L'Ambroisie

L'Ambroisie: French Fine Dining on Place des Vosges

L'Ambroisie is a fine-dining restaurant at 9 Place des Vosges in Paris. Bernard and Danièle Pacaud founded it in 1981, and it has remained at the top of French cooking for decades. In June 2025, chef Shintaro Awa was announced as Bernard Pacaud’s successor in the kitchen—a transition owner Walter Butler described as thoughtful and agreed upon with Pacaud.

History and Recognition

The restaurant opened in 1981 with the original idea of being a bistro for friends. The precision of its cooking earned it a first Michelin star in 1982 and a second in 1983. At the end of 1986, after five years on Quai de la Tournelle, it moved to Place des Vosges, Paris’s oldest royal square, created during the reign of Henry IV. It received its third Michelin star in 1988 and held it continuously for 37 years.

Bernard Pacaud’s influence on French gastronomy and his long record of excellence brought honors including induction into the Gault & Millau Academy in 2024, the Michelin Guide’s 2025 Mentor Chef Award, and the 2024 Rabelais Prize.

Chef Shintaro Awa

Born in Japan to a family of chefs, Shintaro Awa trained in France from age 18. He worked with leading French chefs and spent 12 years alongside Éric Fréchon at Le Bristol Paris. His cooking starts with respect for French tradition—its sauces, techniques, and the emotion expected by demanding diners—while pursuing a personal style of lightness and clarity in presentation. He favors seasonal ingredients from the surrounding area and approaches each product with respect, care, and sincerity.

The Menu

The cooking follows the seasons and seeks to bring out each ingredient. The menu includes prawn feuillantine with sesame seeds and curry sauce; fried poivrade artichoke with anchoïade and crisp petals; Kristal caviar with thin slices of confit celery and sour cream; sea bass escalopes with artichoke relish and Kristal caviar; rosemary lobster navarin with potatoes glazed in cooking juices; sole poached in court-bouillon with almond chanterelles and seafood sauce; golden veal sweetbreads with horseradish celery jus and shellfish; roasted Lozère rack of lamb with seaweed and braised lettuce; and wood-fired Bresse pigeon with roasted fig and diable sauce. A selection of fresh and aged cheeses and desserts—including a thin bitter-cocoa sablé tart with Bourbon vanilla ice cream, vineyard peach with crème anglaise and marigold, and caramelized pecans with a fine Arabica-whisky jelly and maple ice cream—complete the menu. Prices listed on the menu are in euros and include service.

Philosophy and Passing on the Craft

The restaurant presents itself as a house built on consistency, respect for classical foundations, and sustained excellence. Its discretion has strengthened its aura, to the point that it has been described as Paris’s most private fine-dining restaurant. Bernard Pacaud retired in August 2025 after accompanying his successor through the transition. For Shintaro Awa, that handoff is fundamental to his creative approach: he carries on his predecessor’s legacy, preserves the great classics, and adds his own creations within French fine dining.

Practical Information

The restaurant is open for dinner only on Tuesdays. Wednesday through Saturday, it serves both lunch and dinner. Lunch begins at 12:15 p.m. and dinner at 8 p.m. Reservations can be made online through the website.

Location and Contact

9 Place des Vosges, 75004 Paris · Phone: +33 (0)1 42 78 51 45 · Email: contact@ambroisie-paris.com · Hours: Tuesday, dinner only; Wednesday–Saturday, lunch and dinner. Lunch begins at 12:15 p.m.; dinner begins at 8 p.m.