau (a typical Gallic beef dish) to French-style rib steaks served with thick potatoes.
A la carte options include Sole Meunière with steamed potatoes, duck confit with garlic fries and salad, vegetarian ‘gratin’ and meat tartare. Meanwhile, large seafood dishes can include oysters, lobster, shrimp, mussels, crab, or all of the above, and are best enjoyed with a glass of dry white wine, such as Pouilly-Fuissé or Chardonnay.
But prix fixe menus, offered at the same price for either lunch or dinner, may be your best option, especially on a modest budget. Try the ‘Grand Colbert Menu’, which includes two courses (starter and main course or main course and dessert) for 30 euros, or three courses for 40 euros. Wine and drinks are not included. ( Please note that these and other prices mentioned in this article were accurate at the time of publication, but may change at any time.)
Options to start include hot goat cheese on a mesclun salad (vegetarian option), onion gratin, six oysters, or lentil salad with duck breast fillet and quail eggs.
Main dishes to try include a delicate option of curried salmon and lentils, which is slightly spicy and pleasantly creamy, with notes of fresh coriander. Other options include beef cooked for seven hours and served with mashed potatoes; duck breast fillet served with sauteed potatoes and salad, and ray (fish) with capers and steamed potatoes. There is currently no vegetarian option on the menu, but it may be worth requesting.
There is also a children’s menu (less than 20 euros) that includes steak or salmon with mashed potatoes, water with flavored syrup and ice cream for dessert.
Dessert
For dessert, the «café gourmand» is highly recommended: it is a traditional collection of French desserts in miniature form, from macarons to Paris-Brest puff pastry filled with hazelnut cream, to mini creme-brulees, all served with a strong espresso. . All of the cakes and pastries included in this indecisive diner favorite dessert are delicious.
Other dessert options include Baba au rhum, a yeast cake soaked in rum and filled with cream; chocolate fondant (served warm), faisselle with red fruit coulis (a light fresh cheese similar to yogurt) and, a la carte, a variety of French cheeses.
Drinks
The restaurant’s complete drink menu includes French and international wines from white to red, champagne, cocktails, aperitifs and digestifs (drinks after dinner). Hot chocolate and tea are also reputed to be good, served mostly in the afternoon.
Le Grand Colbert isn’t the place to sample the most innovative cuisine in Paris, but for a pleasant historical setting that feels like a time trip back to the Belle Epoque, it’s a good option for lunch or dinner. The fare is pretty decent and it’s particularly affordable if you ask for a prix fixe menu. Desserts are particularly good, and service is helpful. This restaurant should be on your radar if you want to spend a day exploring the ancient covered galleries of the Grand Boulevards, shopping, and snapping photos of the photogenic covered walkways.
The restaurant at a glance
Our Pros:
- Good quality French style cuisine.
- The opulent Belle-Epoque dining room is a giveaway in its own right.
- The restaurant offers reasonable prix fixe menus whose price remains the same for lunch and dinner – while this is not a budget restaurant, it is good value for money
- Elegant setting in a former covered gallery near the Royal Palace
- The restaurant is open seven days a week and offers continuous service.
- Kid friendly / staff accommodates infants and toddlers
Our Cons:
- Few vegetarian or vegan options
- The cuisine is tasty, but not particularly creative.
- The a la carte options are quite expensive – around $ 50 per person for three courses
Location and more details:
- Address: 2 rue Vivienne, 2nd arrondissement
- Metro: Bourse or Palais-Royale Musee du Louvre (lines 1 3 or 7)
- Tel.: +33 (0) 142 86 87 88
- Hours: Open every day from 12:00 pm to 1:00 am (non-stop service); Afternoon tea is served between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm
- Reservations: not required, but recommended for lunch during the week and dinner on weekends
- Languages Spoken: Staff speak English
- Cuisine: Traditional French brasserie food and seafood dishes. The full menu includes a la carte items and daily prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner. Afternoon tea includes cakes, tea, and special hot chocolate.
- Payment options: all major credit cards are accepted
- Dress code : business casual to formal attire recommended (be sure to avoid faded jeans and t-shirts – no ties required)
