Restaurant in Paris, France
Classic bistro cooking, honest prices, book ahead.
Rosemarie holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025) and a 4.7 Google rating across 444 reviews — strong signals for a €€ bistro in the 7th arrondissement. Run by two Paris-trained professionals, it delivers seasonal traditional French cooking with a zinc-topped counter that rewards returning visitors. Book the counter specifically; it fills before tables do.
Rosemarie runs a small room on Rue de l'Université in the 7th arrondissement, and the zinc-topped counter is the hardest seat to get. If you've eaten here before and sat at a table, the counter is what you should be targeting on your next visit: it puts you directly in front of the kitchen's rhythm, with Philippe Cadeau's seasonal plates arriving with none of the remove that tablecloth dining creates. The format rewards returning guests who already know the menu well enough to let the kitchen lead.
The Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025) is the clearest signal of what Rosemarie is doing right: serious cooking at a price point that doesn't require a special occasion to justify. At €€, this is one of the more compelling arguments in the 7th for traditional French bistro cooking delivered with genuine professional rigour. Nina and Philippe Cadeau both came through respected Paris kitchens — Le Beurre Noisette and Christian Constant's Cocottes , and that pedigree shows in the precision applied to dishes that could easily be treated as defaults: leek vinaigrette, country terrine, salmon tartare, custard tart, chocolate mousse. These are not dishes that hide weak technique. The fact that they land well here, consistently enough to hold a Bib Gourmand, is the point.
The bistro's name comes from both founders' mothers , a detail that tells you something about the register of the place. This is not a concept restaurant or a chef's statement. It is a neighbourhood bistro that happens to be run by two people who know exactly what they're doing, and that combination is less common than it sounds. The room itself matches the cooking: cream, butter, zinc, imitation leather. There is no design gap between the food and the space. When the kitchen sends out scallops or shoulder of lamb for two, the room around you already makes sense of the portion and the pace.
If you are coming back after a first visit, the dishes to watch on the seasonal rotation are the fish options , pollack and scallops appear when the season allows , and the sharing formats. The shoulder of lamb for two is the kind of dish that only works when a kitchen is confident enough to let the main ingredient do most of the talking. On a return visit, that is worth ordering with enough time to linger. The entrecôte is the more direct solo option if you are eating alone at the counter.
The counter experience here has a practical dimension that matters for planning. A zinc-topped counter in a Paris bistro of this size means proximity to the kitchen and a pace set by the service rather than by you. Nina Cadeau runs the floor and her presence is part of what makes the room work , Google reviewers give the venue 4.7 across 444 ratings, and floor energy in a room this small is not incidental to that score. If you are coming for a quieter, slower dinner, a table is the right call. If you want to understand how the kitchen operates and you are comfortable with a counter's natural rhythm, that is where the visit earns its full value.
For context on where Rosemarie sits in its category, compare it against other traditional bistro options in Paris. Allard is the other obvious reference point for classic bistro cooking in the Left Bank, but it sits at a higher price tier and carries more tourist traffic. Le Violon d'Ingres offers a more formal take on traditional French cooking in the same arrondissement. Rosemarie is the better choice when budget and informality both matter. For something more contemporary at the same price tier, Anecdote and 20 Eiffel are nearby alternatives worth comparing. If you are building a broader Paris trip, our full Paris restaurants guide covers the range from Bib Gourmand bistros like this one up to the three-star end of the spectrum, including Mirazur, Flocons de Sel, and Troisgros across France. You can also browse our Paris hotels guide, our Paris bars guide, and our Paris experiences guide for the full picture.
Booking here is relatively easy compared to the pressure-cooked reservation queues at Paris's more talked-about tables. That accessibility is part of the value proposition. You do not need to plan six weeks out, but the counter specifically is limited , if that seat matters to you, ask for it when you book rather than assuming it will be available on arrival.
| Detail | Rosemarie | Allard | Le Violon d'Ingres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price tier | €€ | €€€ | €€€ |
| Award | Bib Gourmand 2025 | , | , |
| Booking difficulty | Easy | Moderate | Moderate |
| Style | Traditional bistro | Classic bistro | Traditional French |
| Counter seating | Yes (zinc-topped) | No | No |
| Google rating | 4.7 (444 reviews) | , | , |
| Area | 7th arr. | 6th arr. | 7th arr. |
Yes, with the right expectations. The Michelin Bib Gourmand and 4.7 Google rating confirm consistent quality, and the traditional bistro format , seasonal dishes, professional floor service from Nina Cadeau , makes for a genuinely considered dinner. At €€, it is an excellent choice for a low-key celebration where the food matters more than the theatrical setting. For a more formal occasion that calls for a grand room, Le Violon d'Ingres nearby is the better fit.
The menu is rooted in traditional French bistro cooking , butter, cream, meat, and fish feature prominently , so it is not a naturally accommodating kitchen for strict vegetarian or vegan diners. If you have specific dietary needs, contact the restaurant directly before booking. The seasonal and traditional format means flexibility may be limited depending on what is on that week.
Yes, and it is arguably the leading seat in the house. The zinc-topped counter is the defining feature of the room and puts you close to the kitchen's pace. Counter seats are limited, so ask specifically when you book rather than hoping one will be free on arrival. It suits solo diners or pairs who want a more engaged, less formal version of the meal.
Rosemarie is a traditional bistro, not a tasting menu restaurant, so that format does not apply here. The value case is different: at €€ with a Bib Gourmand, you are getting kitchen-led seasonal French cooking at a price that is genuinely competitive for the 7th arrondissement. If a structured tasting progression is what you want, that sits at the other end of the Paris spectrum , at venues like 19.20 by Norbert Tarayre or further up the price ladder. Rosemarie's value is in the à la carte format and the seasonal rotation.
If the season allows, scallops and pollack are the fish options to watch. The shoulder of lamb for two is the sharing dish that leading demonstrates what the kitchen can do with a slower format , worth ordering if you have the time and a dining companion. Solo, the entrecôte is the more direct choice at the counter. For dessert, the custard tart and chocolate mousse are the traditional anchors the Bib Gourmand citation calls out specifically. The leek vinaigrette and country terrine are the starters to anchor your order if you want to read the kitchen's technique before the main course arrives.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosemarie | Traditional Cuisine | €€ | Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025); Cream, butter, zinc-topped counter, imitation leather and egg mayonnaise – a recipe for happiness! This bistro was opened by two seasoned professionals, Nina and Philippe Cadeau (formerly at Le Beurre Noisette and Christian Constant's Cocottes, respectively), and named after their mothers. Their expertise is still going strong: Nina's enthusiasm continues to shine on the restaurant floor and Philippe turns out delicious traditional and seasonal dishes: leek vinaigrette, country terrine, salmon tartar, pollack, scallops, entrecote and shoulder of lamb for two, custard pie and chocolate mousse. | Easy | — |
| Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen | Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Kei | Contemporary French, Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| L'Ambroisie | French, Classic Cuisine | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Le Cinq - Four Seasons Hôtel George V | French, Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Pierre Gagnaire | French, Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
How Rosemarie stacks up against the competition.
Yes, if your idea of a special occasion is a well-cooked, seasonal French meal in a warm room rather than a grand dining room with ceremony. Rosemarie holds a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand, which signals serious cooking at honest €€ prices. For a birthday dinner where the food matters more than the theatre, it earns its place. If you need formal service and a long wine list, look at Le Cinq or L'Ambroisie instead.
The kitchen is rooted in classic French bistro cooking — think cream, butter, egg mayonnaise, and meat-forward mains like entrecôte and shoulder of lamb. That format does not naturally accommodate strict plant-based or dairy-free diets. check the venue's official channels at 149 Rue de l'Université before booking if you have specific requirements, as hours and contact details are not publicly listed on major platforms.
Yes, and the zinc-topped counter is the seat worth requesting. It's the most characterful spot in the room, consistent with the classic Parisian bistro format Nina and Philippe Cadeau have built here. That said, it's also the hardest seat to get — the room is small and fills quickly, so walk-in counter seats are not reliable. Book in advance and request the counter specifically.
Rosemarie does not operate as a tasting-menu restaurant. This is a traditional bistro at €€ pricing, where Philippe Cadeau — formerly of Christian Constant's Cocottes — runs a seasonal, à la carte format. If you want a structured tasting progression, Kei or Alléno Paris are better fits. Rosemarie's value is in the cooking style and price point, not a multi-course format.
The Michelin inspectors singled out leek vinaigrette, country terrine, salmon tartare, scallops, entrecôte, shoulder of lamb for two, custard pie, and chocolate mousse as the dishes that define the kitchen's approach. The shoulder of lamb for two is a commitment that rewards planning ahead. Start with the leek vinaigrette or country terrine to get a read on Philippe Cadeau's classical technique before moving to the mains.
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