Lucas Carton Restaurant

Located between Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré and the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the Madeleine district oozes with prestige and sophistication, with its embassies, major institutions and luxury boutiques. When you find yourself on Place de la Madeleine, you’ll be instantly charmed by this square’s elegant built heritage, such as the enormous Madeleine church with its columns worthy of a Greek temple, and the luxurious galerie de la Madeleine, with its authentic glass roof. A stone’s throw away, the Lucas Carton restaurant completes the picture. Book a table here for an outstanding meal at one of the top gourmet restaurants of Paris.

Passing on culinary excellence

Overlooking the Place de la Madeleine, the restaurant Lucas Carton is an institution in the culinary landscape of Île-de-France. This history-steeped place occupies a building constructed by the architect Charpentier, in 1839. As soon as it opened, the restaurant employed leading French chefs. It was taken over in 1880 and renamed Lucas, then purchased in 1924 by the restaurateur Francis Carton who added his own name. It was also he who earned the restaurant its first Michelin star.

In 1933, the establishment achieved international fame under the management of its chef, Marc Soustelle, and enjoyed increasing prestige as the years passed. With its culinary traditions going back two hundred years, the Lucas Carton restaurant reached new heights in 2021. Now at the helm is Hugo Bourny the young chef who took over from Julien Dumas, who had held the position since 2013. With his expertise based (in his own words) on sentiment and intuition, this chef trained by Hélène Darroze and Anne-Sophie Pic has given the menu a modern twist that respects the tradition through a sensitive, subtle mix of prestige and rusticity.

An elegant and welcoming restaurant

The Lucas Carton does, of course, serve food of superior quality, but it is among the least expensive gourmet restaurants in Paris. The dining room’s warm, soothing atmosphere is a far cry from the unnatural awkwardness of certain Michelin-starred establishments. Its Art Nouveau woodwork by Majorelle, its comfortable booth seats and its faultlessly pleasant service wrap diners in a reassuring cocoon. There are various set menus (including a children’s menu and another for the under 35s), so you can pick the option that takes your fancy. And if you want to sample Hugo Bourny’s cooking without breaking the budget, book a table upstairs, at the Petit Lucas restaurant. The straightforward gourmet menu of the Petit Lucas offers a fabulous French gastronomy overview. In addition, sweet delights are served every Saturday afternoon in the form of snacks created by the pastry chef, Jordan Talbot, voted the best in Paris in 2022. Get ready for a sensationally tasty experience!

Gastronomy fans, check out our selection of restaurants de Paris Region.