Chef Cyril Lignac isn’t slowing down. A few weeks after taking the helm at Lucas Carton, he’s gearing up for Moko, a coffee shop centered around chocolate in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. The opening is slated for November 2026, with no exact date announced yet.
The venue bills itself on its Facebook page as an "area designed as a living space entirely devoted to cocoa." It’s enough to make our mouths water as the first frosts arrive.
Moko opens on Chanzy Street, at the address local food lovers have associated since 2016 with La Chocolaterie Cyril Lignac. On the chef’s official shops site, the label “Moko, coming soon” has already replaced the old name.
The concept remains shrouded in mystery. But one clue is hard to miss: on LinkedIn, the Cyril Lignac group posted about a month ago a vacancy for managers and baristas, tied to the launch of a new coffee-shop concept. The idea is a spot where you come for a hot cup as much as for a tablet to take away.
The first photos circulating on social media already set the tone. They feature the famous marshmallow bears, a chef’s signature, offered in several flavors such as caramel, pistachio, or white chocolate. A marble loaf and jars of spread sit on the counter as well.
As for the cups, the menu hasn’t been revealed yet. Tea, coffee, matcha, latte, or hot chocolate — everything remains to be confirmed. One thing is certain: with a pastry chef of this caliber behind the counter, the afternoon snack is set to become a little neighborhood ritual.
Moko is set to open at 25 Rue Chanzy, in the 11th arrondissement, between Charonne station (Line 9) and Faidherbe-Chaligny (Line 8). The opening is planned for November 2026, with no exact date announced yet. The chef's site already lists daily hours from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., hours to be confirmed at launch.
The neighborhood has the charm of a tiny village à la Lignac. Just a few steps away, you’ll find its bistro Le Chardenoux on rue Jules Vallès, and its very first pastry shop, opened on rue Paul Bert in 2011 with pastry chef Benoît Couvrand. A delicious stroll from coffee to dessert all in one go.
Moko arrives in a year already packed for the 48-year-old chef from Aveyron. On September 25, 2026, he took the reins at Lucas Carton, the Paris institution on Place de la Madeleine, bought by Lapérouse Holding, the group of Benjamin Patou and Antoine Arnault. A cheeky nod to history: he had sent his résumé there 25 years ago, and received no reply at the time.
With Lucas Carton, the chef is back in the world of haute cuisine, years after his Le Quinzième restaurant closed. In June, he also transformed his Dragon restaurant into a venue dedicated to Japanese hand rolls.
Its empire already features pâtisseries and chocolateries in Paris, Saint-Tropez, and even Serris in Seine-et-Marne, plus venues such as Aux Prés and Bar des Prés branches in Paris, London, Dubai, and Saint-Barthélemy. Moko adds a new layer to this landscape, this time in the realm of snacks and comfort. The question now is whether it will still have time to delight the viewers of M6’s Tous en cuisine during the holidays.
To tide you over until November, we suggest diving into our guide to the best spots for hot chocolate in Paris and Île-de-France, from nostalgic retro versions to the deepest, most intense takes. And if you’d rather mix things up with lattes, tea, and mulled wine, our selection of cozy hot-drink spots in Paris has plenty to warm up your autumn afternoons.
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