One of the first fine dining restaurants to open in the historic covered market in the Marais, Les Enfants du Marché has cemented itself as one of the foodie spots in Paris.
Opened in 2016 by restaurateur Michael Grosman, Les Enfants has become one of the most in-demand restaurants in Le Marais and getting a seat can be tricky.
I’ve eaten here several times over the years and seen a number of talented chefs come through the kitchen. So, with Kenta Tomoda now at the helm, does this latest iteration retain what made the restaurant so good in the first place?
Absolutely. In fact, I think this is currently the best version of Les Enfants du Marché yet.
Go out of your way An incredible, modern French restaurant with attitude in one of the city’s oldest markets. Reservations, Ambiance & Service
Firstly, Les Enfants du Marché doesn’t accept reservations – it’s walk-in only, all day. It’s also incredibly popular, so expect a wait during peak lunch service (30-45 mins). I would advise you to get there early (around midday) if you can.
The restaurant sits at the back of the Marché des Enfants Rouges on rue de Bretagne and is essentially an open kitchen with a bar wrapped around it. Most of the seating is on high stools around the counter, so you’re right in front of the chefs as everything is cooked and plated. There are also two small tables at the end of the bar and, if you can get one, they’re probably the best seats in the house.
Although the market is covered, it’s still effectively open-air. On a warm afternoon it’s perfect, but during winter it can get pretty cold and windy. Your food cools down quickly too, so dress for the market rather than a restaurant.
The atmosphere is loud, busy and very fun – it reminds me much more of eating in a Spanish market than a typical Paris restaurant. Music plays around the bar and generally gets louder as lunch service goes on and as the wine continues to flow. It’s become one of the spots to eat in Paris – apparently even Dua Lipa is a big fan too. Like its excellent neighbour The Butcher of Paris, it’s not particularly child friendly.
Service is quick, friendly and really knowledgeable, especially when it comes to the wine. It’s a very Anglophone friendly restaurant as a decent amount of the clientele are English speaking.
Wine & Drinks
Their wine list is a big reason to come to Les Enfants. It’s ever changing with a constant rotation from small batch natural wine producers. Just like the neighbouring The Butcher of Paris, there isn’t really a wine menu. You tell the staff what colour and style and they’ll find you an incredible bottle. Across all my visits, I’ve never once been disappointed by the wine.
We started on La Combe 2024 from La Cordée Blanche (€65), a Roussette de Savoie from the Frangy cru, 100% Altesse. Ylan and Cyril farm seven organic hectares up between Annecy and Geneva, and this spends twelve months on its lees, which shows: there’s a real richness to it, almost almondy, but it never tips into heaviness because there’s a saline, mineral tension running underneath. Natural, but not remotely funky. Exactly the sort of white I want with lunch.
Then a light chillable red that I love: Rien ne Bouge from Vignoble du Rêveur (€55) in Alsace. The name comes from the old adage blanc sur rouge, rien ne bouge, and the wine takes it literally – Gewurztraminer, direct-pressed, then fermented on Pinot Noir skins. It comes out somewhere between a dark rosé and a very light red, all crunchy cherry and strawberry with a peppery, floral edge. Silky, low on tannin and absurdly easy to drink.
Menu & Food at Les Enfants du Marché
The food at Les Enfants has become more and more refined over the years yet despite the changes, they’ve still kept the menu close to their original structure.
XL garlic butter escargots are a mainstay, as are their croquettas (I’ll come back to these later), and their braised then seared octopus with a varying sauce is another dish that remains firmly on the menu.
The menu, written on two sides of a chalkboard, changes daily depending on what comes in from their suppliers. There’s no classic entrée/mains structure here – I’d advise you order as much as you can and share everything.
We kicked off with the aforementioned XL escargots (€18) – these are a must-get. The snails are tender and the garlic butter is, as you would expect, insanely delicious.
Next up are their croquettas (2 for €14). I’ve tried many of them at Les Enfants over the years and these were certainly the best yet. Braised lamb shoulder that was very juicy – so much so that they were barely holding together. A spiced mango puree added a lovely sweetness and balanced out the richness from the lamb.
Then came a lovely light, seasonal dish of asparagus tempura (€24) that came with a punchy herb mayonnaise. The batter was extremely light yet crispy and the asparagus perfectly cooked.
An extremely interesting dish of fried pigeon leg (€38) with harissa and plum sauce followed. The leg was confit then fried resulting in a supremely fall-off-the-bone piece of fried poultry. The harissa brought heat and the plum sauce balanced it out with sweetness. A delicious, smart dish.
One of the standout dishes this visit was their classic, yet elevated braised and grilled octopus (€38). This was sat on a slice of braised celeriac and dressed with a sauce made with foie gras. Rich, decadent and incredibly delicious.
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The final dish was lamb chops on the bone, breaded and fried and served with fresh artichokes and a tonnato sauce (€45). The lamb was beautifully cooked – blushing pink and the fat was soft and rendered. The artichokes, cooked barigoule, were delicious and perfectly seasoned. Another unique yet superb dish.
My Verdict
Les Enfants du Marché is easily one of my favourite restaurants in Paris and this current iteration has to be the best to date.
It’s become more and more refined over the years (and with it, the price tag) however it’s still retained its core identity – delicious food made with the best ingredients washed down with incredible wine.
It’s not cheap and it’s definitely not for fussy eaters but if you’re a foodie and want something unique in a historical setting, you can’t do much better in Paris.
Turn up early, order as much as you can and splurge on the wine – you’ll be in for a treat.
I paid for this meal in full. This review is entirely independent.What to know before you visit
- No reservations, walk-in only, all day. Expect a 30-45 minute wait at peak lunch, so get there around midday if you can.
- Open Tuesday to Saturday 12:00-22:00, Sunday 12:00-17:00 in summer, winter hours are reduced.
- Covered but effectively open-air. Lovely in summer, cold and windy in winter, and your food cools fast.
- Most seating is high stools at the counter. The two small tables at the end of the bar are the best seats in the house.
- The chalkboard menu changes daily. There’s no starter/main structure, so order plenty and share it.
- Loud, busy and not especially child friendly.
- It isn’t cheap – expect €100+ per person
Address: Marché des Enfants Rouges, 39 Rue de Bretagne, 75003
Website: lesenfantsdumarche.fr
