Where To Eat
Le Bichat, Paris
When you think of the food scene in Paris, “healthy” doesn’t automatically come to mind. But maybe it should—restaurants with a local and seasonal bent are opening up throughout the city, making it easy for travellers and residents alike find some amazing spots to enjoy delicious and healthy food.
​
One of these places is Le Bichat, a restaurant just steps from the Canal Saint-Martin neighbourhood. Here & There Magazine stopped by to experience Paris’s healthy food evolution first-hand.
CULTIVATING SLOW FOOD IN PARIS
When French actor, Augustin Legrand first opened Le Bichat in October 2014, there weren't many restaurants in Paris with a focus on offering healthy and local options. This has quickly changed and the demand for similar eateries has allowed Legrand to expand and open other locations like Le Myrha, Le Grand Bréguet, La Boétie, Le D'argout and Le Crémieux, which are catching buzz for their ecological approach.
​
“You can eat organic and healthy for a good price. You come and order at the counter and after you finish, clear your spot, which is the same style as fast food restaurants. If all fast food could be replaced with this eating style, it would be a great thing!” - Mathieu Cacos (Manager of Le Bichat)
​
Le Bichat's ‘fast food culture de slow food', pertains to its fusion of the casual dining experience with a menu that features much more nutritious (and tastier) ingredients than your typical quick-eats spot, all while sourcing from local farms like les Fermes BIO d'île de france. The fast food culture is a more hands-on system, with a canteen style of ordering at the bar and clearing your dishes at the end of the meal. The selection of bowls consist of a rice and veggie/salad base and you can choose between vegan, egg, fish or meat. With the vegan bowl as their most popular dish to order, the goal will be to eventually become more focused on vegetarian and vegan food, eliminating meat completely. Along with their bowls, they offer fresh juices, vegan and gluten-free options of cake, tapas, coffees and local beers in the evening.
​
By Aleyah Solomon