Photo © LIPZYC

What if the secret Italian on rue Guisarde was the most Germanopratin restaurant in town?

Marcello Mastroianni was a regular, the Castel partygoers used to get their strength for the night here and the people of Saint-Germain-des-Prés sat for 43 years at Claudio Monteverdi’s, descendant of the Italian composer and gourmet. The Monterverdi is an institution in the village and Valérie Balard, who took over 9 years ago, has managed to perpetuate the tradition and the soul of the restaurant. The ideal place for a romantic dinner by candlelight but also for a friendly or family meal. Monteverdi is the perfect Italian music for all the good times in life.
The decor is a successful combination of romanticism and modernity, of sober elegance and charm. Instagrammers love its cosy rooms, velvet armchairs, exposed stone walls and low, beamed ceiling. The tables are spaced far enough apart so that the neighbours don’t take advantage of the confidentiality of the place. Everything is perfect, right down to the crackling fireplace, the library that recalls the literary vocation of Saint-Germain and the piano, where every evening an artist comes to delight the dinner. On the menu, tourists and Germanopratins, young and old, enjoy Italian classics, served by Laurène, daughter of Valérie Balard, who attended the Bocuse school. A signature dish? Linguine con crema di melanzane e gamberi: a direct ticket to the 7th gastronomic heaven! Monteverdi, or the art of living in Saint-Germain-des-Prés…

5-7 rue Guisarde – 75006 Paris
+33 1 42 34 55 90 – www.lemonteverdi.com