The secret and brilliant Tea Time from the Halle aux Grains to the Bourse de Commerce in Paris

In the unique setting of La Halle aux Grains at the Paris Bourse de Commerce, every afternoon from 3pm to 6pm, lovers of sweet and savory delights are invited to a divine gourmet escape. Nestled in the heart of this historic building, this gastronomic mecca offers a culinary experience well worth the detour.

The La Halle aux Grains restaurant, run by father-son duo Michel and Sébastien Bras, Michelin-starred chefs from Aveyron, has transformed the former grain silo into a confidential culinary venue that we love. The confidential Tea-Time is a real gourmet getaway from the hustle and bustle of Paris. Whether you're a visitor looking to enjoy the museum in a different way, or simply want to take a break, you're more than welcome.

There's no need to pay a museum entrance fee to get there: a staircase or elevator takes you straight there. Located on the 3rd floor of the Bourse, the restaurant-café offers a superb view of the interior of the building renovated by architect Tadao Ando, as well as the Jardin Nelson Mandela, the Saint-Eustache church, the Canopée des Halles, the Centre Pompidou and, beyond, the rooftops of Paris.

The high-ceilinged space is immense, with a succession of rooms. You don't need to make a reservation, but you can reserve a table online for Tea Time. In the afternoon, a €29 menu includes a croque-moelleux with salad, a pastry or tart of the moment and a hot or cold drink.

For the record, Les Bras imagined this restaurant around grains of all kinds, a mixture of grains, seeds and seeds that exalts flavors to awaken the taste buds. A real touch of madness. The afternoon tea is no exception, and we're treated to a sweet and savory snack based around grain.

Here's what's on the menu:

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Savory: an innovative interpretation of the croque-monsieur, with three choices available. The grain croque-moelleux, with its varied and unique flavors of fennel, Espelette, chicken from Alice's farm, horseradish cream mustard, cod and wild garlic, is the highlight. To bring you these incomparably crisp croques, Sébastien and Michel Bras have invented their own deep-ribbed cooking apparatus to deliver this gourmet result. The filling is baked inside, at the same time as the pastry. We loved the cod and wild garlic version, accompanied by its sprouted salad.

On the sweet side: the undisputed star here is the pouring heart. There's an interpretation of the original 1981 coulant in a warm cookie coulant with Cameroon chocolate and coconut ice cream, and another with Lot-et-Garonne hazelnuts and roasted praline ice cream. In addition, the patisserie of the moment offers such delights as a fine candied rhubarb tart and a crisp Grand Cru chocolate tart from the Dominican Republic, each offering unforgettable flavors and textures.

Drinks: We love the diversity of the drinks, which celebrate all the beans, whether coffee or cereal. For our part, we were tempted by an excellent hot chocolate with spelt milk, which combined the good taste of chocolate with lightness.

Did you know? The coeur coulant is a revolutionary signature dessert invented by Michel Bras in 1981. Its birth was the fruit of long reflection, inspired by a family ski outing. The chocolate cœur coulant embodies a memory and a kind of revelation for Michel Bras: "We'd all come back completely frozen, and to warm everyone up and get them talking again, my wife launched an old-fashioned chocolate, cooked in a pan with a grain of salt," he recalls.

La Halle aux Grains offers a unique experience that will delight gourmets and the curious alike. If you prefer quality and taste to profusion, then you've come to the right place - it's a real treat. Don't miss the opportunity to discover this hidden gem during a stroll around Les Halles in Paris. It's ideal for a late lunch or an unusual snack.