A brief history of the great restaurants of Paris: Maxim's, the crème de la crème of the Belle Epoque

Since 1893, Maxim's has embodied a certain idea of Parisian luxury, festivity and refinement. Located at 3 rue Royale, between the Place de la Concorde and the Madeleine, this legendary restaurant is one of the most famous in the world. Its name evokes the elegance of the Belle Époque, sumptuous banquets, secret romances and long-starred gastronomy.

A plunge into the Paris of feathers, long dresses, glasses of champagne and feverish conversation. A look back at an institution that has been blending prestige, memory and art de vivre for over 130 years.

A birth in the heart of the Belle Époque

The restaurant was founded in 1893 by Maxim Gaillard, an ambitious waiter who transformed a simple bistro into a fashionable meeting place. Maxim's soon became a fixture of Parisian high society, attracting aristocrats, courtesans and politicians in a hushed, worldly atmosphere. In 1899, Eugène Cornuché took over the establishment and imposed a flamboyant style. He hired artists from the École de Nancy to create an Art Nouveau décor, featuring undulating woodwork, stained glass, floral lighting, mirrors, leather banquettes... The place became a decorative masterpiece in its own right, and has since been listed as a historic monument.

A worldly, artistic and cinematographic scene

Throughout the 20ᵉ century, Maxim's attracted the Tout-Paris and the international elite. Marcel Proust, Jean Cocteau, Sacha Guitry, Brigitte Bardot, Maria Callas, Jackie Kennedy, Romy Schneider, Salvador Dalí and Andy Warhol dined and danced there. Legend even has it that Mistinguett sang on the tables and Édith Piaf improvised a concert. Maxim's also inspired theater and cinema. Franz Lehár's famous operetta La Veuve Joyeuse (The Merry Widow), for example, makes reference to the place, as do a number of Claude Chabrol's films.

Prestigious gastronomy

From the interwar period until the 1970s, Maxim's was a benchmark for French haute cuisine. Under the leadership of chefs such as Louis Barthe and later Jean Delaveyne, the restaurant offered sophisticated dishes: filet de sole Maxim's, American-style lobster, poularde demi-deuil, Grand Marnier soufflé... Although the restaurant's style has changed over time, it remains associated with traditional bourgeois cuisine, served in refined crockery with old-fashioned maître d'hôtel service.

• To be read
• A brief history of Paris's great restaurants: Bofinger, the Alsatian grande dame of Bastille
• A brief history of Paris's great restaurants: Brasserie Lipp, living memory of Saint-Germain
• La petite histoire des grands restaurants de Paris: Lapérouse, heart of Paris's social and political life

A rebirth under Pierre Cardin

In 1981, fashion designer Pierre Cardin bought Maxim's and turned it into an international brand. He developed a line of derivative products (delicatessen, tableware), opened branches abroad and launched cultural projects, including an Art Nouveau museum on the first floor of the Parisian restaurant. To this day, Maxim's retains its dual status as a prestigious restaurant and a living myth, between historic table and showcase of Parisian chic.

Maxim's today: between tradition and celebration

Still open at 3 rue Royale, the restaurant now offers dinner shows and private events, as well as a bistro, a catering service and gourmet cruises on the Seine. The place continues to embody French-style splendor, in a setting that has remained unchanged for over a century.