The story
On the quiet Place Gustave-Toudouze in Paris’s 9th arrondissement, Magnolia is a bistronomique restaurant that balances elegance with genuine warmth. Chef Noah Howell leads the kitchen, reinterpreting French bourgeois classics with a modern hand. The result is a style of Modern Cuisine that feels both generous and precise.
The Michelin guide has recognized Magnolia with a Recommended distinction for 2026, a nod to the quality and consistency of Howell’s cooking. The menu changes daily, guided by the seasons and market availability. On a recent evening, starters included trout from the Adour valley with trout roe, beetroot and raspberry, or a terrine of pork with pistachio, butter beans and old-fashioned mustard. For mains, the leek tarte tatin with reblochon and Saint-Nectaire offers a rich, earthy twist on a classic, while the line-caught pollack comes with pointed cabbage, peas, samphire and mussel butter. The half duck breast, barbecued, is paired with fennel, almond, cherry and celeriac.
The wine list and cocktails are carefully chosen to complement this Modern Cuisine, and the setting – soft lighting, convivial tables – suits everything from a business lunch to a private dinner. Magnolia can also be entirely privatized for events, with a bespoke menu built around the guest’s preferences.
Open for lunch from Thursday to Saturday and dinner Tuesday to Saturday, the restaurant operates two dinner services (19h and 21h) to ensure each guest enjoys a relaxed pace. For those who cannot find a reservation, a waitlist is available.
This is a Paris address where the spirit of the French bistro meets the precision of modern cooking, and the result is a dining experience that feels both familiar and new.
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History
Does a melody by Claude François come to mind as you step inside this British-inspired gastropub? Maxime Vaudin (who used to work in communications) has entrusted chef Jack Bosco Baker (ex-La Vierge and Robert) with the kitchen at Magnolia, his Parisian take on London’s legendary St. John restaurant. The duo opted for a very pared-back aesthetic (velvet banquettes, wooden tables, some of which are dressed in white tablecloths, high Baumann barstools, dim lighting), creating a lively, buzzing atmosphere fueled by the London-trained chef’s cool, traditional plates: breaded and fried veal brains that feel simultaneously futuristic and nostalgic, served with sauce gribiche and poached leeks; a tartine topped with chanterelle mushrooms in cream sauce and fresh watercress; venison and prune ragù, reminiscent of a beef bourguignon, served with velvety mashed potatoes; tender pork chops with a mustard- and lemon-infused anchovy sauce, served with a damn good dandelion salad…. and some very level-headed desserts, with a slight misstep for the chocolate mousse with olive oil, which was cleverly garnished with caper leaves and fleur de sel, but lacked structure – we preferred the simple frozen parfait studded with crushed pistachios and slices of mandarin and blood orange. // Emma Carron
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