New addition to the 1st arrondissement, Lotta has opened at 8 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, pairing Mediterranean cooking with meticulous design. Led by Charlotte Bereaud, this Tuesday-to-Saturday lunch-and-dinner spot positions itself as a personal project rooted in her time at several landmark houses, notably Prunier during the Yannick Alléno era and Baccarat.
At lunch, Lotta offers an affordable set menu, especially for this corner of the capital: €28 for starter+main or main+dessert, €35 for starter+main+dessert. In the evening, the venue sticks to its culinary line while introducing an ambiance that evolves throughout service, notably thanks to DJ sets and its small terrace lit by candles on a quiet street.
On the culinary side, the menu leans firmly toward the Mediterranean, drawing on influences from the south of France, Italy, and Spain. The concept was conceived by Charlotte Bereaud and the chef Zoumana Meité, whose international career includes stints in Switzerland, Saint-Barthélemy, and New York.
Brief and focused, the menu centers on pasta, led by these ravioli filled with sheep’s-m milk tomme, confit Espelette peppers and almonds (25€), generously buttered, and these spaghetti al nero di seppia with squid (27€), successful enough, though they could gain even more depth with a bolder hint of harissa.
The shared plates are also in the spotlight, perfect for groups of friends out for a good time. We gladly pass around a whole chicken, a whole sea bass, or an Angus ribeye for the hungriest. To whet our appetites, we opt for the clams (€14), very delicate and served in shells with a fresh-herb beurre blanc; the tomato and stracciatella tart (€15) done in flatbread style; and, why not, the feta and sesame croquettes (€15), newly added to the menu.
After this feast, there’s no room left—unfortunately—for the madeleines (€15), whose numerous virtues the menu keeps extolling. A rain check!
With its dazzling, design-forward décor inspired by the architecture of Milanese building lobbies from the 1960s and 1970s, the restaurant was conceived with the architect Juliette Rubel in an unconventional layout that spans no fewer than three levels: a first room on the ground floor with a long, narrow terrace, an open kitchen facing a large communal table on the intermediate level, then upstairs, a mezzanine that houses a bar clad in mirrors and a second, even more intimate dining room.
A marvel on every level, with cuisine that hits the mark—flawless all around.
This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.
Location
Lotta
8 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau
75001 Paris 1
Route planner
Official website
www.instagram.com
