I recognize that I’m a huge part of the problem, but I can’t help it: Sometimes I miss the way that dining out in Paris used to feel before the city became saturated with foodies. These days, so many of the places I once loved – Angelina, for example, or Carette – are thronged with influencers and tourists following influencers, leading to lines out the door and crowds that take some of the sanctity out of appreciating these Old World destinations. (And I do not like waiting in lines, particularly for food.) But there are still a few places that retain a bit of mystique and allure, including Bontemps, an adorable pâtisserie and tea salon in the Marais.
Let’s be clear: It’s not as though Bontemps is some undiscovered gem. It’s centrally located, just steps from the Marché des Enfants Rouges, and it’s definitely done the rounds among top pens like Lindsey Tramuta, as well as a host of influencers. But it retains something slightly more understated in its appeal than many of the glitzier tea salons, and especially if you go in off-peak times (outside of lunch service or during the week), you can often waltz right in with neither reservation nor wait.
My most recent visit coincided with one of this spring’s rainier, greyer days, which meant we didn’t take advantage of the interior courtyard known as the Jardin Secret. Instead, we settled into the warm, rosy-hued dining room every inch the image of what Jeanne Souchard surely envisioned when, under the Second Empire, she transformed Ladurée from a simple pâtisserie to a sumptuous tea salon. Beneath a wide range of fluted light fixtures, we sunk into blue velvet fauteuils before our white marble table, perusing the menu options with a carafe of mint-infused water.
Beverage-wise, there are loads of teas to choose from, including a few house blends like the black tea-based Matin au Jardin Secret (8) or house Morphée infusion (8), which, with lime blossom, chamomile, and orange blossom, seems exactly like the sort of thing that Proust would have loved. There’s also Lebanese orange blossom-infused orangeade (8), artisanal cola (6), and, if you’re feeling *particularly* fancy (or if your name is Jean Monaco), Côte des Bar Champagne by the glass (14).
Your beverage ordered, it’s time to turn your attention to the real stars here, the pastries, which one of the genial, gauzy-skirted serveuses brings to your table on a platter for your perusal. A few stalwarts like the Esmé (12) with Iranian pistachio, Madagascar vanilla, olive oil, and fleur de sel, or the Madagascar vanilla flan (10) are joined by some seasonal creations, and after dithering a bit over the options, we selected two to try.
A Paris-Brest is one of my favorite classic pastries, and much like a beef bourguignon at a bistro, it’s kind of become my barometer when checking out a new place. Here, the Paris-Bontemps (12) is a permanent offering. It deviates from tradition by replacing the more typical chou pastry base with the house sablé, a shortbread that’s deeply caramelized and not overly sweet, relying mainly on butter and a touch of fleur de sel for its irresistible flavor.
The result is nevertheless surprisingly light, with the typical hazelnut praline buttercream swapped for fluffier crème légère, which sees pastry cream lightened with airy whipped cream. The Piedmont hazelnut praline heart is runny and slightly savory, providing even more balance.
From the entremets category, we opted for the Weekend en Sicile (15), a multi-layered treat pairing fluffy genoise with Sicilian Carocco oranges in many forms.
The fruit itself was supremed, while the zest was candied and the juice used to make a zingy crémeux. Lebanese orange blossom flavored the Chantilly, which had a slight savory note thanks to the fromage blanc base. It was the perfect way to add a touch of sunshine to a cloudy day, and as we swapped plates back and forth, we found ourselves unable to pick a favorite between the two. (I ultimately settled on the Paris-Bontemps; my girlfriend, however, found the innovation behind this entremets too irresistible. And I get it.)
Those already familiar with Bontemps may notice that I haven’t actually mentioned the two things this pâtisserie is best known for: the lemon cake and the sablés. The former is undeniably the best in all of Paris, with a dense sponge and a super zingy glaze. But while you won’t pay much markup to enjoy the pastries in the tea salon (read: a euro), they do levy a pretty big surcharge on the cake, which costs 8 euros to enjoy on-site and just 4.50 to take away from the lovely adjoining pastry counter… which you should definitely do.
Here, you’ll also find the shortbreads, which are sold plain or sandwiched around vanilla, lemon, or gianduja cream. You can even buy them as petits-fours: The “Bontemps” are miniature versions of the sandwich cookies flavored with all manner of seasonal ingredients like passion fruit, chocolate-tonka, or lemon-vanilla.
Other stalwarts include the aptly named Indécent (12), a chocolate lava cake filled with a custard heart, as well as an old-fashioned lemon tart I’m dying to try but is sadly only sold whole, rather than in slices. Guess I’ll need to rally some friends to taste with me! Who’s in?
Bontemps – 57 Rue de Bretagne, 75003