Le Cocon, a kid-friendly café-restaurant with a seasonal, locally sourced menu and a short supply chain, in Vincennes (94)

A simple, seasonal kitchen that stays generous and indulgent: this is the leitmotif of Le Cocon, a neighborhood bistro based in Vincennes, in the department of Val-de-Marne. An address imagined by Jean-Baptiste, its founder, to satisfy a range of cravings: seasonal fare, fully homemade, with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, all while offering a space that is particularly family-friendly, even for young children.

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What’s on the menu? A simple, ever-changing card that shifts every week, built around the weekly farmer’s market basket and the season’s produce. To make it happen, the restaurant sources just outside Paris, with a supplier in the Bois de Vincennes and several food partners to guarantee that every recipe comes from short supply chains. A bet on freshness and, above all, a pledge to keep the Cocon’s carbon footprint as low as possible: here, no fruit hops on a plane before making it to our plates, with the exception of products that simply don’t grow in France (such as coffee, chocolate, and tea...).

Similarly for the meat, the menu is mostly vegetarian (otherwise there’s only chicken, which has a lower carbon footprint than beef, for example): every day for lunch you can choose between two vegetarian starters, two mains (one vegetarian and one meat) and two desserts. In addition, there’s a handsome drinks list, mixing locally brewed IPA beers, house-made beverages (such as lavender lemonade or rhubarb lemonade) or products from France and, above all, not too sweet. You won’t find the usual supermarket brands here, so as to spotlight local businesses and, above all, to consume differently.

So, as the dish of the day goes, you’ll likely discover the creamy polenta served with a homemade ratatouille and a parmesan crumble, the generous salads, and the more comforting winter recipes… The hallmark of the Cocon’s menu is to offer simple recipes, sometimes regressive, prepared only with good ingredients and cooked with love. In short, the winning combination that brings indulgence to plates from starter to dessert. On our visit, the menu showcased an excellent crumble of vine peaches (in season at the end of summer) and a pavlova with summer fruits. If you’re worried you might not like one or the other option during your visit to the Cocon (or if you’re mindful of food allergies), know that the kitchen team posts their menus on the restaurant’s Instagram account at the start of each week.

Expect €17 to €18.50 for a entrée-main or main-dessert combo and €22.50 to €24 for a three-course option. For kids, there’s a menu crafted especially for them: a balanced plate (including protein, starches and vegetables) and a dessert, for €11.50. On Saturdays, Cocon serves its brunch (11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), priced at €26 per adult and €17 per child. Plan €2 to €5 for a slice of cake and €2.40 to €4.50 for a hot drink.

Outside of lunch hours, Le Cocon welcomes remote workers in search of a friendly place to settle in for a few hours with a good coffee and a cookie, as well as families looking for a spot to enjoy a snack... All the more so because the space is designed with them in mind: indeed, on-site parking makes it easy to drop off a stroller or balance bike, while the little ones can make use of a play area complete with building blocks, toys for toddlers, books and board games for older kids. In short, an inclusive venue built so that as many food lovers as possible can come and enjoy from morning till night!

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