Le Bistrot d'en Face

15eme, Paris –

If famed mob boss Lucky Luciano owned a restaurant in France, it might look like Le Bistrot d’en Face, which combines the rustic aesthetics of a classic Italian eatery with a little French flair.

Located in the residential/office-heavy 15th Arrondissement, the venue features a large terrace usually bustling with a lunchtime crowd of suited peers and other unpretentious professionals, many of whom return after a long day to take advantage of the nice cocktail list and selection of wines from southern France.

Photographs of Marilyn Monroe, the Beatles, and The Godfather are placed throughout the interior for a little old Hollywood feel, as are additional shots of mobsters pointing their guns at the camera, while the rest of the décor includes time-honored French bistro touches like wine barrels and dark wood tables.

The menu is continually updated with seasonal finds, so daily specials promise ever-changing options amid house favorites like the oeufs toqués – boiled eggs in a cream sauce with morel – fresh pastas, and homemade pâté.

Evenings routinely draw a busy but refined mix of middle-class locals, cozy couples chatting by candlelight, and savvy tourists hungry from their trip up the nearby Eiffel Tower, all of whom tend to maintain a low-key vibe.

Patrons won’t find a raging party at Le Bistrot d’en Face, but they will find an intimate neighborhood favorite that’s effortlessly upscale without being overbearing.