Ma !, Paris’s first Italian bouillon offering authentic cuisine at bargain prices

Trendy decor, oversized forks hanging from the ceiling with a neon coil curling around them like spaghetti... At Ma !, we find all the hallmarks of a bouillon, those Parisian eateries famed for low prices, brisk service and cuisine that gives a French twist to the classics of our blue-white-red gastronomy. One difference: for the first time, it’s an Italian bouillon, a Dolce Vita–flavored spot, with pasta and pizza. In short, the place where people love to gather—friends, colleagues, with kids, couples, or solo...

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À la carte, Ma ! does justice to the gastronomy of the Boot since all pasta is handmade and fresh, delivering a texture and flavor worthy of a direct flight to Italy. As for the starters, the focus is on arancini served with a mushroom brunoise and a drizzle of white truffle oil, on stracciatella to dip with still-warm focaccia (served at every table—it's the bread basket you get in French brasseries), on fried artichokes, on lemon ricotta…

For the main course, it's no secret that pasta is the star of the menu—not forgetting the various salads, meats or fish—with pasta that is truly exceptional, nothing more and nothing less than what you expect from an Italian spot. The choices include the classic Cacio e Pepe with pecorino and pepper, the spaghetti al pesto, the Little Italy take with its polpettes (meatballs), or the superb Paccheri alla Genovese, a beef ragù slow-cooked for six hours and served over hearty rigatoni.

As an accompaniment, spritz fans will enjoy the Spritz Bar, which offers more than a dozen recipes, spanning from the classic cocktail to bolder twists, including the grapefruit and rosemary Paloma, the Hugo with elderflower, and the Marseillais with pastis...

Finally, if you still have a little room left, don’t miss the dessert menu, which is incredibly indulgent. Indeed, this section shines with artisanal ice cream, featuring scoops and affogatto (a hot espresso poured over a scoop of ice cream) available in hazelnut, vanilla, pistachio... Desserts are extremely indulgent and come in particularly generous portions. Tiramisu fans won’t be left out, with the various versions on offer, not to mention cream puffs or the delicious homemade chocolate mousse served with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of fleur de sel.

If the starter portions are a bit light for the price (which, as a reminder, remains a notch higher than the price of a Parisian French bouillon), the main courses are more generous, and the desserts even more so. You’ll be amazed by the colossal size of the single floating island, especially when compared to the tiramisu portion... The same goes for the spritz glasses, where the spirit of the "bouillon" is perfectly captured—frugal yet generously served.

Expect to pay between €4.90 and €7.90 for an starter, €11.50 to €26 for a main, €4.90 to €8.90 for a gigantic spritz, €5.50 to €7.80 for a cocktail or a mocktail, and €4.90 to €6.50 for a dessert (€11.90 for the Giant Floating Island to share). All the hallmarks of the classic bouillon are kept, but with an original, Italian twist: prices sit higher than in a traditional French bouillon (though still very reasonable for the neighborhood and the quality of the ingredients); however, the dishes also lean on a more refined aesthetic. The service is impeccable, with staff always ready to guide you through the menu; you may face a brief wait during peak service hours.

In short, a superb address where you can really eat well: for any occasion, it’s a slam dunk—go check it out on Boulevard des Italiens.

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