By Raphaël SIMON, on Tuesday 17 March 2026.
There are some places you discover with the quiet certainty that they will matter. Babi is one of them. Paris, second arrondissement. Rue Mandar, a long artery in the Montorgueil-Sentier district, has a knack for hiding its gems behind modest facades. It is here, at number 11, that Babi is nestled, a restaurant born from a friendship as sincere as it is obvious, between Néo Guérin, a twenty-four-year-old prodigy chef with already expert hands, and Jérémie Taché, a sommelier of rare prescience. Both alumni of Shabour and Tékés, two establishments that carry weight in the Parisian gastronomic landscape, they forged their bond in the bustling wings of these exceptional restaurants before venturing out, together, on a solo adventure. The result? A place that takes you by the shoulder from the moment you cross the threshold, invites you to sit down, and never lets you go.
Our video of the restaurant BABI in Paris:
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Babi, a bistronomic restaurant, carved from authenticity
Thirty covers, ten seats at the counter facing the open kitchen: Babi cultivates intimacy as others cultivate prestige. But make no mistake, the apparent humility of the venue hides an absolute demand for perfection in every detail.
Néo Guérin, youth as genius
There is, in Néo Guérin’s cuisine, something that resembles freedom. A freedom acquired, disciplined, but very much alive.
At just twenty-four years old, this chef composes each plate like an intimate travel diary, starting in Provence to reach Sicily, escaping to Korea before returning to Brittany, summoning Egypt and Japan in the same breath. The produce is French, carefully sourced from local farmers and breeders, but the inspirations know no borders. It is precisely in this tension, between terroir roots and flights of fancy, that the entire uniqueness of Babi lies.
We tested: the five-course tasting menu
When Babi announced the launch of its five-course tasting menu, we booked without hesitation. And when evening came, as we crossed the threshold of Rue Mandar, we already knew that this evening would deliver on its promises.
The concept is as bold as it is enticing: a blind menu. No menu, no pre-announced list of ingredients. You surrender, you trust, and that is precisely where the journey begins. At 90 euros, this five-act menu is a statement of intent: that of accessible gastronomy that never compromises on standards.
The five courses followed one another with an impressive narrative fluidity for such a young restaurant. Each plate revealed a new destination, built around a French product magnified by a touch of elsewhere, an unexpected spice, a technique borrowed from another culture, a pairing that surprises before convincing. The chef’s precision is palpable: nothing is left to chance, and yet everything seems natural, obvious, as if these flavour combinations had always existed.
What strikes you immediately is the coherence of the concept. From one course to the next, an invisible thread weaves the culinary narrative: the French terroir, always present, always celebrated, but never confined to its habits. It is a cuisine that breathes, travels, and tells a story.
Jérémie Taché, the art of the perfect pairing
If Néo Guérin’s cuisine is a journey, Jérémie Taché’s wines are the soundtrack. The head sommelier has designed, for this five-course menu, two pairing options of remarkable ambition.
The first, “Voyage around the vineyards of the world”, is an invitation to rethink the wine list: we leave the beaten track, venture into Armenia with a sparkling Keush Origine that leaves you speechless, cross the Negev desert, and stop off in Argentina with a Colomé Torrontés of disarming freshness. Bottles chosen for their character, their history, and their resonance with each dish.
The second, “Prestige”, is for those who wish to take the sensory experience even further: exceptional cuvées, always open to the world, designed to magnify each plate with the precision of a jeweller.
We opted for the first, and we did not regret a single sip. Jérémie’s pairings are bold, always spot-on, and delivered with a generosity of explanation that transforms the service into a true masterclass.
Our full review of Babi, by La Revue des Restaurants
What distinguishes Babi from the many new Parisian restaurants is this rare ability to simultaneously deliver on two promises often thought to be contradictory: accessibility and high standards. At 90 euros for five courses accompanied by wines, the experience sits in a premium category without ever slipping into ostentation. The atmosphere is friendly, the team radiates a communicative passion, and you leave with a light heart, filled with beauty, warmed by the sincerity of the place.
Rated 4.9/5 on TripAdvisor and 9.7/10 on TheFork, Babi has already won over the most demanding Parisians as well as passing travellers. For us, the verdict is clear: it is one of the most promising and endearing restaurants in Paris right now.
🏆 La Revue des Restaurants Rating: 9.6 / 10
Practical Information
Tasting menu:
5-course blind menu: €90
“Voyage around the vineyards of the world” pairing: available
“Prestige” pairing: available
Address: 11 rue Mandar, 75002 Paris IIe
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, dinner only from 7pm to 12am
Metro: Sentier or Étienne Marcel
Reservations: On the website or by phone on 06 31 66 39 28
Website: babirestaurant.fr
Instagram: @restaurant.babi
