La Rotonde de la Muette restaurant - Paris, France

The sign of a good Parisian brasserie is its ability to always deliver, whether its lunch at four o’clock, an after-work drink or to while away the afternoon on the terrace over an espresso or a glass of wine. The newly refurbished La Rotonde de la Muette, in Paris’ chic sixteenth arrondissement, is the epitome of the genre.

Owner Eddy Bénézet tasked Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch, of New York outfit Roman and Williams, to create an almost cinematographic setting for this neighbourhood fixture. ‘Our signature is that we create all the lighting for our interiors,’ explains Alesch. ‘It’s designed by Hervé [Descottes] of l’Observatoire Internationale. Everyone asks us where they can find our hand-sewn brass bar lamps. The answer is: nowhere!’

The result is a brilliant organic flow, enticing diners to drift from the outdoor terrace into the bar, to either dine in intimacy, ensconced in the velvet honey-coloured horseshoe booths, or in the thick of the action in the central dining room under the original 1930s chandeliers.

Chef Sébastien Carabeaux’s menu includes classic brasserie fare; beef tartare, ris de veau and coquilles Saint-Jacques with French fries made on the premises, while dishes for sharing include gigot d’agneau and blanquette de veau