A butcher’s counter in the middle of Paris’s oldest covered market doesn’t, at first glance, look like much of a restaurant. But The Butcher of Paris is actually one of the best restaurants in the Marais and offers some incredibly good wine.
Started in 2020 by butcher and ex-wine merchant Louis-Marie Martin, it’s become a real fixture of the market, right next to the excellent Les Enfants du Marché.
So is the meat counter a gimmick, or is it worth the detour? Yep, it’s absolutely worth a trip to the Marais.
Go out of your way Point at the cut, let them pick the wine, bring friends. Expect a wait and a bill. Reservations, Service & Ambiance
Firstly, The Butcher of Paris doesn’t accept reservations – it’s first come, first served. This can lead to long waits (30-45 mins) during peak times but trust me, it’s worth the wait.
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Given the set-up of the market, you’ll be waiting in a line whilst other visitors brush past – it is what it is – an old market.
The vibe is very similar to their neighbours, Les Enfants du Marché. It’s loud, friendly and very foodie. Magnums of natural wine flow and the music picks up towards late lunch service. It’s very fun but not particularly child friendly.
Seating is either bar style around the counter, or if you’re lucky enough, you can get a seat at end tables which are in butcher’s block format. Note that all of the seats are high bar stools.
Service is really friendly and hospitable. They’re really knowledgeable about the wine – give them a rough idea of what you like and a budget and they’ll come back with a few bottles and explain more. Likewise for the meat, they’ll advise you on different cuts and the best cuisson for each.
Wine
Like with the food, there isn’t a particularly set wine menu here – it effectively lives in the servers’ heads. It rotates quickly too, with small batches coming in from their trusted producers. They only serve really high-quality wines and the prices generally reflect that – expect upwards of €45 per bottle.
We started on the Poolsard 2023 from Oenosapiens (€45), a Côtes du Jura Poulsard made by three Italian friends working with local co-ops on lesser-known grapes. The label is a cartoon bear floating in a swimming pool, and the wine is about as serious as that suggests, in the best way: pale, no oak, 10.5%, and sweet red fruit. The kind of red you can drink all afternoon and feel fine the next day
Then the Singulier Trousseau 2023 from Bénédicte & Stéphane Tissot (€55), one of the great biodynamic domaines of Arbois. Trousseau is the more structured of the two Jura reds, and after the Poolsard the step up was notable – still on the lighter side but with a bit more backbone.
We finished on the Ponceau from Jean-Baptiste Hardy (€60), good enough that a second bottle appeared. Note that they also serve wine by the glass which rotates pretty much daily.
The Food & Menu at The Butcher of Paris
Apart from a short menu that’s stuck to the bar area, there isn’t really much of a menu at The Butcher of Paris. If you’re in the mood for a steak, a cut of lamb or even game, you walk up to the counter, look at what’s hanging in the brightly lit fridge, point at the piece you want and tell them how you’d like it cooked.
We started with probably one of the best croque-monsieurs in Paris (€22) served with a peppery green salad. It’s certainly one of those examples of ‘more than the sum of its parts’ and boy do they prove it here. They are generous with the filling – plenty of high quality jambon de Paris sliced thinly and lots of freshly grated gruyère. They nailed the ratio with the béchamel too – it’s surprisingly light.
Next up is a mainstay on their short non-butcher counter menu – their steak tartare (€22). It’s very coarsely chopped by hand and loosely bound in a well-seasoned dressing and topped off with a raw egg yolk. It comes with perfectly cooked roasted French-style potatoes and house mayo for dipping.
We finished lunch with an incredible XXL pork chop for four (€120) from the counter. This was stunning. The fat was well rendered and crispy, and the pork was cooked to a blushing pink. It came with a slick jus and roasted potatoes and vegetables on the side.
My Verdict
The Butcher of Paris is hard to beat if you’re after a real foodie experience outside of a conventional restaurant. It’s expensive (especially if you go through a bottle or two) but for me, it’s certainly worth it – especially if you appreciate good meat.
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Don’t expect the most refined food here – the focus is on the provenance of the produce. It’s hearty, good home cooking in a market setting with some exceptional wine to boot. Note that, as I’m sure you’ve understood already, it’s certainly not somewhere to bring vegetarians.
Come with a group of friends, order a big cut to share and splurge on the wine – you won’t regret it.
I paid for this meal in full — no freebie, no press invite. This review is entirely independent.What to know before you visit
- No reservations, first come first served. Expect a 30-45 minute wait at peak times.
- Inside the Marché des Enfants Rouges, so market hours apply.
- Seating is high bar stools only, either around the counter or at butcher’s block end tables.
- Loud, busy and not especially child friendly. Not one for vegetarians either.
- Order meat from the counter by pointing at the cut and telling them your cuisson.
- Croque-monsieur €22, steak tartare €22, XXL pork chop for four to share €120. Bottles from around €45.
- No fixed wine list, so give them a style and a budget and let them bring options.
Address: 39 Rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris (inside the Marché des Enfants Rouges)
Website: https://www.instagram.com/thebutcherofparis
