Sunday lunch or brunch in Paris
 

My husband and I will be spending a long weekend in Paris in early November and are looking for a nice, upscale restaurant in the 7th or 8th arrondisement to have lunch or brunch.

We would like to eat around 1pm and make this our main meal of the day.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Brunches are everywhere, but I might go to a place like the café Beaubourg across from the Pompidou center for such a thing. After all, people watching is more important than the food. But that's just me -- I consider brunch to be a weird and upsetting combination of foods that should not be mixed.

The Jacquemart-Andre Museum in the 8th is supposed to have a wonderful Sunday brunch. Recent trip to Paris we were not there on a Sun., but did do weekday lunch, and it was very nice. It's a private collection of art work in the former mansion of the J-A's.

I think the website is www.jacquemart-andre.com

I was wrong: it's www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com

kfg,
I love the Café in the Jacquemart-André, for brunch or for lunch. It's so elegant, and you dine below a Tiepolo ceiling with 18th century tapestries covering the walls!

One of the finest recs I've ever received here! The Sunday brunch is 25€ and includes eggs cocotte, smoked salmon, potato salad, green salad and dessert plus coffee or tea, says my Sept. Belle France newsletter, which is devoted to museum dining. Very reasonable wine list as well.
The café is open Mon-Sat. from 11:45-5:30 and Sun. from 11-5:30.

From October 16-Jan. 31 the museum will have a Gold of Thrace special exhibit on loan from Sofia. We enjoy all their special exhibits, and the excellent audio guides are complimentary.

Since you specify an upscale lunch/brunch, you might want to take a look at one of the grand hotels. Les Ambassadeurs in the Hotel Crillon is supposed to have a great, although expensive, brunch.

Alternatively, Le Fumoir at 6 rue de l'Amiral-de-Coligny, just behind the Louvre has a nice brunch in a very pleasant setting.

Thank you all for your suggestions. We actually tried to book the brunch at the Crillon 2 weeks ago but they told us they were totally booked. Don't know if this is really accurate; perhaps they want to keep tables open for hotel guests.

We are planning to go to the Jacquemart-Andre so brunch there sounds perfect.

Again, thank you all.

Good choice - you will enjoy both the museum and the cafe at the Jacquemart-Andre.

Nina

kfg,
The July issue of Gourmet Traveller has a feature article, "Insider's Guide to Paris", listing the best bistros, pâtisseries, boutique hotels, bars, "secret galleries", etc.,
The Jacquemart André makes the "secret galleries" list. They suggest ending the visit with afternoon tea at the café,
"one of the most magnificent in Paris. Seated on a gilt and scarlet chair, a Tiepolo on the ceiling above your head and a cabinet filled with chcolate cakes and raspberry-topped pastries at your side-what more could you wish for?"

I think you'll be very glad to have put this gem on your list, as I was thankful to have discovered it here on the forum.

Here's one in the 7th that I would NOT recommend: La Terrasse, around the corner from Hotel la Bourdonnais. We had brunch there one day, and it was pretty boring food, spotty service, over-priced. Nice looking restaurant, though.

bookmarking

bkm

THere is also a good brunch service at the Orsay museum restaurant.

The Hotel Bristol also serves brunch..lovely place....

Bookmarking as well.

Seconding MaureenB - we thought the food (dinner) at La Terasse on the corner of Ave. De La Bourdonnais & Ave. De La Motte Picouet (metro Ecole Millitaire),
was really awful.