From Bourget to Brass
- Amphitryon
- May 26
- 5 min read
If you're in a rush to find a restaurant, skip to the end of the article or to our search tool
The 55th Paris Air Show is fast approaching. We'll soon be discussing programs, prices, defense, wait patiently for the fighter jets to finish their demonstrations to pursue the discussion, relax in the sun between appointments, or try not to get soaked by a thunderstorm as we run from the chalets to the pavilions.
Then, at the end of the day, we'll face the traffic, some in crowded RER trains, others in taxis on the congested périphérique. And that's when the essential question will arise: where to have dinner?
Cancellations, changes, additions, and last-minute appointments will confront us with the critical question of the restaurant: where to find a free table, at the last minute, with good quality, a certain Parisian charm, and, above all, won't compromise our professional or gastronomic credibility with an unfortunate choice?
Don't panic, there is a simple, practical, and elegant solution: the Parisian brasserie! Very quickly, at the beginning of the twentieth century, these breweries became much more a marker of a new atmosphère rather than a local where malt fermented.
Admittedly, the word brasserie does not immediately bring to mind haute cuisine, but there is a wide range of options, including high-end brasseries such as the Brasserie du Louvre-Bocuse or more or more informal locals such as Le Bouillon Cartier. Furthermore, it is important to remember that brasseries are an essential part of Parisian gastronomy! These are unique places that will enchant those from out of across the pond or elsewhere, and even Parisians who, having passed by them so often, forget they exist.
For the adventurers of the skies and of the Air Show, the main advantage of brasseries is their continuous service. It doesn't matter if you show up at 5:30 p.m. or 11 p.m., at an American hour or after a visit to the embassy reception: they will be ready to serve you, unlike more intimate restaurants offering tailor-made cuisine in more intimate settings.
But don't doubt it for a second, the quality is there. It's just based on more traditional dishes, seafood platters, or the famous Alsatian sauerkraut. Depending on the brasserie, the cuisine, based on classics such as eggs Mimosa or Pied de Cochon, will position itself to honor its heritage and its favorite clientele.
To delight the eyes as much as the taste buds, these extraordinary places often feature the most refined décor, reminiscent of their exceptional longevity and their period of grandeur. Bofinger, founded in 1864, displays its Art Nouveau style, while La Coupole, founded in 1927, amazes with its Art Déco style. Many others still, like Balzar, took off between the first flight in 1890 of Clément Ader's Éole and the Wright Brothers' motorized flight in 1903. In all cases, the atmosphere is worthy of these grand halls of conviviality, with unparalleled depth of view and emotion.
Their large mirrors, in which the lights sparkle and spread, catch our eye and dazzle us with the movements they multiply to the infinity. Comfortably seated in black Chesterfield sofas, red benches, or green armchairs, our gaze wanders between the oak furniture and brass bars, carried away by the pleasure of this atmosphere that spans the centuries.
The new Haussmann architecture is undoubtedly not entirely foreign to the spirit found here. At the dawn of the age of steel and grand avenues, it undoubtedly allowed to build these vast rooms providing this unique atmosphere of large banquet halls where Alsatian beer flows freely and the mood is warm and joyous.
Although the first mention of a Parisian brewers' guild dates back to 1268, the brasserie as we know it, took shape under the impetus of Alsatians fleeing the annexation of 1871. They brought with them their brewing expertise, a certain idea of atmosphere and hospitality, as well as their dishes, which would revitalize the capital's culinary landscape.
Indeed, after its first decades of glory with Grimod and Brillat-Savarin, Gastronomy needed to be reinvigorated with fresh blood. Although it had been built up in the early 19th century as a reflection of a more egalitarian world, where the tastes and savoir-vivre of the Ancien Régime were becoming accessible, it remained elitist among the new bourgeoisie during that period. In the meantime, the Industrial Revolution had kicked in, bringing wealth, and the desire to eat well became a major concern for a growing portion of society.
The last decades of the 19th century saw the emergence of a new clientele, including foremen, employees, and soon workers. The historic brewing districts, such as the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Saint Marcel, and Saint-Germain, welcomed breweries that adapted to the local population. Beer, which marked a break with a certain religious, even elitist tradition, was served on tap for the first time thanks to advances in technology and transportation, and also fermentation, thanks in particular to Pasteur.
These bustling places, where artists and writers could blend in and observe, lingering over the human comedy playing out before them from dawn until late at night, inspired great names such as Picasso and Sartre (La Coupole), Appolinaire and Modigliani (Le Dôme), as well as Beauvoir, Fitzgerald and Hemingway, who in their own way continued a tradition dating back to Benjamin Franklin, who frequented Le Procope founded in 1686, and Adam Smith, who roamed the streets and establishments of Paris at the time of the first restaurant, in 1765.
In reality, brasseries can claim to be heroic defenders of Gastronomy. For haute cuisine has appropriated this term which, as defined by Brillat-Savarin, primarily concerns everything that contributes to the art of good eating, i.e. above all good company in a convivial setting. Brasseries, stripping dishes of the frills that now adorn the walls, offer a welcoming setting where conviviality and sharing, the watchwords of gastronomy, flourish and find their admirers.
Rest assured that after the harshness of aerospace with its physical constraints, costs, and raw materials, brasseries will offer you something to sustain with joy and impress your foreign colleagues who are always curious to understand the magic that animates the gastronomic soul of the capital.
To conclude, Biztronomy has compiled a list of places that are open every day and are of historical and gastronomic interest, as well as a dedicated page with filters for more convenience.
Please note that there may be slight differences in standards, which are always dignified and welcoming, but which can vary from a more formal approach to a desire for sincerity or a touch of cheekiness.
Also below are a few thought provoking ressources for those who would like to delve in further.
Have a great Air Show!
Your Biztronomy team
Find a brasserie quickly based on your location
1 - La Coupole
2 - La Rotonde
3 - Le Dome
4 - Lipp
6 - Bofinger
7 - La Lorraine
9 - Le Grand Colbert
10 - Mollard
To delve into more detail
The Brasseries of Paris, Little Bookroom editions, 2007 paperback by François Thomazeau, Sylvain Ageorges, translated by Anna Moschovakis
Picq, Gilles. Les brasseries parisiennes de l’avant-siècle (1870–1914) et autres lieux d’agapes et de libations. L’Échappée, 2023. ISBN 978-2-373-09148-9. Pp. 861.
To immerse yourself in the century of writing that established gastronomy: Le Mangeur du XIXe by Jean-Paul Aron
For an excessively in-depth and enthralling plunge into the history of brewing in the capital, read Marion Humbert's thesis "Beer or Gain Wine?" in French
Biztronomy is about Gastronomy and Business. In this line of thinking, a very fine article for manufacturing and logistics managers looking for inspiration from the restaurant industry to address the triptych of Cost, Quality & Delivery on the Menu, by Pascal Goureaux and François Meyssonnier
Article sponsored by Cirrus IM, 20 years of innovation and aerospace consulting,
based in France.
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