Flonflon: Pierre-Thomas Clément's excellent Parisian bistro

While street food has been invading the streets of Paris for several years now, some are putting up a fight to keep the Parisian bistro alive. And with good reason. Since the summer of 2022, the 17th arrondissement of Paris has been home to a new, oh-so-friendly, gourmet eatery. Called Flonflon, it's the very first Parisian restaurant by Pierre-Thomas Clément. The 36-year-old chef is no newcomer to the business. Quite the contrary, in fact. He trained at the Ferrandi school before working with some of the great names in French gastronomy, including Alain Ducasse, Joël Robuchon and Pierre Gagnaire.

For this first gourmet address in Paris, Pierre-Thomas Clément wanted to revive the spirit of Parisian bistros with a modern twist. Just push open the doors of the restaurant, nestled not far from theArc de Triomphe, and you'll fall under the spell of its cozy, friendly atmosphere. We love the floral tapestry, the industrial-inspired chandeliers and the colorful feathered Bamilékés headdresses by Olivier N'Gassa.

When it comes to food, Pierre-Thomas Clément loves local produce, particularly from his native Haute-Loire region. With a small, seasonal menu that changes every two months, and a bistronomic style of cooking, the chef offers simple recipes that honor the product and the honest taste of the food. Pierre-Thomas Clément makes a point of choosing the French artisans he works with. For example, the bread comes from Thierry Breton, the meat from the Seguin butchery, the vegetables are carefully selected at the Alma market, and the fish comes directly from Normandy or Brittany.

Result? We fall for the succulent finger-food-style small plates prepared by the chef that evening, with lightly smoked, ultra-melting Japanese-style sardines on one side, and crispy Iberian ham croquettes on the other!

The tasting continues with the starters. Here again, the taste buds are in for a real treat, with a stunning veal tartare, accompanied by avocado, hazelnuts for crunch and a delicious chicory cream. On the other side, we melt for the perfectly cooked, runny soft-boiled egg, delicately placed on a bed of trompettes de la mort. The whole is sublimated by a smoky oil and mustard vinaigrette. A pure delight!

• To be read
• New restaurants in Paris, our best addresses
• The most anticipated new restaurants opening in Paris in 2026
• This week's top picks for July 6–12, 2026 in Paris and Île-de-France

Moving on to the main course, our favorite is the plate of ultra-melting scallops with spinach, grilled endive and kalamansi turnips. And what about the braised beef cheek à la bourguignonne? A classic of French cuisine, perfectly executed and accompanied by a celeriac purée.

Of course, we couldn't stop there. So we let ourselves be tempted by the desserts. And we were right. While the rice pudding with its salted butter caramel seduced us from the very first bite, the chocolate moelleux with its pistachio heart made us literally melt with happiness. An ultra-generous sweet moment we won't soon forget.

To accompany these lovingly-cooked dishes, choose one of the many wines on the menu. For the more inquisitive, Flonflon offers a dozen flasks by the glass and some fifty references by the bottle.

For those with a taste for clever beverages, Flonflon also offers cocktails with many classics: Negroni, the excellent Amaretto Sour, or the Stinger. Alternatively, discover the refreshing Spritz de Normandie, made with cider brandy.

Simple, effective and perfectly executed: that's how we might sum up the cuisine of Pierre-Thomas Clément. With Flonfon, the chef intends to make a name for himself in Western Paris.

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.