Le Splendide

Overview

Le Splendide is the newish Parisian-style bar from French fine dining institution France-Soir, mirroring a trend of restaurants such as Gimlet, Entrecote and Scopri that have opened up proximate bars. Obscured by burgundy drapes and neighbouring the 40-year venue, Le Splendide has an unusual rule to match its pedigree — no photography is allowed.

Everyone who steps into its opulent confines must paper over their phone camera with a supplied pink heart-shaped sticker. Le Splendide's appeal lies then not in the virality of platforms such as TikTok, but in the mystery of what it is in this age of social media and relentless documentation.

Kristoffer Paulsen

French-leaning wine by the glasses across a variety of price points, Kronenbourg beer on tap and classic cocktails (you'll want to try the martini) are on offer. There's no kitchen per se at Le Splendide, but you'll be able to avail yourself of a small list of finger food assembled by the bar staff themselves — think oysters, terrine, lobster rolls, salmon gravlax, duck rillettes and caviar.

Timber panelling, luxurious rugs and a zinc bar top round off the cosy space, which can fit up to 40 people. Waitstaff are exclusively clad in salmon-coloured jackets, many of them from the adjoining France-Soir.

Kristoffer Paulsen

Images: Kristoffer Paulsen.