A brief history of Paris's great restaurants: Au Chien Qui Fume, the memory of Les Halles

Nestled a stone's throw from the old Halles de Paris, Au Chien Qui Fume has embodied the popular, gourmet and fraternal spirit of old Paris for nearly three centuries.

Between wooden counters, simmered dishes, memories of the Forts des Halles and bistro anecdotes, this restaurant in the 1ᵉʳ arrondissement cultivates an atmosphere apart, timeless, nourished by history and smokiness.

An inn born under Louis XV

It was in 1740 that a modest inn opened its doors in front of the Halles au Roy, at the time the nerve center of Paris' food trade. Merchants, deliverymen, morning shoppers and other workers from the Paris belly came here to eat or warm up over a pot-au-feu or a glass of wine. The bistro is an integral part of this bustling, popular and lively district, where all social classes meet in a permanent hustle and bustle.

Les Forts des Halles and cuisine from the heart

In the 19ᵉ century, with the great Haussmannian works, the old inn was moved and then rebuilt opposite the pavilions designed by Baltard, a symbol of architectural modernity that would not extinguish the soul of the place. The restaurant then became a haunt for the famous Forts des Halles, the colossal freighters renowned for their strength, their cheekiness... and their appetites. This is where you'll find hearty, slow-cooked dishes, hearty soups and generous grilled meats, in a convivial atmosphere where the table is shared without fuss. The owner cooks the old-fashioned way, with love, for a loyal early-morning clientele.

An unusual brand born in 1920

The name of the restaurant as we know it today appeared in the 1920s, when a new owner displayed his two pet dogs, a poodle smoking a cigar and a griffon smoking a pipe. The humorous wink became emblematic: Au Chien Qui Fume was born. Au Chien Qui Fume attracts customers with its rebellious spirit, generous welcome and quality dishes. Over the decades, representatives, artists, night owls, politicians and anonymous diners have gathered here to break bread in a warm atmosphere, often late into the night.

• To be read
• A short history of Paris's great restaurants: Le Café de la Paix, breeding ground for emperors
• A brief history of Paris's great restaurants: Le Procope, meeting place of the Enlightenment
• The history of Paris's great restaurants: La Petite Chaise, the oldest restaurant in Paris

Authentic decor and cuisine faithful to Les Halles

Even today, the restaurant's interior retains the soul of Parisian bistros of yesteryear. A counter adorned with the restaurant's name, velvet banquettes, dark wood panelling, subdued lighting and mottled details all add to the preserved charm of yesteryear. The cuisine pays homage to the classics of French culinary heritage: snails, foie gras, andouillette, blanquette, pot-au-feu, seafood platter, not forgetting the unmissable entrecôte frites or the irreproachably fresh bank ofoysters.

A lively bistro in a transformed neighborhood

While Les Halles has disappeared in favor of the Forum des Halles and the Centre Pompidou, Au Chien Qui Fume remains one of the last bastions of the Paris of the high verb and popular cuisine. Even if the neighborhood has undergone a metamorphosis, the restaurant maintains a precious continuity, that of a place of living memory. A landmark for those who love stories, warming dishes and bistros that have lost none of their soul; a table for bon vivants, the curious, gourmands and those nostalgic for a Paris where people ate well, early in the morning, and with everyone.