Rivages, the discreet restaurant redefines itself as a seafood destination.

In Paris’s 9th arrondissement, the Rivages du Scribe Paris Opéra restaurant is reinventing its entire menu for 2026, focusing on seafood and French coastal fishing. We tried it, and here’s the full rundown.

Since opening in 2023 after two years of work, the Rivages restaurant tucked inside the Scribe has unveiled a discreet and refined bistronomique address in the Opéra district. This year, chef Martin Simolka takes a step further by centering his entire kitchen around seafood, coastal fishing, and the French littorals. A natural evolution for a chef who first caught our eye at the Molitor hotel, and who here presents a more committed and genuinely convincing menu.

Rivages: a familiar, unchanging setting, with a kitchen that’s charting new waters

Don't hesitate to head to Rivages restaurant to rediscover its grand glass roofed main room, bathed in daylight, and its striking pink-leaved tree, tucked away like the Beast's rose under a cloche. The muted, contemporary decor signed by Tristan Auer hasn't aged a day: powder-pink sofas, a bar that serves as the centerpiece, an atmosphere that is both elegant and relaxed. A venue steeped in history, where the Lumière brothers premiered their first film in 1895. Comfortable under the glass roof, you drift with the mood even before you’ve opened the menu.

What's on the menu at Nouveau Rivages?

The course is clear: iodine is now the guiding thread of the entire menu. Chef Martin Simolka, who cut his teeth at Pavillon Ledoyen, the Shangri-La, the George V, and the Peninsula, builds each creation around a central product, fish or vegetable, which he elevates with technique without ever overpowering it.

The menu at Rivages:

On the starter side, we were won over by the sea bass carpaccio in a delicate tartlet, with apple and a mint velouté: fresh and tart, it’s an elegant plate that immediately sets the tone.

Just as indulgent as it is inventive, the heart of artichoke with Maison Barthouil’s poutargue and its smoky vinaigrette surprise with surprising depth of flavor. The poutargue brings a marine intensity that talks perfectly with the artichoke. The asperges des Landes of Cécile Chéry Dubourg, in a dulse sabayon with red miso, complete a trio of starters that immediately sets the tone for the menu.

Among the dishes, the coastal catch from small boats of monkfish as we sample the menu meets a delicately grilled cauliflower and an Iberian pil-pil sauce: an unexpected combination, perfectly mastered.

The Breton-style squid, Swiss chard, quinoa and sorrel form, for their part, a real tapestry of flavors. A whisper of salt on the palate, but it’s a striking plate—generous and well put together. And even the beef filet Wellington, the sole meat option on the menu, preserves this conversation with the sea thanks to a seaweed condiment.

Must-try desserts

It's in the dessert course that our two evening highlights reveal themselves. The ginger-poached rhubarb, mint espuma and rhubarb sorbet are a real triumph: fresh, light, with just the right zing to finish the meal on a high note.

The tatin-style apple with sea lettuce and raw almond ice cream simply melts in the mouth. The seaweed adds a barely perceptible iodine note that makes the dessert genuinely original without ever unsettling it. We praise this lovely work, rich in flavor and precision: clean platings, innovative pairings, masterful cooking, from the glass to the plate.

The restaurant Rivages is open to everyone and welcomes guests daily from Monday to Sunday, lunch from 12:00 to 14:00 and dinner from 19:00 to 21:30. A Sunday brunch is offered from 12:00 to 15:00 on Sundays. For lunch, the Chef’s three-course set menu is available Monday to Friday at €48, and a five-course Discovery menu is offered at lunch and dinner at €85. You’ll find Rivages at 1 rue Scribe, Paris 9ᵉ, just steps from the Opéra metro station (lines 3, 7, 8).

Our verdict: Rivages caters to lovers of fish and seafood cuisine in Paris, inviting diners to watch the sea make a cameo even at dessert, all inside an elegant setting. It’s a refined spot for a business lunch, a romantic dinner, or a celebration in a historic hotel. We’d return without hesitation for the five-course discovery menu.