Le Clarence
Haute French restaurant · Champs-Elysees ·
Two-Michelin-star haute cuisine in opulent 19th-century townhouse
Two-Michelin-star haute cuisine in opulent 19th-century townhouse
"Chef Christophe Pelé has taken over this lavish 1884 private mansion just off the Champs-Élysées, an area he knows well, having worked at Ledoyen, Lasserre and Pierre Gagnaire, and last but not least at Le Royal Monceau – where chef Bruno Cirino (a protégé of Jacques Maximin) introduced him to his very seasonal and vegetable-focused cuisine, a philosophy he later successfully applied at his restaurant La Bigarrade. Today, he continues to deliver, in a luxurious decor that embodies the quintessence of French art de vivre. A big fan of Brittany, he is a true artist when it comes to combining surf and turf elements in uninhibited yet rigorous cuisine featuring bold marriages of flavours. The "surprise" set menu comes with a savvy series of "satellite" dishes all on the same theme (eg red mullet with beef marrow and sea urchin) and draws on wide-ranging influences – from Italy and Corsica to Japan. The wine list is enough to make your head spin; one of its two sections is devoted to the owner's prestigious wines. Ask to visit the attractive vaulted cellar that houses them." - Michelin Inspector
"Chef Christophe Pelé helms this two-Michelin-starred restaurant in an elegant 19th-century townhouse just off the Champs-Élysées. The house belongs to Prince Robert of Luxembourg, owner of the Château Haut-Brion outside Bordeaux, and its sumptuous tapestries, oil paintings, crystal chandeliers, moldings, and paneling serve as an unexpected foil for Pelé’s witty, iconoclastic 21st-century French haute cuisine. The tasting menus change regularly, but are composed of dishes like langoustine ceviche with elderflowers and black sesame, elvers (baby eels) with lamb’s brains, grilled red mullet with beef marrow and ginger, and rice pudding with sorrel and apple. Service is amiable, and there’s a notably great wine list. Located in the 8th arrondissement. Know before you go: The lunch menus are a more affordable way to access Pelé’s cooking." - Alexander Lobrano
"Housed in an elegant 19th-century townhouse owned by Prince Robert of Luxembourg and stewarded by chef Christophe Pelé (a two-Michelin-starred operation), the tasting menus showcase inventive, modern haute cuisine that balances wit and technical precision — dishes have included langoustine ceviche with elderflower and black sesame, elvers with lamb brains, grilled red mullet with beef marrow and ginger, and a refined rice pudding with sorrel and apple." - Alexander Lobrano
"Le Clarence is listed at the The World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2023 as rank 67." - The World's 50 Best Restaurants
"Rank: #28 "With an impressive CV that includes hours clocked at some of Paris’ most acclaimed fine dining haunts – including Pierre Gagnaire and Ledoyen – chef Christophe Pelé took the helm of Le Clarence when the restaurant debuted in 2015. Since then he’s made a name for himself and his restaurant for the cavalcade of elegant French plates that make their way from the kitchen. His food celebrates tradition, while weaving in modern thought and flavours from around the world."