“At Chez Janou, you’d need a lifetime… or several livers, to taste all the yellows! No fewer than 80 pastis are on the menu. Yes, you read that right. From classic pastis to the pastis of yesteryear, not forgetting pastis that will take your taste buds on a journey from Greece to Corsica… Here, pastaga lovers can become true anisette experts.
Chez Janou, the restaurant with over 80 Pastis that everyone’s talking about
Vintage film posters, portraits of Marcel Pagnol characters hanging on the walls, advertisements from yesteryear… Not far from Place des Vosges, this little address that smells of Provence attracts the crowds. Nestled in the Marais district, the establishment’s green shopfront and sunny terrace are a delightful reminder of the countryside. For the aperitif (and until the digeo), we toast with a Ricard, a Pastis 51, a Janot d’Antan, a lavender pastis with beautiful violet hues, or a Diamant Bleu (blue, as its name suggests).
Licorice pastis, pastis de Provence, Pastis de Nice, Pastis de Marseille, Pastis de St Tropez, Terre Rouge or even Ouzo and Raki… The menu seems endless. In all: no fewer than 80 references of the famous aniseed drink. All that’s missing is the song of the cicadas and the pétanque balls!
Pastis, parsnips, tapenade… In the Marais: a little corner of Provence! (Plus chocolate mousse)
Chez Janou‘s à la carte menu features the best of Provence: ratatouille, Panisse fries, fish fries to share and mussels au gratin for starters. For the main course, you’ll be tempted by entrecôte de bistrot, Provençal stuffing, sea bass filet with tapenade, and gambas flambéed with Pastis, of course! For dessert, we love the caramel French toast. But it’s the house chocolate mousse that’s all the rage. A chocolate mousse presented in a soup tureen, generously ladled onto retro grandmother-style plates from Chez Janou.
An address that always appeals, but a little too touristy for the taste of some regulars.
Yes, Chez Janou is a veritable little corner of Provence in the heart of Paris. That said, some regulars note that the place has become a little more touristy of late. A few years ago, the counter was mainly used by pastis lovers and the local faithful. Today, the line of customers, many of them tourists, continues to swell in front of the restaurant. The service, sometimes less friendly, and the chocolate mousse that used to be served “à volonté”, are small changes that make us miss the authenticity of the past. Nevertheless, Chez Janou retains its Provençal charm, with its unmissable gambas au Pastis and its famous chocolate mousse, which, served with a smile, would no doubt be even tastier.
📍 Chez Janou, 2 rue Roger Verlomme, 75003 Paris