Celebrated table

Passerina

Giovanni Passerini’s latest venture trims the excesses of his past restaurants to highlight precise Italian cooking and a striking mahogany bar.

The story

Passerina Paris: A Focused Italian Kitchen Near the Canal Saint-Martin

Giovanni Passerini’s evolving vision

Passerina in Paris brings a focused Italian kitchen to its Rue Traversière location. After steering a neo-tavern and a working pasta factory, the acclaimed chef now channels his energy into this streamlined wine bar. His background as the winner of Le Fooding’s Best Chef of 2017 award informs a straightforward approach to Italian cooking that favors depth over decoration. Recent listing on the 2026 guide confirms the concept resonates with critics who value precision over spectacle.

Small plates built for sharing

Guests typically gather around the bar to sample dishes that balance rich textures with bright acidity. A chilled finocchiona pork arrives alongside incredibly tender veal tongue dressed in a classic tonnato sauce. Those same turnips and Italian chicory provide necessary crunch against the soft meat. Bread dumplings stuffed with prosciutto and guanciale float in a clear duck and tarragon consommé.

A bar crafted for lingering

The space operates primarily as a wine bar where French and regional Italian bottles flow freely. Debonair visitors choose seats along a monumental central counter carved from solid mahogany and faced with fine mosaic tiles. This layout encourages conversation without demanding formal table service. The counter dining setup keeps the room feeling active while an outdoor terrace extends the seating during warmer months.

Recognition

Awards & accolades

2026
Le Fooding
Listed

Details

At a glance

Le Fooding 2026 — Listed
Services Counter Dining, Outdoor Seating

History

On the record

2026
Le Fooding — Listed

After a trippy neo-tavern and a pasta factory, the extravagant Giovanni Passerini (winner of Le Fooding’s Best Chef of 2017 award) is tripling down on Rue Traversière with a wine bar named after an Italian grape variety. Inside Passerina, debonair drinkers pop open French and Italian wines around a monumental central bar crafted from mahogany and fine mosaic tiles, all while nibbling on charming small plates. The other night, we had: finocchiona pork (a type of fennel salami); incredibly tender veal tongue in a tonnato sauce, paired with al dente turnips and Italian chicory; stunning canederli , which are bread, prosciutto and guanciale dumplings, plunged into a delicate duck and tarragon consommé… The most buonissima parts of our entire evening? An explosively flavorful Parmesan and pepper risotto prepared like a cacio e pepe , followed by a striking baba au rhum with apple-plump compote and raw cream for dessert. // Zinnia

Established

Location

Find us

44 Rue Traversière, 75012 Paris, France
Paris, France
+33 1 56 61 23 61
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Map showing Passerina