BRASSERIE LIPP

The Verdict

Léonard Lipp, an Alsatian who left for Paris after the Franco-Prussian war, opened this brasserie at 151 Boulevard Saint-Germain on 27 October 1880. Marcellin Cazes redesigned it in 1920 and turned it into the canteen of literary and political Paris — Verlaine, Apollinaire, later Hemingway and a century of ministers. The ceramic-tiled room is a registered monument historique. The seating still maps the city's pecking order: the ground floor is the room you want, the upstairs is where they put you to learn.

Pascal Jounault has cooked here for years and changes almost nothing, which is the job. The choucroute garnie is the dish the house was built on — fermented cabbage, the Alsace pork cuts, a tall glass of draught beer beside it. The cervelas remoulade opens the meal. The saucisse au couteau, the blanquette de veau and the millefeuille have been on the card for sixty years. Nobody comes here to be surprised.

The Room

The 1920 Cazes interior is the reason half of Paris keeps coming: hand-painted ceramic tiles, mirrors, brass, and a brasserie light that makes every banquette feel watched and private at once. Tables are close, the noise is steady, and the waiters in long aprons move at a pace they set themselves. Ground floor is the stage; the mezzanine is the cheap seats. Dress smart-casual; a jacket reads correctly at dinner.

Best for Closing a Deal

Book Lipp for a Paris business lunch with weight behind it. A century of ministers and editors have done the same, the room signals that you know the city, and the menu is short enough that the conversation never waits on the kitchen. Ask for a ground-floor table, order the choucroute, and let a two-hour lunch do the work. It also suits a birthday with old friends or a team dinner.

Also in Paris

Explore the full Paris restaurant guide, or our Impress Clients, First Date and Close a Deal occasion guides.