La Belle Equipe

La Belle Equipe is currently closed. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims, all Parisians and anyone affected by the atrocities of November 13 2015.

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The team of beauties behind La Belle Équipe met on the job at Le Café des Anges, before deciding to open their own cheery little bistro on Rue de Charonne at the end of 2014.  Striking the balance between local watering hole and trendy restaurant, the décor is sober and refined: exposed brick walls, tapestries, patterned tiles, vintage movie posters and antique mirrors.

The picturesque patio conjures images of evenings spent drinking under a summer sky. That said, we weren’t terribly fond of the signature cocktails (made with olive oil, egg white and rosemary). We did enjoy a Spritz (€6) and a gin-based cocktail, mixed with grapefruit juice and peppered vanilla (€8).

Everything on the bistro-style menu is made with fresh, seasonal produce: burgers, mixed salads, tartare, rib steak and, for the more adventurous, octopus à la plancha.

We went with the succulent shrimp and beet risotto (€16) and the penne Gorgonzola topped with shredded ham and nuts (€9.50), which was simple but tasty. La Belle Équipe certainly isn’t groundbreaking, but it is warm and convivial: the sort of place to come for a light-hearted evening among friends.