Where to Eat at the Louvre: Cafés & Restaurants
The Louvre has eight dining options inside the museum, ranging from the upscale Café Richelieu Angelina (famous hot chocolate and Mont-Blanc pastries) to casual quick bites at the Carrousel du Louvre food court. For a sit-down meal with a view, book Café Marly on the colonnade overlooking the Pyramid. Most Louvre tickets don’t allow re-entry, so factor this into meal planning.
A serious Louvre visit runs 3–4 hours, which means at some point you’ll need food, a drink, or just somewhere to sit down. The good news is the museum has more dining options than most visitors realise — from an outpost of one of Paris’s most famous tea rooms to a terrace café with a direct view of the glass Pyramid. The catch: most Louvre tickets don’t allow re-entry, so eating on-site is often your only realistic option.
This guide covers every café and restaurant inside the Louvre, plus the best options in the Carrousel du Louvre food court and the bistros just a few minutes’ walk away.
The Re-Entry Problem (Read This First)
Most standard Louvre tickets do not allow re-entry. Once you leave the galleries, your ticket is spent. This matters enormously when planning a meal: if you want to eat outside the museum, you’ll need to finish your visit first. Options are:
- Eat inside the Louvre at one of the cafés/restaurants below
- Eat at the Carrousel du Louvre food court (technically outside the galleries but accessed before security)
- Finish your visit, then eat outside — the 1st arrondissement is full of options
- Use a Paris Museum Pass — rules vary, but some multi-day uses allow more flexibility
For full ticket rules, see Louvre Ticket Refunds, Changes & Cancellations.
Cafés & Restaurants Inside the Louvre
1. Café Richelieu – Angelina (upscale tea room with a view)
Where: First floor, Richelieu Wing, near the Napoleon III Apartments
The flagship Louvre café, operated by Angelina — the legendary Rue de Rivoli tea room founded in 1903 and famous for its thick hot chocolate (allegedly Coco Chanel’s favourite) and Mont-Blanc pastry (meringue, whipped cream, chestnut cream). The terrace overlooks the Cour Napoléon and the Pyramid — one of the best views in the museum.
Menu highlights: Mont-Blanc pastry, signature hot chocolate “l’Africain,” club sandwich, croque monsieur, quiche lorraine, smoked salmon, seasonal salads.
Hours: Mon/Thu/Sat/Sun 10:00 AM – 4:45 PM; Wed/Fri 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM (extended during holiday seasons). Closed Tuesdays.
Price range: €€€ (pastries €8–14, mains €18–28, hot chocolate €9)
Best for: A sit-down lunch or afternoon break with one of the Louvre’s best views.
2. Café Mollien (French light meals, Denon Wing)
Where: First floor, Denon Wing, on the landing of the Mollien staircase — right after the French Romantic paintings (Liberty Leading the People, The Raft of the Medusa)
A more understated café than Angelina, with a striking architectural setting — domed ceiling, marble columns, a terrace open in good weather. Menu is lighter: salads, sandwiches, quiches, pastries. Particularly well-located if you want to eat mid-visit without crossing the museum.
Menu highlights: Seasonal salads, quiche, sandwiches, small plates, espresso, glasses of champagne
Hours: Varies seasonally; typically 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, closed Tuesdays.
Price range: €€ (mains €12–18)
Best for: A quick but pleasant pause with a terrace option in summer.
3. Café Marly (restaurant with iconic Pyramid view)
Where: Under the colonnade of the Richelieu Wing, facing the Cour Napoléon — technically accessed from outside the galleries
Café Marly is the best-known restaurant at the Louvre, with tables set under the Richelieu Wing colonnade looking directly at the glass Pyramid. It’s a proper restaurant, not a museum café, with full service, waiters, and a classic French menu. Book ahead — the terrace tables are in heavy demand.
Menu highlights: Traditional French cuisine (steak tartare, duck breast), pasta, salads, pavlovas, French wine list
Hours: Daily 8:00 AM – 2:00 AM (it operates independently of museum hours)
Price range: €€€€ (mains €28–45, tasting experience)
Best for: A memorable lunch or dinner with the Louvre’s most iconic view. Book in advance.
Important: Café Marly is accessed from outside the museum galleries, so if you eat here you won’t get re-entry to the Louvre on the same ticket.
4. Café Pyramid (casual bistro under the Pyramid)
Where: Level -2, directly under the glass Pyramid in the Hall Napoléon
A newer addition, Café Pyramid offers modern bistro fare at more accessible prices than the upscale options above. Bright, contemporary space with a family-friendly atmosphere and a dedicated children’s menu.
Menu highlights: Salads, soups, plats (main courses) with chicken/beef/fish/pasta, croque-monsieur, vegan and vegetarian options, kids’ menu
Hours: 11:45 AM – 5:30 PM, Wed–Mon. Closed Tuesdays. Kitchen closes 1 hour before the restaurant.
Price range: €€ (mains €14–22)
Best for: Family lunch, budget-conscious sit-down meal, kids’ menu availability.
5. Bistrot Benoit (under the Pyramid, classic bistro)
Where: Below the Pyramid, behind the Information Desk
Inspired by the famous Alain Ducasse restaurant Benoit (a Michelin-starred historical bistro nearby), this smaller operation inside the Louvre recreates the classic zinc-and-brass Parisian bistro atmosphere. Proper French comfort food.
Menu highlights: Escargot, pâté en croute, rum baba, chocolate pot de crème, classic bistro mains
Hours: Lunch service only, typically 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, closed Tuesdays
Price range: €€€ (mains €22–32)
Best for: A proper sit-down bistro lunch without leaving the museum.
6. Le Comptoir du Louvre by PAUL (fast bakery-café)
Where: Below the Pyramid, Hall Napoléon
PAUL is France’s most recognisable bakery chain. This Louvre outpost serves fresh sandwiches, quiches, pastries, and coffee — standard PAUL quality, ideal for a quick 10-minute break.
Menu highlights: Ham-and-butter baguette sandwiches, quiches, croissants, pain au chocolat, macarons, coffee
Hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (7:30 PM Wed/Fri), closed Tuesdays
Price range: € (sandwiches €6–10, pastries €3–6)
Best for: Cheap and fast, grab-and-go, especially for breakfast before galleries get busy.
7. Starbucks (chain coffee)
Where: Below the Pyramid, Mezzanine Richelieu Wing entry
A full Starbucks with the usual menu. Convenient if you want a specific coffee drink you’re familiar with, less interesting culturally. Seating can be tight.
Hours: Same as museum
Price range: € (standard Starbucks pricing)
Best for: Familiar coffee, quick caffeine fix.
8. Goguette (light café)
Where: Below the Pyramid, next to Starbucks on the Richelieu Wing mezzanine
A smaller, lesser-known café with light meals, snacks, and drinks. Often quieter than its neighbours. Menu rotates seasonally.
Hours: Same as museum
Price range: €€ (snacks €6–12)
Best for: A quieter alternative to Starbucks or PAUL.
Carrousel du Louvre Food Court
Accessed from the Carrousel entrance (99 Rue de Rivoli or directly from the metro), the Food Court Rivoli is an underground food hall with a wide variety of quick options. Technically outside the museum’s gallery area, so you can eat here without “using up” your entry ticket — useful if you want a meal before going in.
What’s there:
- McDonald’s + McCafé — fast food, €1 coffees
- PAUL — bakery-café, same chain as inside the museum
- Exki — healthy salads, soups, sandwiches
- Lenôtre — upscale pastries and prepared French foods
- Cojean — organic café, soups, fresh sandwiches
- Asian, Italian, Middle Eastern quick-serve options
Hours: Roughly 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM, though individual outlets vary
Price range: €–€€ (most meals €10–18)
Best for: Variety, budget, picky eaters (everyone can find something), meeting friends before the museum.
Eating Near the Louvre (a 3–5 Minute Walk)
If you finish your museum visit and want something more substantial:
Brasserie du Louvre – Bocuse
Inside the 5-star Hôtel du Louvre, this brasserie has a classic French menu supervised by the Bocuse empire. Terrace views across Place du Palais Royal. Mains €24–38.
Address: 1 Place André Malraux, 75001
Le Nemours
A Parisian institution on Place Colette, right at the corner of the Palais Royal gardens. Classic café-brasserie with an excellent terrace. Mains €18–28.
Address: 2 Place Colette, 75001
Le Grand Véfour (special occasion only)
Opened 1784 — one of the oldest restaurants in Paris. 1 Michelin star. Napoleon reputedly proposed to Josephine here. Set menus from €120.
Address: 17 Rue de Beaujolais, 75001
Angelina (original tea room)
The flagship Angelina on Rue de Rivoli, 2 minutes from the Louvre. Same Mont-Blanc and hot chocolate as the in-museum café, but with Belle Époque decor. Expect a queue.
Address: 226 Rue de Rivoli, 75001
Marché Saint-Honoré
A 3-minute walk north, this small market square has a dozen bistros with reasonable prices and shorter queues than the tourist-focused places.
Tips for Eating at the Louvre
Book Café Marly and Bistrot Benoit ahead. Walk-ins possible but rarely successful for the terrace tables at peak times.
Go for early or late lunch. Most cafés get slammed between 12:30 and 2:00 PM. Eat at 11:30 AM or after 2:00 PM for shorter waits.
The PAUL sandwiches are a great budget hack. Grab one at the Hall Napoléon, find a bench in the Cour Napoléon (in good weather), and eat with a Pyramid view.
Children’s menus exist. Café Pyramid has a formal kids’ menu. Other outlets have kid-friendly options. See our full family visit guide.
Eat before entering when possible. The Carrousel du Louvre food court is accessible without using your museum ticket, so eating here first means you can spend the full visit without a meal break.
Take a sealed water bottle inside. It’s the only drink allowed in the galleries. See Louvre Rules for the full list.
FAQs About Eating at the Louvre
Can I eat inside the Louvre?
Yes. The Louvre has eight cafés and restaurants inside, ranging from upscale options like Café Richelieu Angelina and Café Marly to casual quick-bite spots like PAUL and Starbucks. Food is only allowed in these designated dining areas — you cannot eat in the galleries.
Can I bring food into the Louvre?
No. Food is not permitted in the Louvre’s galleries or corridors. Only sealed water bottles are allowed. All eating must happen in the designated café/restaurant areas or at the Carrousel du Louvre food court.
What’s the best restaurant inside the Louvre?
Café Richelieu Angelina is the most iconic, with a Pyramid-facing terrace and the famous Angelina hot chocolate. For a proper restaurant meal, Café Marly (accessed from the colonnade) has the most spectacular view. For budget, Café Pyramid offers good modern bistro food at accessible prices.
Can I leave the Louvre for lunch and come back?
Most Louvre tickets do not allow re-entry. Once you leave the galleries, your ticket is considered used. To avoid this, eat at one of the on-site cafés, or use the Carrousel du Louvre food court before entering.
Is there a food court at the Louvre?
Yes, the Food Court Rivoli in the Carrousel du Louvre underground mall has a dozen quick-serve outlets including PAUL, McDonald’s, Exki, Cojean, and Lenôtre. Accessed from 99 Rue de Rivoli or directly from the metro, it’s technically outside the museum’s ticketed area.
How much does lunch cost at the Louvre?
Budget options (PAUL, Starbucks, Carrousel food court) are €8–15 per person. Mid-range options (Café Pyramid, Café Mollien) are €15–25. Upscale options (Angelina, Café Marly, Bistrot Benoit) are €25–50+ per person, more with wine.
Do I need to book a restaurant at the Louvre?
Café Marly and Bistrot Benoit strongly benefit from booking ahead, especially for the Café Marly terrace. Café Richelieu Angelina, Café Mollien, and the casual spots typically don’t take bookings — it’s first-come, first-served.
Where can I get coffee in the Louvre?
Starbucks, Café Richelieu Angelina, PAUL, Café Mollien, Goguette, and Café Pyramid all serve coffee. For the full Parisian experience, order a café gourmand at Angelina — espresso plus a selection of miniature desserts.
Is there water available at the Louvre?
You can bring a sealed water bottle into the Louvre. Refill stations are not widely available in the galleries, but the cafés and restaurants all sell bottled water. Many visitors bring a filled bottle to avoid the €4 water prices inside.
