By Maxime Dobremel
Simply stepping through the archway at 4 rue d'Anjou is enough to make the pace of Paris slow down. The Haussmannian facades, the Élysée Palace just steps away: the neighborhood fades into the background, giving way to a luminous, Mediterranean courtyard. In the inner courtyard of the Maison Delano ParisAn 18th-century building has been transformed into an Italian piazza. A carved stone fountain stands at its center, olive trees line the walkways, and wooden benches seem to beckon you to linger. This summer, we're not just going for a drink on a terrace. We're going to Italy.
The scene: a piazza born from a Mediterranean dream
The atmosphere is that of a southern village discreetly tucked between two Parisian buildings. The central bar, tiled in navy blue and covered by a reed pergola, casts a play of shifting shadows that move with the sun. Niches inspired by traditional churches form the backdrop. In the evening, raffia pendant lights twinkle freely, as if someone had simply strung garlands between two facades for the sheer joy of it. The sound of the fountain completes the effect: close your eyes for a few seconds and you're no longer quite sure which city you're in. Delano Piazza is not just another terrace. It's a deliberate choice to create a complete atmosphere, true to the DNA of Maison Delano, which, since its inception, has made natural materials and authenticity its signature language.
The aperitivo: a ritual that is learned here
Six o'clock strikes. It's time. In Italy, aperitivo isn't just about a drink: it's a social ritual, a breather between the day ending and the evening beginning. Benjamin, sous-chef and our attentive guide for the evening, clearly states the intention: to bring this courtyard to life all summer long, to give it the rhythm of a true village square. The plates are designed for sharing, in the spirit of Italian street food, which Chef Paolo Minelli has ingrained in his DNA as much as in his menu. The burrata with heirloom tomatoes, enhanced by thyme-roasted peaches, opens the proceedings with immediate freshness, the sweet and savory perfectly balanced, summery without being overpowering. The focaccia with coppa, provola, and candied tomatoes follows: the bread is light and airy, the ingredients impeccable—it's the classic we were hoping for, and it never disappoints. The arancini with Bolognese sauce, served with homemade sauce, complete the trio with their generous, unapologetic flavor. Crispy, gooey, and delicious.
On the cocktail front, the bar is using Gin Mare as its theme for the season. This Mediterranean gin, made with rosemary, thyme, basil, and Arbequina olives, offers a herbaceous base that each creation interprets in its own way. The Herbarium Highball is the gentlest version: softened with liqueur and white vermouth, it's a reinterpretation of the gin and tonic that smooths the edges without losing its character. The Ember N°7, on the other hand, features aged Diplomatico rum, sweetened with apricot jam and enlivened at the finish by ginger beer. Each sip tells a different story. The Negroni, created in Florence for Count Camillo Negroni, is also on the menu: logical, almost obligatory.
Dinner: The Mediterranean on a plate
The evening could end there. But that would be to miss the other dimension of Maison Delano Paris: its restaurant, awarded two Ecotable stars, where Paolo Minelli tells the story of an entire life through his dishes. A life that begins in southern Italy, crosses the great lakes of the north, skirts the lavender fields of Provence, and finally finds its balance somewhere between the two shores of the Mediterranean. Benjamin guides us with precision. The green asparagus from Mallemort, accompanied by a Sicilian orange sabayon and a Cremona mostarda, is both crisp and meltingly tender, with a sauce rich enough to prevent the geometry of the dish from overpowering the others. The zucchini blossoms, stuffed with fresh goat cheese and scamorza with a Kalamata olive sauce, arrive like a cloud: meltingly soft, seasoned just enough. The dishes confirm the intention. Red mullet with artichokes, new potatoes, and saffron evokes a reinterpreted bouillabaisse, comforting and precise. Flame-seared octopus, accompanied by a chilled caponata, is perhaps the dish of summer: the flame's charring creates a contrast between the crispy exterior and the meltingly tender flesh, which the tangy caponata enhances.
Optical illusion desserts: the latest surprise
The meal concludes with two desserts that play on illusion with quiet elegance. The tiramisu is presented as a sealed shell, revealing an airy mousse inside. The bitterness of the coffee and the sweetness of the mascarpone are there, intact, true to form. Then comes the Strawberry-Arugula: a perfectly recreated strawberry that opens under the spoon to reveal a light mousse, fresh strawberries, and an unexpectedly fresh arugula sauce. A dessert that ends the meal without weighing it down, leaving a green, slightly peppery note on the palate. Paolo Minelli likes to say that each dish tells a fragment of his life, each plate carries a memory. These desserts are perhaps the best illustration of this: you think you know what you're going to find, and you discover something else entirely.
Summer as lifestyle
Beyond the table, Delano Piazza invites you to linger. DJ nights punctuate the season, including a set on June 21st for Fête de la Musique (World Music Day), and live sports broadcasts transform the courtyard into a communal viewing area. But perhaps it's the tradition of backgammon tournaments, held on the terrace in summer and at the Delano Bar in winter, that best captures the spirit of the place: a certain idea of Italian conviviality, where people come as much to play as to watch, as much to savor as to chat. Delano Piazza isn't a seasonal concept. It's an invitation to slow down, to take the time for an aperitivo before sitting down to eat, to let the sound of the fountain drown out the city noise. Just a stone's throw from the Élysée Palace, Paris offers itself an Italian interlude.
Photo report: Maxime Dobremel
