L'Ambroisie at Place des Vosges – a classic in a new chapter

For almost forty years, Bernard Pacaud's L'Ambroisie was French classicism in its purest form. Now the kitchen is led by Shintaro Awa, and in the 2026 guide the restaurant has two stars.

Under the arcades in the south-western corner of Place des Vosges lies L'Ambroisie, in the old Hôtel de Luynes. The name comes from Greek mythology – ambrosia, the food of the gods – and for almost forty years the restaurant represented the most classic that French cuisine has to offer.

In March 2026, the Guide Michelin downgraded L'Ambroisie from three to two stars, after the restaurant had held three since 1988. Owner Walter Butler responded that the two stars underline the excellent work being done by the new head chef, Shintaro Awa, and that gastronomy is a constant quest.

01Bernard Pacaud – from Mère Brazier to the Marais

Bernard Pacaud grew up in the suburbs of Rennes and spent part of his childhood in a children's home. At around the age of 15, he became an apprentice to the legendary Eugénie Brazier, Mère Brazier, at her restaurant at Col de la Luère outside Lyon. Later, he worked for Claude Peyrot at Le Vivarois in Paris.

He has summed it up himself in the Guide Michelin: “I was an orphan and I got a mother, Mère Brazier, and a father, Claude Peyrot.” In 2025, Michelin awarded him its Mentor Chef award.

02From the Left Bank to Place des Vosges

In 1981, Pacaud and his wife Danièle opened L'Ambroisie on the Left Bank. A few years later, the restaurant moved to the Hôtel de Luynes on Place des Vosges, and from 1988 it held three stars without interruption – for 38 years.

In 2012, Pacaud transferred ownership to his son Mathieu, who had worked by his side for ten years, but he remained in the kitchen. His daughter Alexia is the restaurant's pastry chef. In 2023, the businessman Walter Butler bought a majority stake in the restaurant.

03Dishes that became classics

Pacaud's cuisine is described as traditional and meticulous, with the raw ingredients at its centre. According to Wikipedia, the restaurant made a loss in its first years because the ingredients were so expensive. Among the dishes mentioned by the Guide Michelin are escalopines of sea bass with artichoke, duck ballotine, red mullet with cumin and artichoke heart with foie gras.

Best known is the chocolate tart, a shortcrust tart with bitter cocoa. Le Bonbon also mentions langoustine with curry in thin pastry. These are dishes that don't try to surprise but show how far you can get by repeating something until it's perfected.

04Shintaro Awa and the new chapter

Finding a successor wasn't easy. Christophe Moret was hired in 2023 but left after about two months. In June 2025, it was announced that Shintaro Awa would take over. According to Le Bonbon, he was 39 at the time and came from Le Bristol's three-starred Épicure, where he had been sous chef and worked for more than ten years under Éric Frechon. He has also worked for Paul Bocuse, with the Marcon brothers and at the Plaza Athénée.

Walter Butler has said that Awa is to carry forward L'Ambroisie's vision rather than putting his own stamp on the house. Other chefs have called Pacaud the last of the Mohicans.

05Place des Vosges and the Marais

Place des Vosges is Paris's oldest planned square, surrounded by arcades and brick façades from the 17th century. The square is divided between the 3rd and 4th arrondissement, and the streets of the Marais lie all around. We gather more restaurants and hotels in Paris at metromode.co.

06Planning your visit

L'Ambroisie is a formal restaurant with a classic style. Book well in advance and ask for the chocolate tart for dessert. Take a stroll under the arcades around the square before dinner. Check opening days directly with the restaurant.

For a weekend. For a lifetime.