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From Politicians to Supermodels – The Paris Café That’s Been an Icon for 25 Years

From Politicians to Supermodels – The Paris Café That’s Been an Icon for 25 Years November 10, 2025Paris, RestaurantsOff

Le Café de l’Esplanade – 25 Years of Parisian Grace

There are places that change with time, and there are those that hold it still.
Facing the golden dome of Les Invalides, Le Café de l’Esplanade has, for twenty-five years, remained one of those rare Parisian sanctuaries where everything feels both eternal and quietly in motion.

Opened in 2000, this emblematic address in the 7ᵉ arrondissement has become much more than a café – it’s an institution. A place where the clink of porcelain and the murmur of conversation compose the soundtrack of refined constancy. Here, every detail feels deliberate, from the military echoes of its décor to the velvet hush of its atmosphere.

Behind this perfect balance of discipline and discretion stands Isabelle Saglio, the soul of the Esplanade. For a quarter of a century, she has preserved its spirit with graceful rigor – maintaining that rare equilibrium between the warmth of a home and the precision of a maison. Nothing showy, nothing superfluous. Just the kind of quiet excellence Parisians recognize instantly.

A Menu Between Memory and Discovery

At the table, tradition meets wanderlust. The iconic Tigre qui pleure, rigatoni with tomato sauce, and grilled filet with Béarnaise speak of French roots, while miso-ginger salmon and Tom Yam sea bass offer a subtle invitation to travel.
Each dish feels both familiar and surprising, a reflection of the café itself – Parisian in essence, but never provincial in spirit.

The experience extends to the glass: a refined wine list and signature cocktails, including the “Bella Isabella”, a tribute to the woman who embodies the heart of the house.

A Discreetly Glittering Stage

Le Café de l’Esplanade is not merely a destination – it’s a meeting of worlds.
On any given day, one might spot political figures crossing from the Assemblée Nationale, editors and models between fashion shows, families from the 7ᵉ sharing lunch, or travelers in search of a Paris that still values understatement over excess.

Here, loyalty is the ultimate luxury. The faces may change, but the feeling never does.

A Parisian Classic That Refines Itself With Time

After twenty-five years, nothing has truly changed – and that is precisely its secret.
What could have aged has instead matured, gracefully. The light still falls through the same windows, porcelain cups still meet marble tables, and the same quiet sense of elegance lingers in the air.

Le Café de l’Esplanade remains, as ever, a study in enduring refinement – a living emblem of the Paris that never tries too hard, because it never has to.

Discover more at: www.cafedelesplanade.fr

Tags: 7e arrondissement, anniversary feature, Art de vivre, fine dining Paris, French gastronomy, Isabelle Saglio, Le Café de l’Esplanade, Les Invalides, Paris cafés, Paris dining, Paris elegance, Paris restaurant, Parisian classics, timeless Paris, What We Adore