Paris, France — It is a bucolic setting for a gourmet lunch in the heart of Paris. La Table du Luxembourg sits nestled in the Luxembourg Garden, a tree-lined, flower filled haven of greenery housing secret corners and bends and twists leading to a fruit orchard, bee hives, tennis courts a model sailboat pool and a palace. The Luxembourg Palace, where the French Senate, which owns the garden, meets.

It is a great place for a classic meal from the chef Philippe Renard. Guests in fine weather can be served on the outdoor terrace while the indoor seating space is outfitted with a splendid glass roof offering unlimited views onto the tress of the vast garden. The spot draws an eclectic clientele of book editors as publishing houses ring the garden, artists, businessmen, local residents and some in-the-know-tourists. Breakfast, lunch, Sunday brunch and tasting platters can be enjoyed from 10am until the closing of the park, the time of which depends upon the time of the setting of the sun. But the gourmet lunch served between noon and 3pm is the big draw, so make sure to reserve.

The products and produce are all carefully sourced and some dishes can easily be shared for portions are of a very nice size. The menu changes with the seasons but The Gourmet Gazette recently enjoyed a famous North Sea salmon gravlax generously served with rocket and almonds, avocado, yellow zucchini and cherry tomatoes seasoned with lemon and coriander. This was enjoyed with a delightfully zesty 100% chardonnay from the La Chevalière, Domaine Laroche. Main course was a slice of monk fish, a very nice thick slice of luscious monkfish in bouillabaisse broth flavored with the Espelette pepper from the Basque country and garnished with tasty slices of chorizo sausage and perfectly cooked tiny squid garnished with green asparagus spears. But The Gourmet Gazette was intrigued by what the people were eating at the table next to us which was served in an individual Dutch oven. We opted for a very indiscreet look and saw the farmer’s chicken roasted with thyme and pink garlic accompanied by a potato purée, which we had almost ordered, so once we saw this, we had to order up the potatoes on the spot. It turned out to be pomme purée Renard, the chef’s special potato purée which he explained to us later meant potatoes but mostly butter. And it went very well with the mildly spiced juicy monk fish. To accompany this rather feast-like main course we went with an ice-cold sumptuous white Côtes de Rhône, a 2020 Les Abeilles de Jean Luc Colombo AOP.

La Table du Luxembourg has a fine wine and champagne menu with not usually seen selections from Burgundy and the Côtes du Rhone. The bread basket comes from the house of Jean-Luc Poujauran and the cheese board is selected by Claude Anthès, both marvels that are always very welcomed on a gourmet table. Our dessert choice was the dark chocolate tart with coconut ice-cream. A nice heavy choice for a great satisfying meal. Comfort and gastronomy magically rolled into one.
©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette
Opening hour timetable and reservations on website
https://www.latableduluxembourg.com/
Entrance to the Garden at
7 rue Guynemer
75006 Paris, France
+33 (0)1 42 38 64 88