The restaurant on the ground floor of Ralph Lauren’s flagship store on Blvd. Saint Germain is all the rage in Paris. The menu is all American, and Mr. Lauren flies in his beef from his own ranch in Colorado. The cheeseburger, offered at 27€, is the hot menu item at present, but customers complain about the sub-standard fries (made from frozen potatoes). Popular offerings are steaks, Maryland crab cakes, Maine lobsters and shrimp cocktails. In true American fashion, patrons may depart with leftovers in doggie bags (Parisian restaurants do not allow this – ever). The restaurant’s staff is trained in the U.S.
Interior seating is centered around an enormous walk-in stone fireplace surrounded by raised panel wainscoting. An intimate bar serves classic cocktails, including Mint Juleps, Whiskey Sours, and frozen Margaritas. The 48-seat interior restaurant is housed in the former stables of the structure, and extensive seating is available in a magnificent courtyard, around which rises the 17th century hôtel particulier, which underwent four years of restoration. Ralph Lauren Paris holds five floors of Mr. Lauren’s retail offerings, as well. Each boutique is stunningly and lavishly decorated, as one would expect.
Ralph’s is open noon-2:30p (lunch) and 7:00p-11:00p (dinner)
Brunch on Sunday 11:30a-3:30p.
Reservations: 01 44 77 76 00
173 Boulevard Saint-Germain (Paris 6) at SW corner of Rue des Saints-Pères
Métro: Saint-Germain-des-Prés
