We were at the Bastille the other day, doing some paperwork for our long term visa and we got a little hungry. I have had a number of inquiries about where to eat when going to the opera, so I thought I would do a couple of reviews. I decided to start with the restaurant next door, Les Grandes Marches. Les Grandes Marches was closed for renovation for some time and has just re-opened. The interior is elegant, with fine wall panelling and pictures of opera stars such Maria Callas. The menus is upmarket brasserie, with an emphasis on seafood, including a wide selection of oysters, as well as steak options such as a gargantuan 400g rib-eye.
As I have mentioned before, they built a brand new opera house at the Bastille and the area has become pretty busy.
The terrace and interior are very nicely appointed with generous room between tables.
As you can see from the menu, they have a large selection of oysters, including my favorites, Bélon. The other seafood is nicely represented. They have a station near the front door where you can peruse the seafood. The wine list was good and they have a full bar. Click on the menu if you like to make it larger.
We were just there for a snack, so I had a dozen oysters with some white wine. They were predictably delicious and served with crisp and attentive service on a white tablecloth. It was the middle of the day, so it was not crowded but I would bet this restaurant fills up at night. It is not inexpensive but if you want a nice night out in a beautiful setting consider the Grandes Marches.
References:
Le Grand Marches: http://www.grandes-marches.com/
Opéra Bastille: http://www.operadeparis.fr/en/L_Opera/Opera_Bastille/