My Restaurant of the month – Vins et Terroirs!

Update: This wonderful restaurant has very sadly closed. It’s sister restaurant, Cepe & Figue, is still open just around the corner.

There’s never been a better time to discover a new restaurant than during the month of May. Endless bank holidays and long weekends give you the extra time you need to take a stroll in this beautiful city and find a new address to add to your little black book of must-go-back-to restaurants.

This month I have chosen an old favourite of mine, a restaurant called Vins et Terroirs in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It’s a restaurant that I would highly recommend and it’s somewhere that I have been going to for years. I first discovered this restaurant back in 2011, thanks to my wonderful friend Juliette. Juliette and I worked together in a bar just opposite the restaurant and she was always raving about how good the food was. After her endless recommendations, I finally decided to go for dinner there and I can honestly say I have never looked back!

The restaurant itself has been open since the 1970s and is run by Greek-born Yanis Mavrantonakis. Although originally from Greece Mr Mavrantonakis has lived in France for almost his entire life and has a total of three restaurants in Paris. It’s a family run business where Yanis’ son François also works, splitting his time between Vins et Terrois and their other restaurant in the 6th, Cèpe et Figue.

Inside, the decor is reminiscent of the 1920s and pictures on the wall depict black and white cartoons of elegant Parisian men and women. The burgundy colour scheme is warm and festive, giving the restaurant a cosy feel and making you feel at home as soon as you step foot inside the door. The restaurant is quite small but well-laid out with further seating upstairs and a lovely window view over Rue Saint Andres des Arts. Downstairs the restaurant has large shutter style windows next to the front door which can be opened during the summer to give the restaurant a real open-air feel. There is a small bar at the back of the restaurant and never more than three waiters working at the same time which means that your restaurant experience will always be more intimate and more pleasant than in a larger restaurant. The service here is faultless, the waiters always have a big smile on their face and they always try to do whatever they can to make your dining experience as enjoyable as possible.

Now for the jewel in the crown, the delicious menu. Starters can range between €12 and €19 and include things such as a delectable homemade foie gras. Main meals can range between €17 and €26 and include dishes such as their famous Boeuf Bourgignon, a traditional French classic that you have to try! Desserts are all priced at €8 and include profiteroles with a heavenly homemade chocolate sauce and macarons with scrumptious salted caramel ice cream. Just reading the menu will make your mouth water and your stomach rumble! And it’s not over yet!

Vins et Terroirs has an excellent set menu at both lunchtime and in the evening which is excellent value for money. The lunchtime menu costs €12 and consists of a starter + a main or a main + a dessert. The evening menu costs €20 and also includes a starter + a main or a main + a dessert. However the two menus are very different and include different dishes, on top of all this, the set menu also stays the same price whether you go during the week or on the weekend! Last time I was there I had snails in garlic butter to start and duck breast cooked in an orange and ginger sauce with sauteed potatoes, it was absolutely divine and full of flavour! I also recommend the ‘lilac’ ice cream which tastes just like parma violets and is to die for! The restaurant also has a great wine menu which is very reasonably priced and if you are just visiting this amazing city, the waiters will be more than happy to recommend a wine to you.

This restaurant is a wonderful place to take friends and family for a traditional, delicious and reasonably priced meal. With excellent and friendly service and the chance to have dinner in one of the most popular areas in Paris, you would be crazy not to give this restaurant a try.

Laura from Canada said  “It’s a wonderful restaurant. The food is great and the servers are welcoming and patient with those attempting to speak French. This restaurant is known for their beef bourguignon, but you can’t go wrong with their menu. Everything is terrific!”

Vins et Terroirs
66 Rue Saint-André des Arts
75006 Paris
01 46 33 00 77

HORAIRES D’OUVERTURE

Open everyday

12.00 – 15.00 and 19.00 until 23.30