If there is one sauce that has conquered our plates in recent years, it is certainly pesto! With more than 71 million jars sold in France in 2025, the little green sauce has become the star of our express pasta dishes. And this summer, it is getting its very own restaurant in the capital. From June 18 to 28, 2026, Pesto Barilla opens the Basil Bar, a 100% basil- and pesto-dedicated pop-up in the heart of Paris. To tell you right away: we can’t wait to taste it!
The Basil Bar, a pop-up restaurant entirely dedicated to pesto
Head to the Sentier district, at 34 rue Étienne-Marcel (Paris 2nd), where Barilla will install for ten days only a true temple of pesto. On the program: an immersive experience that blends gastronomy, fashion, and creation, to be lived, savored, and above all shared. In short, the kind of gourmet and instagrammable hotspot we love to uncover for you!
A menu signed by chef Simon Auscher
To imagine the menu, Pesto Barilla entrusted the kitchen to chef Simon Auscher, co-founder of the addresses Tannat and Anna in the 11th, who has passed through the kitchens of Jean-François Piège, and a lifelong pesto enthusiast. The result? About twenty variations of Barilla pesto, from starter to dessert, between revisited classics and more surprising pairings.
On the menu, for example, a brioché toast, whipped ricotta, anchovies and basil-lemon pesto, or linguine, yellow zucchini and ricotta-stuffed flower. Proof that pesto really slips into everything! And to accompany all that, the barmaid Anne-Lise Jouenne crafts creative cocktails with distinctly Italian notes. We approve!
Des culinary and creative workshops not to be missed
The Basil Bar isn’t just about plates. The brand also offers a program of culinary and creative workshops to get hands-on: ceramic painting, bead jewelry making, embroidery on wicker baskets, or customization of kitchen accessories. Each booking includes a complimentary drink and a tasting moment (an aperitivo for the creative workshops, or the recipe prepared for the culinary masterclasses). Cherry on top: some workshops are led by chefs and content creators such as Mathis Molinié or Charlène and Francesca. Be sure to book, spots are likely to sell out quickly!
A capsule fashion collection in the colors of basil
Setting up shop in Paris during Fashion Week, Barilla could not pass on fashion! The brand teamed up with designer Élise Chalmin to imagine an exclusive capsule collection in the colors of the iconic basil green: T-shirts, shirts, cap, scarf, tote bag, apron, plate, notebook… Colorful and joyful pieces, halfway between fashion and food culture, to shop exclusively on site. A real good plan for pesto fans who want to leave with a keepsake!
Basil Bar: all the practical details
When? From June 18 to June 28, 2026.
Where? 34 rue Étienne-Marcel, 75002 Paris.
Reservations (restaurant and workshops) directly on Barilla’s site.
So, ready to see life in green this summer? We’re off to reserve our table!
